John Carpenter's Toxic Commando Goes Live Today: Launch Times, Editions, and What Reviewers Are Saying
- Sagar Mankar
- 13 minutes ago
- 4 min read
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is officially set to launch today, March 12, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
The game was developed by Saber Interactive, the studio behind World War Z, and published by Focus Entertainment.
It was first announced at The Game Awards 2025, where a new trailer gave players their first proper look at the game's blend of gore, dark humor, and zombie chaos.
What makes this one interesting is that John Carpenter himself is involved, not just as a name on the box. He contributed as both writer and composer, bringing that signature '80s horror flair that made films like The Thing and Escape from New York so memorable.
The story is set in a near-future world where an experiment to tap into the Earth's core goes completely off the rails. The disaster awakens something called the Sludge God, an eldritch creature that turns soil into toxic sludge and humans into grotesque undead monsters.
Players take on the role of mercenaries called the Toxic Commandos, who are essentially tasked with cleaning up this apocalyptic mess.
Gameplay is built around 4-player co-op squads. You can play online with friends or fill empty slots with AI bots.
The maps are semi-open, and Saber's Swarm Engine powers massive waves of enemies that come at you from all directions.
Weapons range from assault rifles and grenades to katanas and character-specific special abilities. Vehicles with mounted weapons are also in the mix.
Teamwork matters here. Reviving teammates, sharing ammo, and coordinating attacks are not optional extras but core parts of surviving the hordes.
Editions and Pricing
Two editions are available at launch:
The Standard Edition is priced at $39.99 and includes the base game along with Leon's Secret Stash DLC, which comes with an ACW-20 assault rifle, a Wakizashi katana, an avatar, and a special title.
The Blood Edition is priced at $49.99 and includes everything in the Standard Edition plus the Bloody Pass covering the first two post-launch DLCs, 30 skins for characters, vehicles, and weapons, and a Gold cosmetic weapon pack with a charm and character skin.
Both editions are available for pre-order across PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Physical copies are also sold through retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. The game supports full cross-play across all platforms.
Launch Times
For console players on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, the game went live on March 12 at the following times:
Los Angeles: 2 AM
Mexico City: 4 AM
New York: 5 AM
Sao Paulo: 7 AM
London: 10 AM
Paris: 11 AM
Lagos: 11 AM
Cairo: 12 PM
Johannesburg: 12 PM
Moscow: 1 PM
Dubai: 2 PM
New Delhi: 3:30 PM
Chongqing: 6 PM
Singapore: 6 PM
Seoul: 7 PM
Tokyo: 7 PM
Sydney: 9 PM
Auckland: 11 PM
For PC players on Steam, the unlock times are spread across March 12 and 13:
Los Angeles: 10 AM (March 12)
Mexico City: 12 PM (March 12)
New York: 1 PM (March 12)
Sao Paulo: 3 PM (March 12)
London: 5 PM (March 12)
Paris: 6 PM (March 12)
Lagos: 7 PM (March 12)
Cairo: 8 PM (March 12)
Johannesburg: 8 PM (March 12)
Moscow: 9 PM (March 12)
Dubai: 10 PM (March 12)
New Delhi: 11:30 PM (March 12)
Chongqing: 1 AM (March 13)
Singapore: 2 AM (March 13)
Seoul: 3 AM (March 13)
Tokyo: 3 AM (March 13)
Sydney: 5 AM (March 13)
Auckland: 7 AM (March 13)
How Has It Been Received?
According to Metacritic, the game currently sits at a Metascore of 74, described as "Mixed or Average," based on around 25 critic reviews for the PC version, with scores being largely similar across PS5 and Xbox Series X.
The higher end of the scale has been pretty enthusiastic. SteamDeckHQ awarded it a 90, saying, "John Carpenter's Toxic Commando surprised me. I expected it to be an enjoyable co-op shooter based on my previous experiences with it, but it ended up becoming my go-to game to play with friends. The gunplay is tight and extremely satisfying, and the decision to use contained maps with easy-to-find points of interest means there's action around almost every corner." They also highlighted the gun customization and skill trees as strong points.
Worth Playing gave it an 85, calling it "a solid fun time" that is "not a revolutionary game in the four-player co-op genre" but noting that all the changes it makes have a positive impact.
TechRadar Gaming landed at 80, describing it as "a satisfying spiritual successor to World War Z and a moreish co-op zombie shooter with enough new mechanics to stand out." They pointed to the larger maps and vehicles as enjoyable additions.
TheGamer also scored it an 80, putting it simply: "Four buddies, a towering horde of undead, and a soundtrack that sounds like it escaped from something covered in dust in your basement. It identifies that particular itch perfectly."
Game Rant, also at 80, acknowledged the nits to pick but said "fans of cheesy horror and zombie co-op shooters will find plenty to love in it," adding that "John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is not a game-changer, but it doesn't pretend to be, and it's all the better for it."
On the more critical side, GamesRadar gave it a 70 and warned that the game risks fatigue after the first playthrough. Checkpoint Gaming, scoring it a 60, was more blunt, calling it "ultimately fine" but arguing there are "many better co-operative shooters you could spend your time with."
