Watch the Real American Heroes punch a gang of Cobra goons right in the face in this new trailer for the retro beat-em-up G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra

Legendary super-soldier squad G.I. Joe made a surprise appearance at the PC Gaming Show today in a new trailer for G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra, a retro-style beat-em-up that pits Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, and other members of the team against the nefarious forces of Cobra.

Fists are clearly the weapon of choice in Wrath of Cobra, but players will also be able to take advantage of guns, explosives, and other implements of violent do-goodery as they battle evil across Cobra Island, G.I. Joe's headquarters, Cobra's secret underwater base, and other familiar locales. Fighters can string together combos, dodge and parry enemy attacks, and take advantage of special abilities as they fight solo or in groups of up to four in online or couch co-op play to "overcome the odds and save the world" from Cobra Commander's latest bonkers and presumably wildly impractical scheme.

"G.I. Joe is an absolute classic franchise with one of the best fanbases," said Kerry Vandenberg, co-founder of developer Maple Powered Games. "Working on this game is a dream come true and it’s been a blast creating the game I’ve always wanted to see for G.I. Joe. We’re honored to G.I.ve G.I. Joe fans the video game they deserve with the most authentic experience possible."

A community playtest that was announced in September has concluded, but Maple Powered Games said more sessions are coming. Details, including dates, are still being firmed up, but the focus of the upcoming tests will be on multiplayer action. If you'd like to take part, you can sign up on the G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra Discord server.

G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra is set to come out in early 2024 and will be available for PC on Steam, Epic, and GOG. It will also be available on the Nintendo Switch, if that's what you're into.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.