Holy crap, they’re making Serious Sam: The Third Encounter
Croteam and Devolver Digital announced that a new mainline Serious Sam game, titled “Serious Sam: The Third Encounter,” is in early stages of development. Despite its subtitle, this will be the seventh mainline entry in the franchise—a reflection of the series’ notoriously confusing naming scheme that has spanned over two decades.
The announcement marks a significant return to the main series following Serious Sam 4’s 2020 release and the 2022 standalone expansion Siberian Mayhem. The original Serious Sam: The First Encounter debuted in 2001, establishing the long-running first-person shooter franchise. Subsequent mainline entries include The Second Encounter (2002), Serious Sam 2 (2005), and Serious Sam 3: BFE (2011), creating the franchise’s complex timeline and naming conventions.
With development confirmed to be in its early phases, the new title represents publisher Devolver Digital’s continued commitment to Croteam’s beloved franchise. The announcement will likely appeal to longtime fans who have followed the series since its inception nearly 25 years ago, signaling that the franchise will continue to evolve and receive new entries despite the considerable gap since the last mainline release.