Outer Wilds, Manifold Garden alum’s twelve-year passion project bends minds and reality
SEATTLE — September 10, 2026 — DESOLUS, a first-person puzzle game that uses portals to traverse past and future realities from Mark J. Mayers (Outer Wilds, Manifold Garden) and The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild, opens the city’s imposing gates on Oct. 15 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Xbox and Steam.
Prevent the apocalypse threatening the elaborate Gothic City of Desolus by navigating between the city’s past and its cataclysmic future. Manipulate black holes to solve visually stunning architectural puzzles, transposing stairs, archways, and debris from one timeline to the other and clear the path toward the heart of the city.
Climb the steps of the city’s entrance and traverse through the Mirrored Garden on the way to find the city’s enigmatic guardian. Seek their wisdom for guidance on saving the city, but heed their cautious comments regarding their alter ego. Untangle the city itself to discover the mysterious cause of its imminent danger.
Apply top-notch spatial reasoning skills in each of the seven areas in the Escher-like city to rebuild architecture across time, unlock light-powered gates, and reach the city’s very core deep within its central castle. Search the expansive grounds for the source of a temporal cataclysm, and save the City of Desolus.
“DESOLUS has been my life’s pursuit for the past twelve years. I’ve poured my heart and soul into it,” said solo developer Mark J. Mayers. “I’ve spent years creating an entire city of Gothic architecture for players to explore. I am excited for players to discover this world I have crafted, filled with mind-bending architectural puzzles and beautiful scenery. I hope players find excitement in traveling through time portals, traversing massive cathedrals, and uncovering the mysteries behind the City of Desolus on their journey to save it from annihilation.”
DESOLUS is coming to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Xbox and Steam on Oct. 15 with language support in English, Japanese, French, Italian, German, Russian, Chinese (Simplified & Traditional), Dutch, Korean, Spanish (Latin America & Spain), Portuguese (Brazil & Portugal), Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
For more information, check out the official DESOLUS website and follow solo developer Mark J. Mayers on X and Bluesky.
About Mark J. Mayers
Mark J. Mayers is a solo developer based in Seattle, Washington. He has worked on several notable titles, including the BAFTA-winning open-world mystery game Outer Wilds, the critically acclaimed puzzle game Manifold Garden, and more. He is currently developing his first solo passion project, DESOLUS, an artistic first-person puzzle game nearly 13 years in the making.
About The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild
Quantum Astrophysicists Guild (QAG) is a Seattle, Washington-based publishing and development company working in the gaming industry for over a decade after its founder, Ty Taylor, left Microsoft. Its name, meaning the research of very small and very big things, encapsulates the group’s goals of publishing and developing any and every kind of project, ensuring the highest quality.
QAG is responsible for numerous award-winning projects that have sold millions of copies, including The Bridge (4M units), Tumblestone (1.5M units), Cozy Grove, Sail Forth, and Roundguard, and more.
