It’s 1995, the video store is alive, and so is the lone employee closing up…for now

EL DORADO HILLS, CA — Aug. 12, 2026 — Filmed fiction warps the world with fear as the debut demo for Victor’s Video Vault, the first-person horror game by Stingbot Games set in a reality-bending ‘90s VHS rental store, haunts households worldwide today on PC via Steam.

Clock in for a shift in a 1995 small-town video store and discover dark dimensions lying in wait within the building’s facade. When the last customer leaves, the final rental rewrites reality into a terrifying scenario based on the movie, and the sole employee responsible for locking up must now survive while closing shop over the course of five dreadful nights.

It’s not glamorous. It’s not safe. But every night is different, and it pays the bills, so hey — it could WILL be worse! Appreciate the good things while they’re there, like normal customers checking out their next pick for movie night or overhead lights illuminating the store. They won’t be here forever, and when they’re gone, comforting rental store nostalgia bleeds into a living nightmare.

Adapt quickly as alien hives descend from the ceiling tiles, twisters tear down the aisles, and the floors flood, hiding unknown creatures. Learn the logic behind each film to discern how to survive. Outwit creepy creatures and untangle mysterious puzzles, embracing the tensions of unsettling decision-making in an escalating, supernatural environment.

Spend a single night in the shop in today’s demo and wade through the treacherous, murky waters to uncover an unearthly Lagoon Monster hellbent on drowning the lonely employee. Get a first-hand taste of the Video Vault’s atmospheric duality dripping with nostalgic, stylized pixel art before the full game launches next year.

“Who’s Victor? Funny question,” said Sterling Selover, President of Stingbot Games. “You’ll meet him early, but you’ve got to stay alive if you want to know more about the guy. He holds secrets you’re going to want to know about, but the shop needs to be taken care of before anything. The demo’s dip into Story Mode is just the start — once you dig into Archive Mode, you’ll see the world through a different lens. Just stay alive until the Archive opens closer to launch!”

Clock out before the lagoon claims another victim in today’s debut demo for Victor’s Video Vault now available on PC via Steam! For more information on Victor’s Video Vault, join the community on Discord, visit the official Stingbot Games website, and follow the developer on Twitter/X, TikTok, and YouTube.

About Stingbot Games

Stingbot Games is an independent game studio based in California with a passion for creating modern masterpieces from the bones of retro classics. Their firm grasp of expressive pixel art paints immersive, interactive worlds into memorable gameplay experiences as a talented worldwide team of artists, designers, and programmers come together to create games like Keeper’s Toll and their current project, Victor’s Video Vault.

Don’t you hate when sand gets between your toes? The zombies do, too

PORTLAND — Aug. 12, 2026 — Go barefoot into scorching sands as the new Desert biome in Lazy River, the co-op waterpark zombie survival FPS developed by Secret Hitlercreator Mike Boxleiter and featured at Day of the Devs at Summer Games Fest 2026, is revealed alongside a beach wagon’s worth of new features in today’s new trailer.

The galaxy’s most unregulated waterpark is now open! It’s practically endless…buuut the water is filled with extraterrestrial bacteria. Turns out someone peed in the pool, and the murky mixture turned all of the park’s guests into zombies. As the last remaining humans, survive a wet and wild expedition to the exit while fending off hunger, zombified patrons, and security robots. 

The new Desert biome may be mostly dry, but when there’s water, there’s a way! Wade in and out of the stream into dusty dunes as a solo survivor, or turn up the heat with three uninfected friends.

Go from floating to offroading with the addition of tires and air fan engines, but avoid prickly innertube-popping cacti! Scan for sand-swimming zombies beneath the shifting sediment, and squirt them into submission with five previously unrevealed water guns.

Craft an escape raft by combining scavenged innertubes with raw materials, then turn dinghies into floating fortresses with zombie-proof reinforced walls and turrets. Tether sails and rudders for mobility, incorporate bathtubs for on-the-fly water balloon filling, and place grills for cooking meals on the go. Make sure she’s seaworthy, as Lazy River’s full water physics simulation takes weight distribution and buoyancy into account with every add-on.

