Updated demo lets players team up, hunt mutated creatures, brew unique drinks and rebuild the wasteland’s last great hangout
Ankara, Türkiye – October 12th, 2026 – Independent publisher 312 Interactive and developer LootBAG Studios today announced that On the Rocks, their first-person bar management and crafting simulation, is taking part in Steam Next Fest with an updated demo featuring a preview of the game’s online co-op for up to four players. Available now on PC via Steam ahead of Steam Next Fest, running October 19th – 26th, the updated demo lets players join forces with friends to run a bar in a harsh post-apocalyptic wasteland.
In time for Steam Next Fest, the On the Rocks demo now includes a preview of its online co-op for up to four players. Survivors can gather friends in a lobby, send invites and ready up before heading into a shared world together, where the whole crew can progress through the story, deal with the wasteland’s locals, brew, shop, manage inventory and take to the road in vehicles side by side. Proximity voice chat keeps conversations natural when players are working the same bar, while those carrying suitable walkie-talkie equipment can stay in touch across longer distances, whether that’s coordinating a supply run or warning the others about what’s lurking in the desert. The host’s world save keeps track of the crew’s shared progress.
Whether playing solo or with friends, On the Rocks drops players into the year 2635, where endless war has left the world barren. After their travelling convoy is ambushed by raiders, Uncle John, an aging survivor, rescues them and offers shelter in his family’s derelict bar. In return, players must restore the bar by managing supplies, purchasing furniture, and transforming it into the wasteland’s last great hangout. With agile gunplay and melee combat, hunt mutated creatures and extract their volatile fluids to brew unique beers and other concoctions, discovering new recipes along the way. The demo offers a taste of the game’s blend of survival, exploration, crafting, and bar management, now with room for the whole crew.
“Running a bar has never been a one-person job, so bringing co-op to On the Rocks felt like the natural next step,” said Aysu Ünal, Co-Founder at 312 Interactive. “Steam Next Fest is the perfect moment to let players round up their friends, split the work between hunting, brewing and serving, and see how long they can keep the wasteland’s last great hangout standing together. We can’t wait to see what crews get up to, and every bit of feedback will help shape the full game.”
About On the Rocks On the Rocks is a first-person crafting and bar management simulation game set in a sun-scorched wasteland where clean water has all but disappeared. Players must brave the dangers of the desert to gather resources, refine them using industrial machinery, expand and upgrade their bar, and build a reputation among the survivors who pass through its doors. Balancing exploration, survival and business management is the key to keeping the wasteland’s last great hangout alive.
About 312 Interactive 312 Interactive is a Türkiye-based publisher that partners with independent developers to bring their work to a global audience. Through strategic marketing, real distribution muscle, and a partnership model built on trust. We don’t chase trends, we back talent.
About LootBag Studios LootBAG Studios delivers a raw and unfiltered approach to indie gaming from Northern Cyprus, where striking visual aesthetics meet precise technical craftsmanship. Bypassing safe industry trends to build digital worlds that prioritize genuine player connection and leave a permanent mark on the mind.
Wonder how Stupid Never Dies got its signature visual style? Today, in a new video, Producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi takes a deeper bite into the visual style of their upcoming pop-punk action RPG Stupid Never Dies ahead of its launch on PC and PS5 next week on October 21.
Watch the Stupid Never DiesDeep Bite #4 – Art video:
GPTRACK50 wanted to create a visual style that stood out from the crowd, much like the game’s protagonist, Davy – nothing too polished, but rebellious, emotional, impactful, and something that leaves a lasting impression. The team drew upon their neo pop punk theme using colours and styles that tied into the nostalgic feel of that sound. Weaving together a hand-drawn style to 3D models through carefully constructed linework and shadows, and blending classically familiar with modern elements to create something that felt dynamic and hand-crafted.
Over Technology (OT) is a core mechanic to Davy’s – and his enemies – arsenal, so integrating it organically into the monster designs was key. To make enemy power easily identifiable by the player, the more powerful the enemy, the more dangerous the dungeon, the more menacing the visuals become.
