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LectureMaster · 2026-01-10T00:07:47+0000

PlayStation's First Exclusive Of 2026 Looks To Be A Massive Flop

Code Violet is not the Dino Crisis successor we were hoping for.

www.thegamer.com

We're now just over a week into 2026, and just about getting past that weird period of the year when absolutely nothing happens and the well of new releases has truly dried up. We're now looking forward to what 2026 will bring for us, and while there are a host of exciting new PlayStation exclusives coming this year, Sony is most likely hoping they perform a bit better than Code Violet.

If you haven't heard of this game, I don't really blame you, but it is officially the first PS5 exclusive title to hit the system this year. It has you playing as a time traveler called Violet Sinclair, who is on a mission to investigate a mysterious complex filled with murderous dinosaurs. Yes, it's a Dino Crisis knock off, and it's not pretending to be anything else.

PlayStation's First 2026 Exclusive Is Being Panned By Critics

Unfortunately, for developer TeamKill Media, it doesn't seem to be a very good Dino Crisis knockoff either. Code Violet is set to launch on January 10, but reviews have now dropped for the game ahead of its early access release today, and to say that they aren't very positive right now is an understatement.

At the time of writing, only two outlets have posted reviews for Code Violet, those being PushSquare and IGN. PushSquare's John Cal McCormick is fairly lenient, saying that the game is "ambitious but never actually gets off the ground", while IGN's Jarrett Green is much more blunt, saying that the game has "terrible third-person shooting, boring level design, and technical blunders." In any case, both outlets have given Code Violet a pretty disastrous 4/10.

It's not a great showing for PlayStation's first exclusive of the year, though it is worth pointing out that PlayStation itself doesn't really have anything to do with it. One of the only reasons why the game is a PlayStation exclusive is because its developer refuses to release it on PC, recently explaining that it does not want "anyone modding vulgar versions of the main character."

It's rather noble, I guess, but it now looks as though more effort probably should have been put into making sure the game was actually good enough for people to want to do that. Hopefully, the rest of PlayStation's offerings — like Saros and Marvel's Wolverine — will be a bit more well-received.

T-0800 · 2026-01-10T00:11:02+0000

Never heard of it to be honest.

CLW · 2026-01-10T00:11:12+0000

The Xbox comeback is on baby

LectureMaster · 2026-01-10T00:11:12+0000

My man

mckmas8808 (sorry nial isn't back yet, gotta tag some sony fan, right?)hearing a PlayStation Exclusive flops:

Then realizes it's just some random shovelware

Bark · 2026-01-10T00:12:08+0000

Damn, rip PlayStation. probably just shut down the entire company, if they shat the bed and its just January

Crayon · 2026-01-10T00:13:13+0000

Just more solid evidence that it's the worst playstation in history. Gaf has been ringing this bell for a while now. People are going to stop buying these things any second.

ShaiKhulud1989 · 2026-01-10T00:14:05+0000

I see that the so called press is very desperate for clicks. But on the other hand, The Gamer wa always like this.

onQ123 · 2026-01-10T00:14:46+0000

Impossible they have hot chicks, guns & Dinosaurs!

This can't go wrong

RafterXL · 2026-01-10T00:14:54+0000

Neogaf single-handedly keeping TheGaymer relevant.

videogamedude · 2026-01-10T00:15:35+0000

lol, time traveling dinosaur hunter...

Am I the only one that thinks this is right up video game alley? And that outfit

Why am I interested all of a sudden?

Fake · 2026-01-10T00:15:35+0000

Imagine trying to justify a PS6 at this point.

Valonquar · 2026-01-10T00:20:57+0000

Code Violet looks a LOT like 20 other cake model with trash game wrapper PC titles on Steam.

lh032 · 2026-01-10T00:21:38+0000

but how is that possible this game has sexy women

Topher · 2026-01-10T00:31:45+0000

OT? Nope
Review thread? Nope

[The Gamer] article?

ChorizoPicozo · 2026-01-10T00:35:18+0000

These are the games produced by A, I right?

adamsapple · 2026-01-10T00:38:00+0000

Isn't this the Quantum Error guy?

Topher · 2026-01-10T00:40:35+0000

adamsapple said:
Isn't this the Quantum Error guy?

lol...had to google, but yeah it is.

EverydayBeast · 2026-01-10T00:56:45+0000

Exclusives are important and mean something to a console, Day's Gone wasn't perfect but the movement on the motorcycle, beautiful pacifc northwest etc. charming game. Do we know any idea on SONY's next BIG exclusive? They're announcing things?

hououinkyouma00 · 2026-01-10T00:58:21+0000

The Gamer...of course. Quality journalism as always from them.

You'd think it's a 1st party game with that title.

Magic-DEI-Hire · 2026-01-10T01:00:42+0000

The biggest flop is coming from that girl's ass on the video thumbnail.

kruis · 2026-01-10T01:01:46+0000

T-0800 said:
Never heard of it to be honest.

It's from the same developers as Quantum Error. But that's also a game I'd never heard of. How do these people keep making games without making any money?

Fbh · 2026-01-10T01:01:48+0000

Mother of all click bait.
Did they also write extensive articles about the PS5 exclusives Jumping Taco and The Giraffe G?

poppabk · 2026-01-10T02:25:35+0000

kruis said:
It's from the same developers as Quantum Error. But that's also a game I'd never heard of. How do these people keep making games without making any money?

They make outrageous claims about why they can only release the game on PlayStation and rely on fanboys to advertise the game for free and then buy it because it has the 'magic' only an exclusive can have.