Gear up with all kinds of wet weaponry, including pool noodles, water balloons, and 14 distinct water guns, including hand-pumped and battery-powered. Zombies explode when waterlogged, so aim high to account for stream strength, then soak them until they burst! 

Rummage through abandoned food stalls for snacks, and restock on supplies at restroom facilities along the path to the exit, all while avoiding triggering the park’s alarm system. If it rings too long, a cataclysmic self-cleaning cycle will vaporize all lifeforms on the spot! 

Close out summer in style and try Lazy River’s newest demo at PAX West 2026’s PAX Rising booth, at the Seattle Convention Center from Fri, Sept. 4 – Mon., Sept. 7, 2026.

“Collaborating with friends to build vehicles is such a special part of online co-op games,” says Mike Boxleiter, lead developer. “Lazy River’s fully simulated water physics and offroading dynamics will make players think about every design choice. It may be a lighthearted summer co-op game, but there’s a ton of depth to experiment with. We can’t wait for PAX attendees to try their hand at escaping the waterpark at PAX!”

Lazy River’s intergalactic summer vacation arrives on PC via Steam in early access in 2027 with language support in English. For more information, visit the official website, follow Mike Boxleiter on Bluesky, and join the Discord community.

About Mike Boxleiter 

Lazy River is led by independent developer Mike Boxleiter, co-creator of the iconic social deduction game Secret Hitler and the web and mobile skiing game Solipskier, who has worked in indie games since 2007. He is joined on Lazy River by producer Karlee Esmailli, games narrative writer with credits on Monster Prom and Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp and work for Cards Against Humanity. Based in Portland, Oregon, Mike continues to develop Lazy River as an independent creator.

Experience Hell Galaxy’s brutal blend of space combat, RPG progression and psychological horror, available today on Steam. Watch the explosive new launch trailer now. 

Milan, Italy – August 12, 2026. Indie developer The Italian Games Factory is excited to announce  the launch of Hell Galaxy is available now on Steam for £22.49 / $24.99 / €25.49, in its final version, coinciding today with the solar eclipse.

Blending intense space combat with RPG progression, exploration and a rich narrative universe, Hell Galaxy delivers a dark sci-fi experience where every encounter pushes players deeper into the unknown, uncovering why they are trapped in this hell and how much of their humanity remains. 

Every encounter is a battle for both body and mind. Players will engage in dynamic space dogfights using fully customisable loadouts and shifting combat stances to adapt to increasingly deadly threats, while ghostly entities and colossal monstrosities threaten not only the integrity of their ship, but also their very sanity.

After many years in development, Hell Galaxy reaches its final form with the launch of Version 1.0. This major update brings the game’s story and universe lore to their conclusion, adding approximately five hours of new primary quest content before culminating in the final battles against the Colossi that force players to confront what it means to be human in this infernal galaxy. Alongside the new content, V1.0 also introduces a range of updates, improvements and fixes shaped by community feedback throughout the game’s development. Following a journey filled with challenges, changes and plenty of ups and downs, Version 1.0 marks the completion of Hell Galaxy and delivers the full experience the team has spent many years building. 

To mark today’s release, players can also watch an all-new gameplay trailer showcasing Hell Galaxy‘s brutal combat, haunting environments and relentless horrors lurking throughout the Neterun galaxy.

Key Features

• Fast-paced space combat with dynamic dogfights and tactical combat stances.
• Customisable ships and loadouts that encourage varied playstyles.
• Face terrifying ghostly entities and colossal cosmic horrors that challenge both your ship and your sanity.
• Explore the mysterious Neterun galaxy and uncover the secrets hidden within its fractured worlds.
• RPG progression, powerful upgrades and meaningful player choice throughout your journey.
• A dark narrative experience where anxiety, fear, and science fiction collide.

Hell Galaxy is available now on Steam for £22.49 / $24.99 / €25.49. Download today, step into the Neterun galaxy and discover whether you can survive a universe where nothing is truly human anymore.

About Italian Games Factory

Italian Games Factory is an independent studio focused on bringing fresh innovation to space combat games. We develop our own IPs and create worlds with the utmost expertise for you, the players.

