Jigsaw's Bloody Origins
"Saw: Genesis" Reveals 3v1 Horror Game Set in World War I Aftermath, Launching Early Access in 2026
Bloober Team and its partners have announced Saw: Genesis, a new 3v1 asymmetrical multiplayer horror game set in the grim aftermath of World War I, roughly a century before the events of the film series. Players will either cooperate as the three “Accused” to escape a procedurally generated maze of traps or take control of the “Judge,” who manipulates the trials from behind the scenes. The game is positioned as an origin story for the philosophies that later define Jigsaw, with the Judge portrayed as an early architect of those methods and the match experiences shaped by player choices. As the Judge, players can deploy a range of lethal and incapacitating hazards—like gases, toxins, and other traps—while an accomplice can further influence encounters. The Accused must coordinate under time pressure, complete objectives, and may face permanent consequences if they become trapped or make risky decisions. Saw: Genesis will be available on Steam via Early Access in 2026, with closed alpha playtests planned ahead of release.
Key Points
CBR reports that the “Judge” in *Saw: Genesis* is not just an early architect of Jigsaw’s methods—he is “the man who inspired John Kramer,” with the game set in the direct “aftermath of World War I.”
Lionsgate’s Erika N. Ewing said the game will deliver “twisted life-or-death choices,” “intensely complex traps,” and “bloody consequences under time pressure,” adding that it’s “infused with the psychological horror DNA of Bloober Team and Anshar Studios.”
*Engadget* describes the Accused/Judge conflict in more specific gameplay terms: the game is “a multiplayer, first-person horror experience,” where the Judge uses “secret passages” and “noise detection,” while the Accused must “complete challenges and collect keys before the time runs out.” If they get trapped, they may have to “sacrifice a body part” or wait for rescue.
At *Summer Game Fest*, Billy the Puppet appeared to announce the project, and Headtopics characterizes the Judge as more than a monster—describing him as a “prophet” who originated the idea of forcing victims onto “a twisted path of redemption through pain.”
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