Since the story is from Davy’s perspective, the team wanted to make the player feel immersed in his mind. It was decided that the UI, and other visual details should look as if they were things that Davy would have lying around, or drawn by himself
Want to check out Stupid Never Dies for yourself? Play the Stupid Never Dies: First Bite demo now onSteamandPlayStation 5!
About Stupid Never Dies
Developed by GPTRACK50, Stupid Never Dies delivers a single-player 3D action RPG experience unlike anything you’ve played before.
Set in a monster-ruled otherworldly dungeon, Stupid Never Dies puts you in control of Davy, a timid zombie living at the very bottom of monster society. Defeat enemies, level up, and collect strange items to grow stronger on your quest to bring Julia, a frozen human girl, back to life. Steal enemy abilities, customize your undead body with bizarre upgrades, and experience fast-paced combat packed with innovation.
Fight Like a Zombie: The best defense is a good offence, according to Davy. Relentlessly attack enemies with reckless abandon – zombies don’t need to dodge if they can’t feel a punch! And with a flexible enemy targeting system, Davy can fight the hoards of enemies coming at him from every direction freely without being tied to a single target, keeping KOM’s army on their toes.
Blazing Fast Growth: What if you could play a 30+ hour ARPG but reach max level in just 30 minutes? Drawing inspiration from aspects of roguelike mechanics, every dungeon dive starts with Davy at level 1 but enemies defeated across previous dives increase growth rate – and XP gain – exponentially, resulting in a faster, more intense experience.
Eat Your Enemies: A zombie’s most famous attack is his chomp. With “Style Eat”, Davy not only repairs any damage his deathly body has taken, but absorbs the powers of whatever enemy he eats – werewolves, harpies, vampires, and more. With over 11 styles to devour, Davy can become the ultimate monster-munching machine!
(Body) Hack the Planet: Collect powerful Over Technology from each dive and visit Acelino’s shop to hack Davy’s body, modifying his arms, legs and head to unlock devastating powers.
Stupidity Beyond Belief: Interdimensional toilets, a robot vacuum cleaner you can ride, a bizarre cast of loveable characters, and a love story for the ages – there’s never a dull moment in Stupid Never Dies!
tupid Never Dies will be available for PC via Steam and PlayStation 5 on October 21, 2026, followed by a Japan release on October 22. The game will be available for purchase as a Standard Edition for $49.99 USD, or as part of the Stupid Never Dies: Glorious Idiot Edition for $59.99 USD. A demo for Stupid Never Dies is now available on Steam and PlayStation.
The game will be available in English, with English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Polish, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese as supported subtitle languages.
Follow Stupid Never Dies on X, and GPTRACK50 on X, YouTube, and the official website to keep up to date with the latest news.
About GPTRACK50 GPTRACK50 Inc. was established in Osaka, Japan, in October 2022 by President Hiroyuki Kobayashi with the mission of creating new entertainment IPs, primarily through the development of consumer video games for a global audience. The company aims to expand its original IPs beyond games, exploring cross-media opportunities such as live-action films, animation, and more.
The major past works of our staff include the Devil May Cry series, the DRAGON’S DOGMA series, the Resident Evil series, and more.
About SEGA CORPORATION SEGA CORPORATION is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and is a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment. The company develops, publishes, and distributes a variety of games for consoles, PCs, and wireless devices as well as character products, and various other products. Moreover, SEGA distributes a range of gaming content developed by its domestic and overseas studios worldwide via its global publishing bases. SEGA is leveraging its own IP to accelerate the development and commercialization of its IP not only in games but also in various other media, thereby dramatically increasing the value of its IP. SEGA is positioning transmedia as an important strategy for providing new content to users around the world. https://www.sega.co.jp
London, UK – October 12, 2026 –Twin Swans today revealed the voice cast for first-person historical narrative folk-horror game Hunter’s Moon, coming exclusively to PlayStation 5 on October 26.
Featuring a fully voice-acted narrative, the game follows the story of Lilith Thorne, an accused “witch” on the run for her life, as she’s pursued by the Witchfinder General over the course of one fateful night – the night of the Hunter’s Moon.