The award-winning series returns to showcase its dark and captivating world, available to pre-order now and coming August 27

PARIS – Aug. 12, 2026 – Focus Entertainment and Asobo Studio today invite players to descend into the depths of Minotaur Island in a brand-new trailer for Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, set to release on August 27 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

Beyond the surface… What lies beneath

What should have been the heist of a lifetime for Sophia and her late father’s gang of bandits has gone terribly wrong… Now fleeing Venice to survive, she must forge her own path into the mysteries of Minotaur Island, with only her trusted companion Leni by her side.

True to the atmosphere of the A Plague Tale series, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy ventures into a forgotten world built upon the eerily majestic ruins of an ancient civilization. Despite young Sophia’s strength and agility in combat, this grim race against the past offers no safe haven. A terrible force lurks in the shadows, relentlessly hunting her.

As players prepare to unravel Sophia’s early years, they will confront the reality behind legendary myths and uncover the untold origins of the Macula.

Go Behind the Scenes with New Content

To take you deeper into the game’s secrets before launch, a series of short videos are already available on Focus Entertainment’s social channels, with more on the way:

• The Scenery: Get a new look at the game’s environments, from the bustling streets of Venice to the dark landscapes of Minotaur Island.
• Look for the Light: Navigating the pitch-black depths of Resonance requires staying in the light and using it to your advantage.
• Know Your Opponents: Study your foes to gain the upper hand in combat against the deadly forces trying to stop you.
• Sophia: Uncover the backstory and motivations of the fierce heroine at the heart of Resonance.
• Fierce and Lethal: Master Sophia’s arsenal: chain sword strikes, dagger attacks, parries, and kicks to outwit ruthless enemies.

Fans will also be thrilled to know that Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy will be present and playable at Gamescom, giving players a chance to dive into the game’s unsettling atmosphere. Look for the game at both the Focus Entertainment and Xbox booths. See you there!

Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy launches on Aug. 27, 2026, and is now available for pre-order on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. The game will also be available day one on Xbox Game Pass with Xbox Play Anywhere support.

First public hands-on coming exclusively to PAX West 2026

Santa Barbara, California – August 12, 2026 – Santa Barbara Games today announced Voidwood, a 1–4 player co-op survival horror game coming to Steam in 2027. Set in an inviting but cursed forest, Voidwood challenges friend groups to explore and prepare by day, then survive the night, when the woods become hunting grounds.

Playing as children lost deep in the woods, groups venture out in daylight to scavenge supplies and craft tools, deciding whether to push deeper for greater rewards or get out while they can. The longer they search, the less time they have to find their way back before the light gives out.

At nightfall, the forest will call in The Beast, an apex predator that cannot be stopped, only survived. Twisted creatures prowl the dark, and the children must hide, flee, and find their way out together, leaning on proximity chat to keep the group coordinated even as every word risks drawing danger closer. 

Every escape feeds the next attempt. What players carry out of the forest becomes camp upgrades, new tools, and new strategies, the kind of progression that keeps a squad saying one more run.

Voidwood’s stylized setting is designed to disarm players before it threatens them. Warm light, vivid color, and open paths encourage exploration, while spatial audio changes how voices, footsteps, and distant noises carry throughout the trees.

“Voidwood comes from the horror we loved as kids: that feeling of wonder right before the dread sets in,” said Shawn Seibert, Founder & Creative Director at Santa Barbara Games. “We love co-op games where surviving means actually talking to each other, and that’s the heart of Voidwood: your voice keeps your team alive, and it’s also what gives you away. The trailer and demo at PAX West are an early look at a much bigger forest to come.”

The reveal trailer reflects the early gameplay experience Santa Barbara Games will bring to PAX West in Seattle, September 4–7, 2026, where attendees will be the first members of the public to play Voidwood at Booth #744. The preview is available only in person at the show. 

Voidwood is available to wishlist on Steam now: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3694420/Voidwood/

About Santa Barbara Games
Santa Barbara Games is a small indie team with roots at EA, Riot, Bethesda, Unity, and Amazon. We’re self-publishing our first game, Voidwood, on Steam: the kind of co-op survival horror game we want to play with our own friends.

