At Summer Game Fest 2026, we went hands-on with Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, the follow‑up to Cold Iron Studios and Daybreak Game Company’s co‑op third‑person squad shooter. Once again, the Colonial Marines take center stage, our favorite meat shields thrown against the galaxy’s most terrifying apex predator: the Xenomorph.

Across a 30‑minute session, we teamed up with three other players under the guidance of the developers, who helped us assemble a balanced fireteam capable of surviving long enough to avoid embarrassing ourselves in front of a crowd.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 – Hands-On Preview

Our demo took place in the Rust In Peace mission. I ran a Marauder build equipped with a smartgun, pulse rifle with an underslung grenade launcher, and a mod that fired a mini‑missile every time I reloaded. My kit also included a missile barrage on cooldown and a limited supply of grenades.

The Marauder, while built with big weapons, can be caught off guard when enemies come close, but has an ability like a pulse blast that can stun nearby enemies, which is extremely helpful.

Rounding out the squad were a Duelist, Hunter, and Medic, each bringing tanking potential, utility, or lifesaving support. The Medic’s healing mist was a huge help, but with health kits on hand, self‑sufficiency was still key once firefights escalated.

With prep complete, we dropped into the mission, and this is where Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 bares its teeth. Or acid. Or tail. Take your pick. In space, nobody can hear us scream.

Rust In Peace

Early encounters focused on synth enemies, a result of Weyland‑Yutani splintering into rival factions after the events of the first game. As Narrative Designer Jake Kriegman explained, this fractured corporate landscape forms the backdrop of the sequel’s conflict. The synths added variety, but let’s be honest, we were itching to fight Xenomorphs.

Gunplay is accurate and fun, and ammo can actually run out, but ammo caches are scattered throughout the level.

Deeper into the claustrophobic corridors of Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, we finally met our first Runners. They swarmed from walls and ceilings, threatening to overwhelm us until coordinated fire and ability usage pushed them back.

We’re able to find some of the new enemies in Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, the Sirens. They’re xenomorphs marked in yellow, and as long as they’re alive, they will call more backup to our location. We made quick work of them until we encountered another xenomorph monstrosity – The Exploders. They have one mission: to charge your flank and explode, leaving a mass of acid to disrupt your formation. Nasty stuff.

Other classic xenomorphs made their appearances, like the Drones who move through vents, and before you know it, they’re behind you. After a while, we’re able to proceed deeper into the level where we finally encounter a nasty team-up between the synths and xenomorphs. With them are the Bulwark, a large armored crawler, and drones with an explosive electric payload. I guess it’s safe to call them bosses, because they don’t go down easily.

Thankfully, our squad held formation, cycled abilities, restocked ammo, and dismantled the Bulwarks one by one. With the final threat down, we successfully wrapped the demo.

Additionally, we got a look at the perk system for Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, showing many upgrades that can be equipped by players to modify their playstyle. These perks are easily changed depending on what you’ll need per mission, so this is a good way of min-maxing for players who are deep into the game.

Our brief session left us eager for more. Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is shaping up to be a tense, teamwork‑driven co‑op shooter that rewards smart squad composition and tight coordination. Between new enemy types, expanded class abilities, and the ever‑present threat of acid‑blooded nightmares, the sequel looks ready to push fireteams harder than ever.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is coming out later in 2026 for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.