Milestone's Screamer series is not a new name in the circuit, but it has certainly been lost to time. Its last entry dates back nearly three decades, and now the '90s arcade racer is scheduled to make a wild return with a completely new look and twists.
The twin-stick racer blends an anime-style dystopian backdrop with fighting-game-inspired combat. That's the gist of it, and below is pretty much everything you need to know about Screamer, from release to gameplay.
When is Screamer Releasing?
Screamer does not have an exact release date and but it is scheduled for a release sometime in 2026. We'll be sure to update you as the exact release date is made official.
It is not the only racing title from Milestone slated for next year, as the Italian developers will also be releasing the sixth mainline installment to the Ride series in February 2026.
Screamer platforms
Screamer will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. There is no word on other platforms like Nintendo Switch 2 or the previous generation of consoles.
Screamer Setting & Story
Screamer takes place in a neon-lit dystopian backdrop and sports a distinctive anime-style aesthetic. While the finer details of the story are not yet known, the game is narrative-focused, much more than your usual racing games.
The center of the entire narrative will be the diverse multilingual cast. Most of them are split into 5 teams that are participating in the underground racing tournament hosted by a mysterious figure. Here are the teams and their official descriptions:
- Green Reapers: Former private military contractors out for revenge. New to the track, but veterans in fighting. And ready to seek vengeance for those they loved.
- Strike Force Romanda: Pop legends turned Screamers. They used to chase fame, but now they only chase the truth, on and off the track.
- Jupiter Stormers: Scientists, explorers… Astronauts. They don’t take much interest in Earth’s affairs, but a personal invitation brings them into the Tournament.
- Kagawa-Kai: The kings of the streets – every Screamer knows their name. They never forget a debt, especially if it’s within the family.
- Anaconda Corp: They built their empire on corruption and lies, but change is coming, and even those at the top of the food chain must adapt.
Each character will have their own underlying motives for taking part in the competition, including the main guys, the Green Reapers. All their backstory and arc will be told through cutscenes. Milestone partnered with Japanese animation studio Polygon Pictures to work on the story and cutscenes, so expect some heavy narrative.
That’s about all we know of the story so far. We'll for sure learn more as the release approaches.
Screamer Gameplay
Screamer is a twin-stick racer, meaning you steer with one joystick and drift with the other. At the heart of the gameplay is crossing the finishing line, but leading up to it can be total chaos.
The major mechanic that Screamer revolves around is the Echo System. There will be two different bars to fill at the top: Sync and Entropy.
You build Sync either passively by simply racing or by doing an Active Shift (a timely upshift when the vehicle hits the right RPM, denoted in the bar to your bottom left). You can use Sync to either gain a shield or boost your speed. As you use Sync, you'll build up the Entropy bar. You can perform a Strike or Overdrive action with the Entropy.
Strike is a short but lethal attack that can make enemies explode. Overdrive boosts speed, grants temporary shielding, and enables knocking out opponents. However, if you are in Overdrive, you will explode if you crash into a wall. It is a classic risk-reward situation where Overdrive will be your "ultimate" of sorts, but with consequences.
All in all, you race, fill different meters to knock down your opponents, or get knocked out by them. Of course, there will be many by-the-numbers modes you see in similar racing games, including online, single-player, and local four-player split-screen.
Screamer Trailers
If you want to see Screamer in action, check out some of the official trailers below.
Gameplay Introduction
Gameplay Mechanics
Team: Green Reaper
That's everything we know about Screamer. We'll keep you updated on the latest news.
Stay tuned to racinggames.gg for more Screamer coverage.