A huge cast of 48 actors was assembled to take on over 100 roles in the game, led by Hannah Morley (‘Apartment 7A’) as Lilith Thorne, and Gregg Lowe (‘Crimson Desert’, ‘Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles’, and TV’s ‘Grantchester’) as the Witchfinder General. They are joined by Anthony Howell (‘007 First Light’, ‘Silent Hill: Townfall’ and TV’s ‘Foyle’s War’) and Joe Pitts (‘Lies of P’, ‘Dragon Quest VII Reimagined’).
“The witch is an eternally popular mythical figure, and in our contemporary media landscape, we often forget where these stories come from,” said writer and director Alicia Contestabile. “I wanted to create an interactive theatre, set in this era of magical thinking, and immerse the player in the perspective of an accused woman. Exploring how these beliefs could drive a community to enact such cruelty, the player can experience what it might feel like to face these accusations, from family, friends, and neighbours, and know that your life is at risk.”
Hunter’s Moon offers a window into an era that contrasts our modern world, yet remains timely and relevant. This compact, deeply immersive experience is brought to life by this incredible cast of voice talent and a haunting original score by Resina. We’re hopeful people will resonate with this new form of immersive-theatre.
Inspired by the true history of English witch hunts and the tradition of folk-horror, Hunter’s Moon asks you to consider: what if the most terrifying thing in our world is not monsters or magic, but other people? What if our own fears and beliefs are the true sources of horror?
From writer-director Alicia Contestabile, producer of The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe, new independent studio Twin Swans, featuring artists and developers whose credits include The Stanley Parable, The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Signalis, and with an original score composed by Resina, discover the secrets of a dysfunctional village on the brink as you embody an accused “witch” on the run for her life.
Evade capture by the witch hunters and eavesdrop on a characterful cast of folk to aid your escape, in a novel immersive-theatre-inspired folk-horror that invites you to explore an Early Modern village and its stories. Can you survive the night of the Hunter’s Moon?
Jacob Dudman – Christopher Talbot (and additional)
Charlotte Bellamy – Margaret Carpenter (and additional)
Sarah Belcher – Ailis Sinclair (and additional)
Laura Elsworthy – Frances Miller (and additional)
Natalie Anderson – Elisabeth Glover (and additional)
Hunter’s Moon launches on PlayStation 5 on October 26th. For more information and to add the game to your wishlist, visit PlayStation Store.
ABOUT TWIN SWANS
Twin Swans is a boutique interactive storytelling studio built from a diverse remote team focused on creating well-crafted experiences with a healthy work-life balance.
“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Interactive Entertainment.
Catch Jimin and her classmates in The MIX Fall Showcase, then experience the newly updated demo during Steam Next Fest, October 19–26.
[October 12, 2026] — Come to my Party!, the dark comedy visual novel handcrafted by solo developer SIMSANG YOON and published by LINE Games, follows 10-year-old Jimin as she tries to earn her very own birthday party by getting elected class president. This October, there are more ways than ever to join her campaign! Demo 2.0 launches on Steam on October 16, alongside an appearance in The MIX Fall Showcase, followed by Steam Next Fest from October 19–26.
Set in South Korea in 1999, Come to my Party! follows Jimin, a 10-year-old middle child who is used to sharing just about everything, from hand-me-down clothes to the rice straight out of her bowl, while often feeling overlooked between her siblings. When her mother promises her a birthday party on one condition, becoming class president, Jimin sets out to win over her classmates and finally get something she can call her own.
Make friends, navigate classroom politics, and uncover the stories behind Jimin’s colorful classmates through choices that shape her path toward 12 different endings, with interactive mini-games and everyday moments inspired by growing up in South Korea balancing childhood humor with the messier emotions of family, friendship, and growing up.
AboutCome to my Party!
12 Endings, Your Choice – Every choice shapes Jimin’s friendships, conversations, and path toward one of 12 different endings. Will Jimin be able to have her coveted birthday party?
Immerse Yourself in 90s South Korea – Relive late-90s childhood through immersive mini-games, schoolyard gossip, and everyday moments inspired by growing up in Korea.
