If you're a fan of PlayStation shooters, you've likely played or at least heard of SOCOM, Sony's first-party third-person shooter that promoted a more tactical approach to combat.
While Sony doesn't seem to have plans to revive the series, some shooter fans are developing similar titles on their own. This game, called Zero Ops: Covert Warfare, is made by Nerko, a four-person development team based in Kansas City, Missouri.
Zero Ops is not a typical shooter
Zero Ops isn't your typical Call of Duty-style game. It features more tactical combat, objective-based rounds, and one life per player. There's no health regeneration, and the dev team has confirmed no aim assist on any platform.
Friendly fire is always on, so you can't just shoot wildly without affecting your teammates.
Zero Ops is developed in Unreal Engine 5 and will launch on PC and PS5 in November 2027. Its first two closed beta weekends attracted over 1,200 players, who logged more than 1,440 hours of gameplay across both platforms (with cross-play enabled).
There's no full game demo yet, but the promotional video does include some gameplay footage. The game is still in beta and under active development, so what players see isn't the final version.
Key features of Zero Ops from the development team:
Key Features:
One life, high stakes
Objective-based rounds with no respawns. In the first beta survey, 72% of respondents said the round length was just right.
Skill over assists
No health regeneration or aim assist on any platform; friendly fire is enabled.
Cross-platform parties
PS5 and PC players can compete in the same matches using dedicated servers built for low latency. Users can choose whether to enable cross-play.
Open mic lobbies
Pre- and post-match lobbies aim to restore authentic team communication and competitive atmosphere.
Built-in clans and tournaments
Clan management, stat tracking, and community-hostedTournaments can be completed entirely within the client,Clan system is live at zeroopsgame.com.
Original maps and areas
Tested maps include Blackwater Town, abandoned rail yards and oil fields, and Ice Walker. More maps are in development.
Unreal Engine 5
Spatial audio, dynamic lighting, and smooth gameplay.
Game Modes
Suppression Mode: Standard team deathmatch. The goal is simple: eliminate all members of the opposing team.
Demolition Mode: A bomb is placed on the map. Both teams must fight for the bomb, carry it to the enemy base, and detonate it to win.
Rescue Operation: SEALs must locate important hostages and safely escort them to the extraction zone. Terrorists must protect the hostages and prevent the rescue.
Multiplayer
Classic server browser: No skill-based matchmaking (SBMM). Players choose their own lobbies, fostering healthy competition within the community and supporting clan matches with join-in-progress/leave-at-will functionality.
128-tick dedicated servers: Built for competitive fairness with precise hit registration.
Dynamic failover scaling: Supports large-scale concurrency,
Automatic failover to player-hosted (P2P) lobbies during peak times to ensure zero downtime.
Community & Clan Ecosystem
Deep clan integration: Direct connection to the custom Nerkco companion platform. Players can instantly form clans, track highly detailed competitive stats, and participate in automated tournaments.
"Warzone" (coming soon): An interactive social hub for clans to gather and start clan wars.