The Talent Behind Calvin and Faye | Main Voice Cast Revealed

12 August 2026, Kyiv, Ukraine | Today, Frogwares has released a new game overview trailer for The Sinking City 2, its upcoming Lovecraftian survival horror game launching on August 18, 2026, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

The new trailer offers a narrated tour through the world of The Sinking City 2, introducing its dark Lovecraftian setting and the horrors lurking beneath the surface. Step into Arkham, a flooded and decaying city now overrun by monsters, and discover the story of Calvin and Faye, as well as the reasons driving Calvin to remain in a place everyone else has abandoned. 

Along the way, the trailer dives into the game’s core gameplay, showing how tense survival horror and investigation come together as players explore Arkham, uncover its mysteries, and fight to stay alive.  A deeper look at combat is also highlighted, with an understanding that resources are scarce and ammo is precious.

Store Pages and Social Links: https://link.frogwares.com/tsc2

Meet the Voices of Arkham

At the heart of The Sinking City 2 are two characters whose stories are deeply intertwined with Arkham and its growing nightmare. Bringing them to life are Andrew Wheildon-Dennis and Gemma Elizabeth Whelan, who lend their voices to Calvin Rafferty and Faye Bennett respectively.

Andrew Wheildon-Dennis takes on the role of Calvin Rafferty, a man who finds himself drawn deeper into Arkham’s mysteries as the city descends further into chaos. His credits include Baldur’s Gate III, The Invincible, 007 First Light, Blue Prince and Dragon’s Dogma III, among others. The bold and highly intelligent character of Faye Bennett is voiced by Gemma Elizabeth Whelan, best known for her role as Yara Greyjoy in Game of Thrones. Whelan has also brought her talents to major games, including Elden Ring, Mass Effect: Andromeda and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III.

About The Sinking City 2

The Sinking City 2 is set in a Lovecraftian vision of 1920s America, in the infamous city of Arkham. A supernatural flood has driven out all but the most deranged residents, leaving decay and eldritch horrors that roam the streets. Step into the role of Calvin Rafferty, an occult adventurer whose cavalier actions have led to devastating consequences. After a dreaming ritual goes wrong, his girlfriend, Faye, is left trapped in a mysterious sleep. Now Calvin must navigate the drowned streets of a derelict city in a desperate attempt to bring her back. On his quest, he’ll come face-to-face with a plague of otherworldly creatures, the Slither, who possess and twist the dead into lethal, walking puppets.Game Features

• Fight to Survive: Use an arsenal of 1920s-inspired weapons to fight against Eldritch abominations.
• Explore The Decaying City of Arkham: A world of rotting apartments, flooded markets, and abandoned hospitals that you’ll explore by foot and by boat. 
• Find and Use What You Can: Scrounge for limited resources and balance a finite inventory as you decide what to bring and what to leave behind.
• Choose to Investigate Further: Explore your surroundings more deeply and solve optional cases and puzzles to uncover secrets, upgrades, and lore.
• A Twisted Lovecraftian Tale: Experience a captivating and morally gray story of personal loss, woven through the Lovecraftian mythos of occultism and incomprehensible creatures 

ABOUT FROGWARES

Founded in 2000, Frogwares is an independent game development studio based in Ukraine and Ireland. We are behind the Sherlock Holmes series and a Lovecraftian detective-horror game series, The Sinking City. Thanks to the work of our talented team of artists and programmers, our games are available for all major platforms, including PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PC, and Nintendo Switch

London, United Kingdom & Tokyo, Japan (12^th August 2026) – Today, a new video in Nintendo’s ‘Creator’s Voice’ series was released featuring interviews with some of the creative minds behind the upcoming Nintendo Switch™ 2 exclusive Orbitals. Developed by Tokyo-based developer Shapefarm, and published by video game publisher and creative studio Kepler Interactive, Orbitals is the highly anticipated upcoming intergalactic co-op adventure inspired by classic retro anime, launching on 3^rd September 2026.