Classmates, Secrets, and Drama – Build relationships with classmates, from the shy Eunji to the mysterious Daeun, all carrying their own personalities, struggles, and stories beneath the surface.
Always Stuck in the Middle – Navigate family pressure, sibling comparisons, and the quiet feeling of always being overlooked.
Lighthearted Humor, Deeply Rooted Emotions – Experience the bittersweet memories of childhood and tangled emotions, often immediately followed by Jimin’s persevering humor and charm. Experience emotional whiplash as you find yourself tearing up from both laughing and crying.
Handcrafted with Heart –Come to My Party! is a deeply personal coming-of-age story created by a solo developer, featuring entirely hand-crafted art and storytelling with no AI-generated content.
Come to my Party! Demo 2.0 launches October 16 on Steam, followed by Steam Next Fest from October 19–26. Wishlist the game today and tune into The MIX Fall Showcase on October 16 for another look at Jimin’s quest to finally earn her birthday party.
About SIMSANG YOON
SIMSANG YOON is an independent game developer and visual artist, currently working on her debut title, Come to my party!, a dark comedy visual novel set in a Korean elementary school in 1999. Before moving into game development, she spent over a decade working in visual arts and commercial illustration, collaborating with companies including SM Entertainment, Lotte, Kakao, Devsisters, and HYBE. Her work blends stylized visuals, dark humor, and emotionally grounded storytelling inspired by childhood memories and social dynamics.
About LINE Games
LINE Games, a subsidiary of LINE Yahoo, is a Seoul-based publisher and developer dedicated to creating and publishing games across PC, console, and mobile platforms. With a portfolio spanning action RPGs, narrative adventures, and multiplayer experiences, LINE Games brings distinctive titles from Korea to players worldwide.
The Hard Rock Cacti Band takes on hordes of monstrous vegetables and fruits in the upcoming playtest
[Poland – October 12th, 2026] The Vegelypse has begun. The upcoming playtest for Vegelypse, a hand-painted 2.5D beat ‘em up with roguelike elements, will run from October 12th through October 25th, giving players a chance to take control of the Hard Rock Cacti Band and battle their way through hordes of mutated fruits and vegetables.
Following an explosion in a nearby town, viciously mutated produce has been unleashed upon the world, turning the quiet countryside into a battlefield. Players can choose from two playable members of the Hard Rock Cacti Band and smash, crush, and chop their way toward the source of the cataclysm (with local co-op support for 2-4 players). The playtest features 10 maps, three storyline quests, six playable enemies, dozens of challenges and research objectives, more than 100 modifiers, and an Endless mode.
Key Features:
Beat ‘Em Up with Roguelike Elements: Combine classic beat ‘em up action with random modifiers, an evolution system, and perks for a different experience with every playthrough.
Monster Vegetables: Battle a bizarre collection of huge, aggressive, mutated fruits and vegetables.
Hand Painted Visuals: Experience frame-by-frame animation and a visual style inspired by classic cartoons.
Hard Rock Soundtrack: Fight through the Vegelypse to an energetic soundtrack with fast riffs and driving drums.
Multiple Game Modes: Uncover the narrative in Story Mode, compete for high scores in Arcade Mode, and tackle unique challenges in Arena Mode.
Prepare to save the city by wishlisting Vegelypse on Steam today and sign up to be a part of the playtest from October 12th through October 25th. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to be among the first to test your skills in Vegelypse ahead of launch!
About Tate Multimedia Tate Multimedia has been an independent game developer and publisher for over 25 years, specializing in delivering successful IPs to players all over the world.
They share their experiences with other development teams to help deliver their dream projects to the players. The team is made up of passionate and highly dedicated folks with years of industry experience.
About Jumble Cats Studios
Jumble Cats Studio is a brand new studio from Poland. The core team has known each other for over 18 years, during this time they gained experience on various projects, including Oxytone and Space Tail. Working with teams from around the world and learning the entire game development process. Now, with new ideas, passion and energy, they are working together to create new IP that will bring fun and challenge to players that love modern and retro games.
