Yakuza creator’s squad-based third-person shooter about a robotic uprising gets a new release window.

Humanity’s inevitable subjugation by its own sentient robotic creations has a new kickoff window. Sega today announced an early 2012 launch for Binary Domain, the third-person squad-based shooter from Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi.

Binary Domain is set in Tokyo in the year 2080, a time when humans are locked in battle with robots. In the game, players take control of a human peacekeeping team set on regaining control of the city.

“When you hear sci-fi you may think of cold, clinical environments, but with Binary Domain I wanted to combine this with a deep human drama,” Nagoshi said upon the game’s announcement. “The keyword we have in mind for this project is ‘Life.’ I wanted to make something that will be accepted by both the Japanese and Western markets, and this fundamental theme is something everyone knows but which the full extent of can be difficult to grasp.”

Speaking with GameSpot, Nagoshi also discussed the mechanics of how the game handles squad-based combat, the development team’s focus on strong friendly AI, and how he intends to breathe fresh life into a well-worn man-versus-robots premise.