Watch ‘Orbitals – Creator’s Voice (Nintendo Switch 2)’ here:

Today’s video features new behind-the-scenes insight from Shapefarm’s Creative Director Marcos Ramos and Game Director Jakob Lundgren, plus Storyboard Director Hidetoshi Yoshida.

Orbitals will launch exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 on 3^rd September and is available to pre-order now. A physical edition will launch alongside the digital edition of the game, and fans can also purchase the Digital Deluxe edition, which includes additional bonuses. For more information about Orbitals, follow the game’s official social channels or sign up for the newsletter at www.orbitalsgame.com.

About Shapefarm: 

Shapefarm is a Tokyo-based studio comprised of an international team of creative talent turning dreams into games.

United by a deep love of classic Japanese visual design and storytelling, the studio’s first original project, Orbitals, embodies the studios’ passion for creating enduring and universally resonant experiences crafted with the highest level of artistry.

About Kepler Interactive:  

Kepler Interactive is a video game company and creative studio headquartered in London. With games like Pacific Drive, Sifu, Rematch and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Kepler curates its partnerships with developers worldwide to showcase some of the newest and most brilliant ideas in gaming that combine experimental game design with unique art direction. 

Alongside its game portfolio, Kepler’s creative studio seeks to bring games to life in areas such as art, fashion, music, architecture and design through development of lifestyle products and collaborations with artists like fashion designer Robyn Lynch. Kepler explores the creative spaces that inspire games and the people who make them – challenging perspectives and elevating the medium to a new level. 

About Nintendo:

Nintendo Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, has been providing a wide range of entertainment products and experiences since its founding in 1889, beginning with the manufacture and sale of Hanafuda playing cards. Since the 1983 release of the Family Computer (Famicom) system in Japan, and continuing through Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo’s focus has been the development, manufacturing, and sale of its gaming systems and software. To date, Nintendo has sold more than 6.1 billion video games and over 870 million hardware units globally, and has created franchises such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, The Legend of Zelda™, Pokémon™, Metroid™, Kirby™, Animal Crossing™, Pikmin™, and Splatoon™. Nintendo’s continuing mission is to create reasons to choose Nintendo for unique, family-friendly entertainment that puts smiles on the faces of everyone it touches.

A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of Europe, based in Frankfurt, Germany, serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in Europe. For more information about Nintendo of Europe, please visit the company’s website at https://www.nintendo.com/eu.

Grace Tao died 3 years ago. This is her quiet ghost story. 

VANCOUVER – August 12, 2026 – Remaining Grace, an intimate non-linear ghost story about chosen family, human connections, and the mosaic of quiet moments that bind them, is set to release on PC and Mac via Steam. This is the debut project from developer ambedo studios, formed by the Lead Designer of Dreamfall Chapters, Quintin Pan. Remaining Grace will also be playable for the first time at PAX West 2026!

Explore the untold ghost story of Grace Tao through the interconnected lives of those she left behind. Piece together a non-linear mosaic of lives and relationships, and unravel the mystery surrounding Grace’s death across three time periods. Through the eyes and perspectives of a diverse ensemble, explore a multi-layered tale that delves into a beautiful mess of complex relationships and chosen family.

Grace’s ghost shifts bodies through physical contact. Guide her spirit across a constellation of relationships: her Chinese immigrant parents, her adopted sister, the father of her child, her dad’s new wife, and the childhood bestie that never got over her. Roam with Grace’s spirit through parks, tea houses, and her childhood home while exploring the intricacies of this ghostly world. Conveyed through a pencil sketch art style, the world of Turtle Island is an alternate-history North America that was never colonized. In this timeline, Christopher Columbus failed in his westward mission, and we re-imagine a multi-cultural Turtle Island where the ethnic mix of Indigenous and diaspora live under a very different set of cultural norms from our world.

“Our goal is to create an intimate, raw, and honest exploration of complex lived experiences, and use an alternate-history setting to ask pointed and provocative questions,” said Quintin Pan, Creative Director at ambedo studios. “Remaining Grace is the culmination of our immigrant stories, our Indigenous stories, our wrestlings with faith, race, gender, and culture all into a complex non-linear narrative tapestry for the player to unfold.”