Discover Réunion Island’s Cirque de Mafate through photography, exploration, mail delivery, and a relaxed approach to exploration
[October 12, 2026] MAFATE, the cozy adventure inspired by a real life island off the coast of Madagascar, will be participating in October Steam Next Fest! Developed with a deep connection to the region it portrays, MAFATE (Mah-Faht) puts players in the role of a legendary mail carrier, exploring one of the world’s most remote inhabited regions as they deliver letters, photograph fleeting moments, and connect isolated communities. You can begin your adventure today with the newly updated Steam demo available now.
The updated demo gives players a chance to experience MAFATE’s relaxed approach to exploration and discovery. The Cirque de Mafate is a real volcanic caldera on Réunion Island with no roads or cars, reachable only on foot or helicopter. In MAFATE, players can explore trails, villages, forests, waterfalls, and towering cliffs inspired by the region while experiencing its Creole culture.
At the heart of the journey is Luna, a young Creole girl mysteriously transformed into a magical camera. Together with the mail carrier, she helps players discover the valley from new perspectives, capturing photographs and even possessing native animals to reach hidden paths, uncover secrets, and solve environmental puzzles.
Key Features:
Explore a Real Place: Journey through a faithful, yet magical interpretation of the Cirque de Mafate, a secluded volcanic valley on Réunion Island.
Meet Luna, Your Camera Companion: Photograph the world alongside Luna, a young Creole girl transformed into a magical camera, with a composition system that rewards creativity, curiosity, and observation.
Deliver Letters, Connect Communities: Follow in the footsteps of the legendary Mafate mail carrier, delivering letters between isolated villages and discovering the stories of their inhabitants.
Possess Animals to Aid in Your Journey: Leave the camera behind by possessing native wildlife, utilizing their unique abilities to access hidden paths, uncover secrets, and solve puzzles.
Stay at Your Own Pace: With no combat, waypoints, or pressure, MAFATE encourages players to slow down, observe their surroundings, and discover the valley through curiosity.
The new MAFATE demo is available now as part of Steam Next Fest starting on October 19th. The demo gives players the opportunity to step into the boots of MAFATE’s legendary mail carrier, while capturing the beauty of Réunion Island. Wishlist the game on Steam now to prepare your island adventure.
About Blue Ramen Studios
Blue Ramen is an independent studio that promotes a calm, thoughtful, and deeply human approach to video games. We create gaming experiences that combine immediate enjoyment with narrative depth.
Driven by an ethical vision of game development, Blue Ramen builds worlds where players are encouraged to slow down, reflect, feel, and observe environments far from noise and overstimulation
About Blue Ridge Games
Blue Ridge Games is a new publishing label from the brains behind IndieGameBusiness® and The Powell Group. The team spent years in the trenches with indie developers, helping thousands navigate the business side of making and launching games. That hands-on experience now powers a publishing label built to help great games succeed, along with the teams behind them.
Octopus Panic invites players to jump in to seven planets, four playable Gravhounds and New Mod Deck Builder
Seattle, WA, USA – October 12, 2026 – Independent developer and publisher Octopus Panic announced that GRAVHOUNDS, a new 1-4 player co-op action builder, is dropping a demo on Steam today, running through to October 18.
See theGRAVHOUNDSannounce trailer here:
The demo features seven planets across two solar systems, with players able to choose from four playable Gravhounds: Selene, Zane, Dozer and Finn. Expeditions can be tackled solo or with up to four players in co-op, giving players the freedom to build their own squad and take on the game’s hostile alien environments together.
The biggest addition to the demo is the new Mod Deck Builder, created directly in response to player feedback from the open playtest. The new system gives players greater control over the possibilities they’ll encounter during an expedition while retaining the unpredictability that makes each run unique. Players can change their deck between expeditions, allowing them to experience different strategies as their Mod library grows.
“The support from our playtesters has been pretty overwhelming”, said Josh Holmes, Co-Founder of Octopus Panic. “We’re a small team, and having so many people take the time to play, report bugs, and share ideas has been a huge help.”
The demo also includes numerous additional fixes and improvements to planets, resources, objectives, saves, crashes, animation, audio, effects and multiplayer reliability and is playable today on Steam.
