Bloober Team has confirmed that Cronos: Lazarus, the upcoming story expansion for Cronos: The New Dawn, will launch on December 3, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The DLC will cost $9.99, with a Nintendo Switch 2 version scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.
The developer announced the release date on October 28 alongside a new story trailer showcasing the expansion’s protagonist, combat abilities, and a dangerous new enemy. Previously scheduled for fall 2026, Cronos: Lazarus now has a confirmed launch date and additional details about its gameplay.
The expansion serves as a prequel to Cronos: The New Dawn, following the Pathfinder, an elite agent of the Collective, before his transformation into the Warden encountered in the original game.
Set in the wastelands of New Dawn, the story explores the Pathfinder’s separation from the Collective and his determination to revive a lost Essence. Isolated in the Terminal, he pursues a mission that directly defies the organization’s authority.
His actions attract the attention of the Tracker, a powerful hunter deployed by the Collective to eliminate him. Bloober Team describes the Tracker as a relentless adversary capable of matching the Pathfinder’s abilities, introducing a new pursuit-focused threat throughout the expansion.
Cronos: Lazarus also changes the combat approach established in the original game. While Cronos: The New Dawn emphasized careful resource management, precision, and choosing when to engage enemies, the DLC introduces faster movement and a more aggressive fighting style.
Players gain access to teleportation, allowing the Pathfinder to reposition quickly during encounters. Another ability creates a decoy that distracts enemies while temporarily making the character invisible, providing additional options for avoiding threats or gaining an advantage in combat.
The expansion also introduces the Gladius, a new weapon designed for faster and more lethal attacks than the original game’s dagger. These additions expand the Pathfinder’s combat and traversal capabilities while retaining the survival horror elements of the main game.
Despite his enhanced abilities, the Pathfinder is not at full strength. Bloober Team says the expansion will feature increasingly demanding encounters, including larger confrontations with the Tracker that test the player’s movement and combat skills.
Beyond the gameplay changes, Cronos: Lazarus will reveal more about the Warden’s origins, the Collective’s internal workings, and the consequences of challenging its authority. The new trailer focuses on the confrontation between the Pathfinder and the Tracker as the protagonist attempts to complete his secret revival mission.
The DLC follows several earlier gameplay presentations, including a developer diary released in July and extended gameplay footage shown in August. Those previews introduced the Pathfinder’s abilities and the expansion’s shift toward more action-oriented encounters.
Cronos: Lazarus will be available on PC through Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG, alongside PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, on December 3. Nintendo Switch 2 players will receive the expansion in Q1 2027, although Bloober Team has not announced an exact date for that version.
Bloober Team has also introduced a free Photo Mode for the base game ahead of Halloween, with the feature supported in the upcoming DLC. The original Cronos: The New Dawn is available on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