Remaining Grace will release on PC and Mac via Steam. A hands-on demo will be playable at PAX West as part of the PAX Rising booth! Follow ambedo studios on X, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Bluesky, and subscribe to the official YouTube and Twitch channels for the latest updates. 

About ambedo studios

ambedo studios is an indie arthouse studio focused on creating heartfelt, interactive narrative experiences. Based in Vancouver, Canada, on the unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, the team hails from a wide range of cultures, ethnicities, and faiths, and aims to tell the untold stories of lived experiences that are often overlooked on our screens and pages.

Experience hard-hitting, fast-paced brawling inspired by classic ’80s and ’90s toys and arcade games on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2027

DETROIT – Aug. 12, 2026 –Bit Bot is thrilled to announce it is publishing Knock Off: The Battle for Imagination, a 2D toy-box fighting game where action figures come to life in a world inspired by ’80s and ’90s playtime mayhem. Developed by Mecanimal with developer and publishing support from Bit Bot, this hard-hitting brawler with modern fighting game mechanics, a fistful of retro nostalgia, a complete arcade mode, and online and local multiplayer will come to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam in 2027.

“Everything about Knock Off‘s era of tactile nostalgia and deep yet simple VS combat speaks to me as a gamer and the kid I once was,” said Frank O’Connor, former Halo Franchise Creative Director and current Creative Director at Bit Bot. “Action figures, toys and video games have always been about kindling and energizing imagination – not replacing it – and that notion is absolutely incandescent in Knock Off‘s DNA. Combining those things and lensing it through a child’s eyes has been inspiring and above all else, fun.”

Johnny’s toys were never name-brand, but they were always legendary. When Maximus, Johnny’s first official brand-name action figure, arrives and shakes up the arena, Johnny’s beloved bootleg toys must prove that off-brand doesn’t mean outmatched.

Enter a world of old-school action figures and retro attitude in Knock Off: The Battle for Imagination, where plastic warriors inspired by your favorite ’80s and ’90s toys and action figures come to life and clash in ultra-stylish playtime pugilism. Every fighter brings their own unique strengths, techniques, and playstyle into the arena with strategic matchups, distinct move sets, and awesome skill-based combat.

“Knock Off is the game we dreamed about as kids, where our favorite toys came to life and settled everything with a fight,” said Joshua Viola, co-owner of Bit Bot. “We wanted to capture that feeling of dumping your toys on the floor and creating an entire universe in your head. It’s nostalgic and packed with personality.”

Key Features

• Master Fast-paced Combat: Smash your enemies with air combos, launchers, EX moves, and spectacular supers in 2D action that’s easy to pick up yet challenging to master.
• One-of-a-Kind Heroes: Choose your favorite fighter from a roster of epic characters influenced by classic ‘80s and ‘90s toys and cartoons – and the knock-offs they inspired – with handcrafted playstyles, rich move sets, fun assist sidekicks, deep fighting mechanics and each toy’s own knock-off lore.
• Arcade Mode: Choose your fighter and take on a gauntlet of opponents in an arcade-style single-player mode with a fully voiced narrative.
• Head-to-Head Online Battles: Take on all rivals in state-of-the-art online play, with rollback netcode, customizable matchmaking, and global ranking systems. Jump into a casual match or prove your skills in tournament play.
• Vintage ’80s & ’90s Nostalgia: Discover battle arenas packed with hidden Easter eggs and an unlockable retro beat-’em-up minigame with classic side-scrolling arcade action.
• Playtime Is Back: The mayhem will keep going after launch with roster expansions featuring new fighters and special guest characters, new stages, and much, much more.
• Retro-Fueled Soundtrack: Turn up the fight with an original soundtrack by Celldweller and Scandroid, packed with high-energy tracks inspired by the sounds of the ‘80s and ‘90s.

“It would have blown my little mind if I had known that as an adult, I’d have the chance to write a theme song and full soundtrack for a game that perfectly captured those moments of my youth,” said Klayton, co-owner of Bit Bot Media and the musician behind Celldweller and Scandroid, who composed the game’s soundtrack.

