ELEX is the next game from the studio behind Risen

Risen developer Piranha Bytes' new project is ELEX, an open-world action role-playing game, the studio and publisher Nordic Games announced today.

Nordic launched a teaser site earlier this week with a countdown clock ticking down to the full reveal today. ELEX is the first collaboration between Piranha Bytes and Nordic; Deep Silver published all three Risen games, and is also publishing an Enhanced Edition of Risen 3: Titan Lords this August on PlayStation 4.

ELEX — which is an acronym for "eclectic, lavish, exhilarating, xenial" — takes place in a "post-apocalyptic science fantasy universe that puts players into a huge, seamless game world full of original characters, mutated creatures, deep moral choices and powerful action," according to a press release from Nordic. The word xenial describes hospitality, or a cordial relationship between a host and guest.

"ELEX is going to be edgy, dark, uncompromising, complex, and we love it already," said Reinhard Pollice, business and product development director at Nordic Games. While details are scarce at this point, Pollice added that Piranha Bytes will exhibit ELEX at Gamescom 2015 next month.

ELEX is in development on Windows PC and "current gen console platforms," according to Nordic Games. Asked for clarification, a Nordic Games representative told Polygon that Piranha Bytes is "targeting" PS4 and Xbox One. ELEX is scheduled to be released next winter — late 2016 or early 2017.

Correction: Risen 3: Titan Lords launched in August 2014; an Enhanced Edition is coming out this August on PS4. We've edited the story to reflect this.