Returnal devs are working on a new game - but its not Returnal 2

techradar.com:

Developer Housemarque has confirmed its working on a new game — but it's not a sequel to the studio's critically acclaimed Returnal. 

Speaking with journalists at the recent DICE Awards (via VentureBeat), Housemarque's Managing Director Ilari Kuittinen hinted at Housemarque's next game, which will be a brand new IP rather than a sequel to Returnal. The game is still in the concept stage, according to Kuittinen, but sounds like it will see Housemarque returning to a more classic arcade game experience.

«We’re one of the very last dinosaurs making arcade games,» Kuittinen said in response to a question about whether the studio has considered moving into the live service space — something the managing director didn't entirely rule out. 

«Nex Machina, a few years ago, was very much a shoot-’em-up game in the style of the coin-ops from the ‘80s. That’s sort of a clue. But it’s interesting. We’ve been thinking about that. We had our stint working on multiplayer games, because a few years back it seemed like you needed to have some kind of multiplayer experience. We tried that, and we really didn’t do it as well. But it’s early days with us starting a new game, a new IP, concepting it out. We’ll see what comes with that.»

2017's Nex Machina seems a world away from the polished PS5 exclusive Returnal, but both games boast Housemarque's own unique bullet hell experience and clear arcade elements. Returnal, though, utilized the PS5's technical capabilities to become a truly mesmerizing (but challenging) next-gen experience — something the studio didn't previously have at their disposal.  

But this leap in technology also presented a challenge for the studio, in both retaining its identity and meeting expectations.

«We have maybe built a