GRAVHOUNDSfeatures:
1-4 Player Co-Op – Intense alone, chaotic with a crew. Combine each Gravhound’s unique strengths and improvise to beat back the swarm. Go lone wolf to expand the operation or stick with the pack to stand your ground.
Bend Gravity to Your Will – Use the powerful Grav Beam to fling objects across the battlefield or send enemies flying. Disclaimer: transporting volatile materials may result in unforeseen loss of Gravhounds.
Build to Survive – Deploy turrets, generators, and fabricators to expand your operation. Extend pipelines across hostile terrain to power your base, move critical resources, and keep your eventual escape route alive.
No Two Shifts Play the Same – Unlock powerful new abilities and upgrades mid-shift. Stack bonuses and reshape your loadout to adapt to a swarm that grows deadlier by the second – but so do you.
Move Fast, Die Last – High-speed mobility allows players to boost in any direction, hover, and reposition under heavy fire to race to a teammate’s aid or make a last-second dash for materials.
High-Risk Extraction – Seek out treacherous planets for the best materials. Stay longer and push harder to increase your rewards, but beware: every extra second escalates the swarm, turning each shift into a high-stakes bet on what your pack can handle.
GRAVHOUNDS is developed by Octopus Panic, founded by veterans of 343 Industries and DICE, with development led by Halo 4 Creative Director and former Halo Studios Head, Josh Holmes.
Players can now wishlist GRAVHOUNDS on Steam and Xbox.
About Octopus Panic Octopus Panic is a small independent game studio that creates games with enough freedom for players to surprise us. Its close-knit team of industry veterans builds cooperative adventures around experimentation, improvisation, and memorable stories shared between players. Its first game, GRAVHOUNDS, is a 1-4 player co-op action-builder about blue collar dogs stranded on the far side of the galaxy.
This new DLC playable character comes with a major update featuring reworked abilities for all heroes
Lesquin, October 12 2026 – More than two years after its 1.0 release, Ravenswatch continues to delight fans and newcomers alike with additional content. Kintaro is the fourth additional playable character (after Merlin, Romeo, and Juliet) to join the nine original heroes. Among them, Kintaro is the only one without any afflictions. Brave, endowed with Herculean strength, and possessing a heart of gold, Kintaro discovers the ravaged world of Reveree and doesn’t hesitate for a moment to put his power to work for a just cause: repelling the Nightmare invasion. Kintaro is available today as a DLC character on PC, Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One!
Watch theRavenswatch Kintaro DLClaunch trailer:
Hailing from Japanese folklore, Kintaro is a powerful hero armed with a gigantic axe. He can fight while riding his bear, Kuma, or let his faithful companion wreak havoc alongside him on the battlefield. As such, he has two sets of abilities, offering greater complexity as well as flexibility depending on the situation. Riding Kuma, players can slice through Nightmares with his claws. On foot, they can swing Kintaro’s axe and unleash devastating combo attacks with his carnivorous sidekick.
In addition to the DLC, Passtech Games is rolling out a major update eagerly awaited by many players: a rework of Talents, the heroes’ special abilities. The studio has been very attentive to the community, observing gameplay patterns and taking player feedback into account to rework these Talents. Some have been rebalanced, others merged, and still others have simply been added or removed. As a result, all heroes now have new ways to play through their active and passive abilities, with the goal of revitalizing the gameplay experience.
Ravenswatch is a top-down roguelike action game that combines intense real-time combat with deep gameplay and high replay value. After the success of Curse of the Dead Gods, Passtech Games returns with a new formula and game experience.
No two runs are alike. With 13 heroes, over 250 talents and 50 magical items offering endless build combinations, 4 difficulty levels, custom game modes and online cross-play co-op up to 4 players, the game offers an addictive experience and high replay value.
Ravenswatch, Kintaro DLC and the Talent rework update is available on PC, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Nintendo SwitchTM.