S0ULZB0URNE · 2026-01-10T02:33:31+0000

Flop or FAP?

Northeastmonk · 2026-01-10T02:38:20+0000

Whoever wrote that article must have a micro penis.

semiconscious · 2026-01-10T02:38:34+0000

so the gamer critiques other sites' reviews rather than just writing their own?...

LordCBH · 2026-01-10T02:44:31+0000

Wow you mean the people that made Quantum fucking Error released another piece of shit?

I am shocked.

Three · 2026-01-10T02:49:39+0000

Fbh said:
Mother of all click bait.
Did they also write extensive articles about the PS5 exclusives Jumping Taco and The Giraffe G?

"Life of Black Tiger" on PS4 is the OG PlayStation exclusive masterpiece.

Going by this theme I wonder what the other platforms first 2026 exclusive would be. Probably some more shovelware.

Steams first 2026 exclusive would be Fall Asleep apparently.

Some "Only Up" clone shovelware
I wonder if it does what it says on the tin.

Skifi28 · 2026-01-10T02:50:30+0000

Holy mother of clickbaits.

TheChadOfGaming · 2026-01-10T02:53:52+0000

sonys exclusives in 2025 were flops also

kazuyamishima · 2026-01-10T03:02:44+0000

kruis said:
It's from the same developers as Quantum Error. But that's also a game I'd never heard of. How do these people keep making games without making any money?

They're still an indie studio, according to Google they're a 4 people studio, but who knows, judging by the results I don't think they invest too much making their games.

I collect VHS tapes · 2026-01-10T03:04:14+0000

this is concerning

willothedog · 2026-01-10T03:26:06+0000

TeamKill, Digital Homicide reincarnated?

Deerock71 · 2026-01-10T03:29:35+0000

Wandering Leopard · 2026-01-10T03:34:43+0000

This is hilarious, can't believe it's a real article by someone who's presumably paid to write.

kpopSuperstar · 2026-01-10T03:34:59+0000

CLW said:
The Xbox comeback is on baby

ShadowkillXNA · 2026-01-10T04:29:02+0000

Fake said:
Imagine trying to justify a PS6 at this point.

Imagine not understanding at your age that others can look at the same situation as you and come to a different conclusion.

Black_Stride · 2026-01-10T04:34:43+0000

kruis said:
It's from the same developers as Quantum Error. But that's also a game I'd never heard of. How do these people keep making games without making any money?

kazuyamishima said:
They're still an indie studio, according to Google they're a 4 people studio, but who knows, judging by the results I don't think they invest too much making their games.

They are a legit 4 - 6 man team....all brothers.

They probably spent all their budget on voice acting and buying assets.

Quantum Error also got a MegaGrant from Epic so this game likely only needed to sell a few thousand copies to clear its budget....I imagine if they even got to like 10,000 copies they would be considered pretty damn profitable and would still be under the Unreal Engine threshold so would even have to pay Epic.

Hawk The Slayer · 2026-01-10T04:38:46+0000

Would have gotten more sales if it was released on PC.

T-0800 · 2026-01-10T04:40:00+0000

Black_Stride said:
They are a legit 4 - 6 man team....all brothers.

They probably spent all their budget on voice acting and buying assets.

Quantum Error also got a MegaGrant from Epic so this game likely only needed to sell a few thousand copies to clear its budget....I imagine if they even got to like 10,000 copies they would be considered pretty damn profitable and would still be under the Unreal Engine threshold so would even have to pay Epic.

They should be holding seminars on how to budget.

SomeNorseGuy · 2026-01-10T04:43:06+0000

Both the game and The Gamer deserves nothing more then a

then quickly memory hole them both.

DavidGzz · 2026-01-10T05:27:14+0000

I predict at least 3x more active players on launch than Concord.

daninthemix · 2026-01-10T06:37:45+0000

A hilarious clickbait shitpost that nontheless will create fanboy ire.

poppabk · 2026-01-10T06:39:54+0000

Hawk The Slayer said:
Would have gotten more sales if it was released on PC.

Hopefully not.

drotahorror · 2026-01-10T06:45:13+0000

This the same devs that said it wouldnt be coming to PC because they didn't want their protag sexualized via mods?

And then decided to sexualize the character themselves?????

They playing chess or checkers I don't even know.

Damigos · 2026-01-10T07:08:45+0000

Didnt know this existed. Thanks for the heads up.
Hot chicks and dinos is win-win. Gonna buy it immediately

Black_Stride · 2026-01-10T08:05:22+0000

Damigos said:
Didnt know this existed. Thanks for the heads up.
Hot chicks and dinos is win-win. Gonna buy it immediately

FYI this legit might be be the worst game of the generation.........not like ohh a patch here or there could fix it.
They would have to make a whole other game to "fix" this.....its that bad.

But yeah go buy to support these guys so they can maybe hire some real talent, I hate seeing studios go under but id still want studios to actually improve their craft.
Starting small is fair and all, but release trash after trash isnt the way.....they made some money of Quantum Error......their next project should have been something that scores atleast like a 5??

xrnzaaas · 2026-01-10T08:13:13+0000

So did Sony pay for the console exclusivity or are the devs simply not releasing the game on Xbox and Switch? It's thegaymer so it won't be surprised by the answer.

Sintoid · 2026-01-10T08:13:49+0000

Even AI would have refused to write such a shit article

NeonDelta · 2026-01-10T08:19:04+0000

xrnzaaas said:
So did Sony pay for the console exclusivity or are the devs simply not releasing the game on Xbox and Switch? It's thegaymer so it won't be surprised by the answer.

Sony has nothing to do with it

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