Wolfenstein 3 Reportedly In Development As MachineGames Eyes A Rainbow 6 Like Multiplayer Project

Windows Central’s latest Xbox outlook report has ignited a new wave of MachineGames speculation, claiming the studio behind modern Wolfenstein and Indiana Jones is juggling 2 very different bets: Wolfenstein 3 is on the cards, and a Rainbow Six Siege like multiplayer game is also being explored. The reporting comes from Jez Corden, who frames these projects as part of the broader Xbox and Bethesda pipeline discussions for 2026 and beyond.

What makes this rumor cycle hit harder than usual is that it is not standing alone. Shortly after the Windows Central piece circulated, Kotaku published its own follow up, saying it corroborated the Wolfenstein 3 claim through its own sources and that the sequel is currently in development at MachineGames.

For longtime Wolfenstein fans, Wolfenstein 3 being in active development is not exactly a shock. MachineGames has previously signaled that the modern reboot arc was always mapped as a trilogy, with BJ Blazkowicz at the center. That point was reinforced in a NoClip documentary released in September 2025, where studio head Jerk Gustafsson explained the team had planned what would happen in the first, second, and third entries and that they still had a story left to tell.

Those older comments now read like deliberate narrative runway. If the studio leadership is openly talking about a trilogy structure on camera, it usually means the internal roadmap exists, even if production timing is dependent on staffing, publisher priorities, and whatever else MachineGames has been building in parallel.

The timing context also matters. The last Wolfenstein release was 2019’s Wolfenstein: Youngblood, which shifted focus away from BJ and toward his daughters. If Wolfenstein 3 is revealed soon and targets a near term window, it would mark a 7 year gap since the last entry, and a 9 year gap since the last game that featured BJ as the primary protagonist in a mainline capacity. That is a long silence for a franchise with such a recognizable identity, which is why even rumor level confirmation creates immediate oxygen.

As for the second project, the Rainbow Six Siege like multiplayer concept is the more opaque part of this reporting. There are no concrete details on format, setting, or whether it is connected to Wolfenstein or is a completely new IP. Still, even the description alone is telling. Siege style multiplayer implies high emphasis on tactical pacing, team coordination, map knowledge, and a live service update cadence that can sustain engagement across seasons. That is a very different discipline than delivering a narrative driven single player shooter, and it raises an obvious strategic tension: fans who want BJ’s trilogy finale may be nervous about resources being split.

At the same time, it is not automatically a bad sign. Studios under Xbox often operate with parallel incubation, and multiplayer projects can be a way to build long term platform stickiness. The risk is execution and focus. If Wolfenstein 3 is meant to be a closing chapter, it needs premium single player polish, confident writing, and production values that justify the wait. A multiplayer project only lands if MachineGames can translate its combat and world building strengths into a competitive ecosystem that stands out in a crowded tactical shooter market.

For now, the safest read is this: multiple outlets are aligning on Wolfenstein 3 being real, while the multiplayer project remains early and vague. Until MachineGames or Bethesda makes it official, all of this sits in the rumor tier, but the consistency across reporting, plus the older trilogy messaging on record, makes Wolfenstein 3 feel less like wishful thinking and more like a matter of when.

 
If MachineGames is truly balancing Wolfenstein 3 and a Siege like multiplayer game, which should be the studio’s top priority, finishing BJ Blazkowicz’s trilogy first or building a long term multiplayer platform?