About NACON: A company within the BIGBEN group, NACON was created in 2019 to optimize its expertise and leverage synergies in the video game market. Comprising its development studios, AA game publishing, and the design and distribution of premium gaming peripherals, NACON brings 40 years of experience to benefit the world’s gaming community. This unified center of excellence strengthens NACON’s position in the market and creates unique opportunities for innovation and competitive advantages. www.corporate.nacongaming.com
About Passtech Games:
Founded in 2012, Passtech Games is a video game development studio located in Villeurbanne, near Lyon. Specializing in top-down games, the studio is composed of a team of passionate and experienced professionals who aim to provide a quality experience to players. Every detail counts from the design and technical conception of the game to the art direction.
Solo-developed historical strategy game combines generational family management, turn-based decisions, and research informed by historians and Jamestown archaeologists.
October 2026 – Independent developer DelosX has announced that Salt and Soil: A Frontier Family Sim, a historical turn-based strategy game spanning nearly three centuries of American history, will launch into Steam Early Access on November 9, 2026. Developed by solo creator Roman, the game challenges players to guide an American frontier family through generations of social, economic, and historical change, with events informed by historical research and feedback from historians and archaeologists.
Set between 1607 and 1900, Salt and Soil places players in charge of a family homestead, where each turn represents a single year. At the conclusion of every year, family members gather to discuss important decisions that will shape their future. From surviving devastating harvests and periods of war to navigating the California Gold Rush and the expansion of America’s railroad network, players must balance the needs of their household against the challenges of an evolving nation.
A Historical Strategy Experience Built on Research
Historical authenticity plays a central role in the development of Salt and Soil, with DelosX consulting academic research, historians, and archaeological organisations to ensure its depiction of significant events remains grounded in documented history.
Among those who have examined the game is historian Dr. Joe Hall-Patton, who specialises in the American West and operates the YouTube channel The Cynical Historian. During a six-hour livestream, Hall-Patton explored two scenarios and discussed their historical context, including land disputes in California and the publication of nineteenth-century county histories.
One particular event, set in 1879, allows players to commission an engraving of their homestead for inclusion in a county history published by Thompson & West. Hall-Patton demonstrated the historical basis of this practice by retrieving an original 1880 publication from his personal collection.
Following the livestream, Hall-Patton praised the developer’s attention to historical detail, stating, “I thoroughly enjoyed the amount of thought you put into bringing up something significant each year.”
Recreating the Expansion of America’s Railroad Network
The game also incorporates historical railroad data supplied with permission by Jeremy Atack, an economic historian at Vanderbilt University. His research documents the expansion of American railroads between 1826 and 1911, including the opening dates of individual railway sections.
Using this information, Salt and Soil recreates the development of major railroad routes across North America, allowing railway connections to reach players’ homesteads according to their historical opening dates. These developments introduce new buildings, economic opportunities, and decisions for the family council.
Originally intended to support a single railroad route in the game’s Gold Rush scenario, the system eventually expanded to incorporate major North American railway lines from 1830 to 1900.
Archaeological Research Shapes the Jamestown Experience
DelosX also sought feedback from Jamestown Rediscovery, the archaeological organisation responsible for excavations at the original James Fort site in Virginia since 1994.
Following a review of the game’s opening chapter, which explores the establishment of the first permanent English settlement in North America, researchers identified several historical inaccuracies. These included the estimated population during the devastating Starving Time winter of 1609–1610 and the inclusion of a marketplace that did not exist in 1608.
The developer subsequently revised these details to better reflect the archaeological findings, with Jamestown Rediscovery acknowledged in the game’s credits.
“I’m not a historian, so I send every chapter to people who know more than I do,” said Roman, developer of Salt and Soil. “I’m happiest when what comes back is corrections.”
Community Playtests Highlight Historical Atmosphere
Ahead of its Early Access release, Salt and Soil underwent two community playtests during August and September, each involving approximately 500 participants.
According to survey results shared by DelosX, 68% of respondents selected historical events and frontier atmosphere as the game’s strongest elements, highlighting the importance of its research-driven approach to worldbuilding and storytelling.
Players will have another opportunity to experience the game during Steam Next Fest, running October 19–26, 2026, ahead of its Early Access launch.
Release Information
Salt and Soil: A Frontier Family Sim launches into Steam Early Access on November 9, 2026, for PC, with support for 10 languages. DelosX is currently targeting a full release during the first half of 2027.
