Roadside Research Launches into Early Access on PC and Xbox Game Pass Next Year

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Chaotic co-op simulator Roadside Research, where players run a human gas station while disguised as aliens wearing paper masks, is officially heading into Early Access in Q1 2026. The game will launch simultaneously on Steam, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox Game Pass.

Publisher Oro Interactive shared the launch window alongside a brand-new trailer showcasing key new features, including the ability to paint masks, customize alien skin colors, and the introduction of suspicious government agents who actively hunt exposed aliens.

In Roadside Research, one to four players work undercover at a gas station as they secretly prepare for an alien invasion. The core gameplay loop blends oddly satisfying simulation tasks: refueling cars, stocking shelves, and mopping up messes with high-stakes alien deception. You must keep your disguise intact or risk being exposed and disintegrated into goo by curious government agents.

The game offers two progression paths: players can upgrade both their visible human gas station operations and their hidden alien research base beneath the surface. The title also supports solo or co-op play and will feature Xbox Cross-Play between Xbox Series X/S and the Xbox PC version. However, cross-play functionality will not extend to the Steam version.