It seems like you just can’t get rid of bugs. D3 Publisher and developer Sandlot have announced this morning that Earth Defense Force 6 is currently in the works. Targeting a 2021 release window, there’s a real chance this may be the next-generation debut for the EDF series. No specific platform was mentioned, but its reveal on the PlayStation Blog Japan makes me believe it will be a PS5 title.

As for what this new iteration will bring, its story is set a few years after the end of Earth Defense Force 5 (go figure). Taking place in 2027, it looks as if humanity is still reeling from the previous invasion of bug creatures. Around 90% of the population has been lost and things are looking pretty grim.

That’s more “grim” as in outlook because the art style certainly isn’t getting darker. EDF 6 retains the colorful, low-poly look of its predecessors. Some early screens show a game that could honestly pass as EDF 5, just with a different threat battling against humanity. Now there are stereotypical aliens and UFOs! How retro!

For the moment, Earth Defense Force 6 has only been confirmed for a Japanese release. D3 has brought most of the previous games over to the west, so there’s probably nothing to worry about here. We may even see the game release on PC and Xbox One…or Series X. I’m still not sure if this is next-gen or not.

None of the screenshots explicitly scream PS5 to me, but I have to wonder why D3 hasn’t specified the platforms here. It’s been a couple of years since the previous installment and I don’t know why a developer would be working on a last-generation title when the next-gen devices are out. Then again, both consoles do feature backward compatibility support, so it’s not really a big issue.

Either way, be on the lookout for more buggy invaders next year when Earth Defense Force 6 releases. There’s never a bad time to play EDF and a new entry with even larger foes and crazier weapons sounds like the exact right thing.

Source: PlayStation Blog Japan, Gematsu

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