A new Oddworld: Soulstorm website is online, offering first details on Oddworld: Soulstorm, the first new installment in the Oddworld series in years, saying this is due in the second half of next year (thanks VG247). The emergence of social media since Abe's last odyssey is not lost on them, as they are soliciting Facebook followers to reveal Abe's appearance this time around. They also offer newsletter signups, dangling the chance to win a copy of New 'n' Tasty on Steam for those who do. Here's the announcement with all the details they are revealing for now:

Oddworld Inhabitants Inc. are today proud to announce Oddworld: Soulstorm, now being co-developed by Oddworld’s own internal teams in California and the UK; and in conjunction with Frima Studio in Québec, Canada.

A follow-up to the critically acclaimed* release of Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty, Oddworld: Soulstorm picks up from Abe’s genesis and directly follows on from the overthrow of RuptureFarms and the liberation of his blighted workmates.

Having defeated Molluck The Glukkon, his former boss and RuptureFarms’ meanest inhabitant, Abe soon finds himself - along with 300 newly emancipated Mudokons - without food, water or a place to call home. Stranded alone in the desert, they find solace in a strange new brew - a delicious drink that has insidious ramifications for their newfound freedom.

"There was a deeper, darker, and more sinister story that we never got to tell," explains series creator, Lorne Lanning. "Soulstorm gives us the opportunity to flesh out more meat on the bones of an original spine, but re-tell the fable from a very different angle."

"Abe has a long way to go and plenty more adversity ahead. Soulstorm is going to be a much heavier trip for him."

Oddworld: Soulstorm will continue to chew up the themes of environmentalism, capitalism, consumerism and addiction that critics and fans found so engaging in the "AAA Indie" release of Oddworld’s last pensive platformer, New ’n’ Tasty.

"We can’t wait to show you what we’ve got planned for Soulstorm" says executive producer Bennie Terry.

"We think Oddworld fans are really going to dig what we’re brewing, and we’ve got some great surprises in store this time around we don’t think anybody’s going to predict," he added. "I've been tasting it, and it's definitely got twice the twisted flavor."

Soulstorm, the highly volatile new game from Oddworld, is slated to explode in the latter half of 2017.

To feel the heat, please see our website at oddworld.com and follow us on Twitter and Facebook, where we will be revealing an all new Abe for Soulstorm. For details, please check oddworld.com.

* New 'n' Tasty - 87% Metacritic and #11 Best PC Game of 2015