Former Riot Games execs show off their Minecraft and Valheim rival

Multiple former Riot Games executives have finally shown off their new game, Project: Islands, which wants to enter the co-op survival game space and rival the likes of Minecraft and Valheim. With both pre-alpha images and a teaser trailer, you can see what the ex-Riot staffers have got coking.

After multiple former Riot Games executives successfully started Treehouse Games in 2020, the team has shared its first look at the upcoming Codename: Islands, which wants to enter the co-op survival and crafting genre alongside games like Minecraft, Terraria, and Valheim.

You can get your first look at Codename: Islands above, thrusts you into to 16-player shared world where players can “build an ever-evolving home, explore surrounding islands, craft powerful gear, battle monsters, and awaken their island spirit.”

“We love social games where we can find quality time with others. But far too often, multiplayer goes straight to brutal competition and shooting each other when all you want is to hang out and have fun with your friends,” former Riot Games exec and Treehouse Games CEO Michael Chu says. “After working together on some of the best multiplayer games in the world, we know that games can do so much more to create lasting bonds between friends.”

While the exact makeup of Codename: Islands remains a mystery, Treehouse Games has compared what it’s going for to social survival games like Minecraft, Terraria, Raft, and Valheim, with creative director and fellow Riot Games alum Andrea Sepenzis explaining what type of game the team is making.

“We wanted to push the genre in a direction that puts social co-op first and allows players to contribute to those shared goals however they want. In our game, whether you love to base-build, gather, explore, fight world bosses, or craft unique gear to create your own kit, you’ll play an essential role in your group.”

Do keep in mind that the video and images you’re seeing are pre-alpha, and that Codename: Islands isn’t actually the finished game’s name, so a fair bit could change upon launch.

If you want to see some of the best games that Codename: Islands is coming up against, we’ve broken down the best co-op games currently available on PC, alongside multiplayer games as well.