New, expanded demo on October 8 will give players their first full taste of the gripping gothic narrative roguelite by critically acclaimed developer Hilltop Studios
DENVER, CO, USA – September 24, 2026 – Rising indie publisher Digital Bandidos and multi-award-winning developer Hilltop Studios today announced that Curse of Resthaven, a gothic narrative roguelite about a doomed island trapped in a six-day time loop, will launch on PC, Mac, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on October 29, 2026.
In this single-player narrative roguelite, players step into the shoes of Ambrose, the newly-appointed governor of a struggling island colony searching for his missing niece, Amalia. Six days after arriving, a cosmic cataclysm wipes out the island of Resthaven. Then Ambrose wakes up on the day of his arrival with just six days to uncover what happened… before disaster strikes again.
Trapped in a time loop, players must trade for resources, upgrade local businesses, interrogate the townsfolk, embark on card-based expeditions, and make strategic choices across repeated runs, using what they learn each time to change Resthaven’s fate.
A demo is already available on Steam, and completing its core quests will earn bonus gold and skill points for use in the final game.
A greatly expanded demo will replace this on October 8, 2026, ahead of Steam Next Fest. This will give both returning fans and first-time players a chance to truly begin their Resthaven journey, as progress will be carried over to the full game.
While the current version takes players through shortened two-day loops, this new demo will allow them to experience the full six-day loop used in the final game, as well as all four areas of Resthaven town.
The standard edition of Curse of Resthaven will retail for US$19.99 (see store for local pricing).
“The countdown to launch is on!” says game director Scott Christian. “Curse of Resthaven is by far the biggest and most ambitious thing we’ve made at Hilltop, and we’re getting to the point where we can finally let people see the whole thing. October 29 felt like the right day to release a game about curses, time loops, and gothic, eldritch horrors. Two days before Halloween seemed appropriate.
“We’re especially excited to announce the expanded demo. It will be a proper look at the scope and rhythm of Curse of Resthaven, and we’re really looking forward to seeing what players do with it, whether they played the first demo or are diving in for the first time. Thanks to everyone who’s been following along and supporting us so far. We’re almost there. Or, more ominously, perhaps we’re just getting started. DUN DUN DUN.”
“Curse of Resthaven is truly a special game thanks to its mix of mechanics as storytelling tools,” says Digital Bandidos CEO Steve Escalante. “It’s been wonderful to see this evolve from concept to prototype to near-final experience, and we’re so proud to support the incredibly talented folks at Hilltop Studios along the way. We’re looking forward to delivering the full Curse of Resthaven experience on PC, Mac and consoles next month.”
Players can wishlist Curse of Resthaven on Steam, PlayStation Store and Xbox Store. The Nintendo Switch version is still in development, with a release date to be announced soon.
For more information about Curse of Resthaven and Digital Bandidos’ upcoming releases, visit www.digitalbandidos.com.
About Digital Bandidos
Digital Bandidos, established in 2024 by Versus Evil veterans Steve Escalante and Lance James, is an up-and-coming publisher with a secret behind its mask: decades of combined experience in indie and AAA game publishing, hundreds of titles published, and a lifelong passion to empower independent game developers and their creations—no matter who is publishing their games. The company has published well-received games such as Soulstone Survivors, Let Them Come: Onslaught and Froggy Hates Snow.
About Hilltop Studios
Hilltop Studios is a Toronto-based independent game studio that blends narrative depth with gameplay innovation, crafting experiences that feel both emotionally rich and mechanically rewarding.
The studio’s debut title, Lil’ Guardsman, is a critically acclaimed, multi-award-winning adventure that has delighted players around the world. Hilltop is currently developing its second title, Curse of Resthaven, a gothic horror, narrative roguelite that continues the studio’s commitment to memorable storytelling and inventive game design.