Knock Off: The Battle for Imagination is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S in 2027 and is available to wishlist now on Steam. For the latest game info and updates, visit the game’s website, join the community on Discord, and follow along on Instagram and Facebook.

ABOUT BIT BOT

Bit Bot is a multi-platform entertainment studio focused on developing original and licensed video games, comics, collectibles, film, and television projects. The company has worked with properties including Legacy of Kain, Thief, The Dark Crystal, The Terminator, Evil Dead 2, The Rocky Horror Show, Cyberpunk 2077 and more. For more information, visit https://www.bitbotmedia.com/.

ABOUT MECANIMAL GAMES

Mecanimal Games is a Dominican Republic-based indie studio co-owned under the Bit Bot umbrella, bringing technical production values to interactive entertainment through expertise in 3D animation and movie visual effects. Mecanimal collaborates with Bit Bot on select projects — including Knock Off: The Battle for Imagination — while also developing their own original titles with strong visual identity.

New infographic and video look back at months of new content, community-driven improvements, and refinements since the game’s worldwide launch

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands — 12 August 2026 — Pearl Abyss today released a retrospective look at major additions added to Crimson Desert since its worldwide launch on March 19, 2026, a period that has seen the open-world action-adventure grow patch by patch while earning major industry recognition around the globe. An all-new infographic and accompanying video chart the game’s evolution across 17 update patches, spanning new content, quality-of-life improvements, and technical refinements shaped by community feedback.

Since launch, players have seen the world of Pywel grow patch by patch. Highlights include: 

• 20+ new pieces of content and features 
• 120+ new pets and mounts 
• 70+ new outfits, equipment, and items 
• And many more updates across customization, housing, combat, skills, and beyond

Crimson Desert’s momentum extends beyond the game itself. At the 2026 Develop:Star Awards in Brighton, UK, Pearl Abyss took home Best Technical Innovation for its proprietary BlackSpace Engine — the in-house technology powering the game’s seamless open world and advanced visuals — winning out over a field that included Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and Ghost of Yōtei.  

The recognition continued in China, where Crimson Desert was named Best Innovative Overseas Game at the 2026 China Game Innovation Awards (CGIA), hosted by the China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association. The judging panel selected the title for its outstanding visual presentation, exhilarating combat, and the freedom of its open-world gameplay — a testament to the game’s growing presence in one of the world’s largest gaming markets, where Pearl Abyss has engaged players through appearances at ChinaJoy and Bilibili World. 

That same energy is reflected in the game’s community. Pearl Abyss recently announced the winners of “Beyond the Abyss: Community Challenge,” its global gameplay video contest held since June. Ten winning entries: six long-form and four short-form videos from creators across France, Spain, the United States, China, and South Korea, were selected for their gameplay, storytelling, and editing, showcasing everything from weaponless combat to journeys across Pywel on the game’s many mounts. Winners receive a trip to Pearl Abyss’ headquarters, commemorative Crimson Desert golden coins, and special merchandise. 

Crimson Desert is available on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Epic Game Store and Apple Mac.  

For more information and all the latest news, please visit the official website.

ABOUT CRIMSON DESERT
Crimson Desert is an open-world action-adventure game developed by Pearl Abyss, released globally on console, PC, and Mac platforms. A devastating ambush in the deep of night by their sworn enemies the Black Bears leaves members of the Greymanes dead or scattered across the continent. The Greymane Kliff is determined to reunite with his surviving comrades and rebuild what was lost. On a journey where alliances are forged, dangers abound, and mysterious factions are uncovered, Kliff comes to realize that an unprecedented threat and a destiny greater than he imagined await him.

ABOUT PEARL ABYSS
Established in 2010, Pearl Abyss is a leading developer in the game industry with its renowned MMORPG franchise Black Desert and the open-world action-adventure game Crimson Desert. All of Pearl Abyss’ games are built on the company’s proprietary engine and are renowned for cutting-edge graphics. Pearl Abyss is currently developing DokeV and PLAN 8 using its next-generation game engine, “BlackSpace Engine”, and is poised to grow its overseas market. More information about Pearl Abyss is available at: www.pearlabyss.com.