Light No Fire release date: when is Hello Games' new game coming out - is it on Xbox and PS5?

Of all the blockbuster announcements made at last week's Game Awards, one "world premiere" (though we're not officially allowed to call it that) took the phrase quite literally.

Hello Games has a knack for ambitious titles. The British studio is undoubtedly best known for No Man's Sky, a boundary pushing experience that leverages random, procedurally generated content and technology to present players with literally a whole universe to explore.

Their next game, Light No Fire, looks equally as ambitious. But what is it exactly, and when can players expect to get it into their hands?

Here is everything you need to know about it.

What is Light No Fire?

Unlike the universal expanse of No Man's Sky, Light No Fire aims to scale things down slightly, though is no less ambitious as a result.

Instead of near infinite planets stretching across the vastness of space, Light No Fire gives players just one - our own Earth.

The catch here is that our planet is recreated to 1:1 scale, meaning there will literally be a whole planet for players to explore. This is no ordinary Earth either, so even the most well travelled gamer won't have trouble making new discoveries.

Light No Fire's Earth is a procedurally-generated multiplayer Earth, an expansive open world mirroring our own planet on a grand scale, a vivid alternative biome teeming with vibrant colours and curious creatures.

The oceans plunge into depths as dark and deep as our own, while the mountains stand taller, more majestic, and the expanse of traversable space is just as vast and diverse. Light No Fire's world encompasses literally hundreds of millions of virtual square miles waiting for you and your friends to explore.

Blending elements from survival-crafting and RPG genres into a framework centred on collaborative exploration and the settlement of an entire planet, every individual can etch their mark, influencing others who chance upon their discoveries in the future.

Alongside the vast, open world, the final game will also incorporate key RPG elements like character creation and a sprawling, epic fantasy narrative, and players will have the opportunity to craft their unique avatars, choosing from a diverse array of species such as human, rabbit, fox, badger, bear, wolf, and otter.

When is it coming out?

Hello Games haven't even given a hint of a release date for Light No Fire, meaning that dates you see are purely conjecture.

However, there have been rumours that we might be seeing the new game sooner rather than later, as a Hello Games team has actively been developing the title for around five years to this point.

The studio has made it clear that it doesn't intend to replicate the extensive marketing campaign employed for No Man's Sky, which spanned around three years from announcement to release.

That suggests that we could even see Light No Fire as early as 2024, though that of course is far from confirmed. Watch this space.

What platforms will it be on?

The platforms on which Light No Fire will be released have yet to be confirmed, although a live Steam page all but confirms the game's availability for PC.

Whether or not we'll see a simultaneous launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles remains uncertain, though we'd say it's likely.

It's worth noting that No Man's Sky initially debuted on PC and PS4, followed by its arrival on Xbox One two years later, so it's possible a similar release plan could be in place here.

Anticipate further information on the potential playable platforms for Light No Fire in the upcoming announcements.