While Evolve has long had a mode that allowed players to team up against the AI, it was just substituting the AI in place of other players, not offering a real alternative to its 4v1 core. Starting today, however, Evolve players on PC can check out the first part of what may become a proper co-op campaign.

Developer Turtle Rock today introduces Evolve's first "co-op operation," as it's being described. This is a "linear four-player co-op experience built within the Evolve universe" that deviates from the 4v1 formula that has made up the game until now. This first operation is called The Deepest Dark and is available in beta today.

For now, it's accessible as a map variant from the Co-op vs. AI menu. Turtle Rock said in a press release that it's much more than a map variant, however, and is "potentially the seed from which more co-op vs. AI ops (or maybe even a campaign of ops) could grow from."

"At the start of the operation, the Hunters are greeted by an ominous voice setting the scene and alluding to the events that have led to the Queen of Gorgons taking over a Wraith containment facility and the surrounding area," the press release said. "As the team makes their way to the Queen's lair, they'll face hordes of infected wildlife and Gorgon minions that spawn from the Queen's eggs. Can the Hunters survive and take down the Queen of Gorgons to uncover why she's on Shear?"

Turtle Rock goes on to say this is an "experiment" much like Evolve: Stage 2, the new version of the game that's completely free to play right now.

The release of Stage 2 in July, which replaced the paid version of Evolve, led to a huge influx of players. Besides making it free, Turtle Rock also introduced some major changes and has been releasing new content for all players. It's only available on PC currently, but it may also come to consoles in the future.