Players can wishlist the game on Steam and watch the official trailer for an introduction to its historical strategy gameplay.
DelosX is an independent game development studio led by solo developer Roman. Its historical strategy title Salt and Soil: A Frontier Family Sim combines turn-based family management with research-informed events spanning American history from the early colonial period through the nineteenth century.
Every horror franchise has their own unique killer that can instantly be recognized, especially if it is a long running franchise. The question is, how does that franchise translate into a video game? In many recent cases it has been through asymmetrical multiplayer but what about an entire campaign? Few, if any, horror franchises have managed to deliver a satisfying campaign as visceral as their origins but if anyone has experience with it, it is Clive Barker. After releasing a brutal and memorable, if underperforming Clive Barker’s Jericho twenty years ago, many wondered if Clive Barker’s biggest franchise would ever become a game, and now here we are, with Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival capturing the entire essence of the franchise all into one package.
Story
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival doesn’t pull any punches as the opening cinematic and subsequent prologue quickly test the player’s limits to the type of gore and nudity that will be on display throughout the campaign. Players take on the role of Aidan Lynch, an ex enforcer for the Hellraiser biker gang that he chose to leave upon meeting and pursuing a gallery curator that goes by the nickname Sunny. Somehow, through the art gallery, Sunny has found herself in possession of the Genesis Configuration puzzle box and, during a very… extreme session of lovemaking with Aidan, the pair manage to activate the box and solve it, summoning the Cenobites from their dimension and the Labyrinth along with it.
After managing to avoid the initial danger, Aidan finds himself back in his apartment only to witness Sunny be given the Cenobites and “Pinhead”‘s form of eternal ecstasy by ripping her apart with hooks and chains. In an effort to bring her back to life, after being drugged and taken prisoner by a Cenobite worshipping cult, Aidan makes a deal with the Hell Priest to resurrect his beloved, only it will bear a heavy cost to do so. What follows is a shockingly intense dive into a world practically untouched in gaming narratives and goes to extremes of pain, addiction, and the nature of desire itself and what that desire can actually mean, and what someone is willing to do to fulfill it.
Hellraiser: Revival goes above and beyond what any fan of the franchise most likely cold have expected in the form of a video game narrative. Not only do we see how Aidan must struggle not only with the strange liminal spaces and run for his life from the odd nature of the Cenobites and the powers that they wield, but also come to terms with his own internal demons and past along the way, confronting what he truly desires and what makes him who he is. All while battling against a twisted cult that has peaked behind the veil and seen things they wish to replicate to be embraced by the Cenobites, even as it transforms them into unholy monsters of twisted agonized flesh.
It is worth noting that while longtime fans of the franchise will catch various nods to the films and the original novel, including the mention of other puzzle boxes, the story told in Hellraiser: Revival is almost entirely self-contained, meaning players will be able to jump into the labyrinth without any knowledge of who or what each Cenobite can do or even the puzzle boxes themselves. The title features plenty of in-game lore through numerous notes and voice recordings left by the cult as they experimented and researched how to open up the path to Leviathan as well as numerous conversations with two female characters, who we won’t spoil here, who go into surprising detail about some elements of the franchise that even fans may not remember, especially in the latter half of the story.
This results in a narrative that is not only satisfying from a franchise perspective and fan one, but also in general even for newcomers as players will find the human struggle of Aidan against the Cenobites and the chaotic cult that worships them even if they care little for them, just as engaging thanks to its revelations about Aidan’s past, his experiences with Sunny, numerous horror sequences, and of course, the ultimate twists along the way.
Gameplay
In a move that makes sure players are getting as close of a view of the gore and strange BDSM filled world that is Hellraiser: Revival players will find themselves playing in first-person at all times, and also finding themselves split between navigating through the labyrinth, where puzzle solving, chase sequences, and trap dodging are all the rage, and the real world where they’ll do battle against the cult and various abominations that they’ve brought into the world, and sometimes a mix of the two. Players are given a limited inventory, with expansion slots able to be discovered in locked cabinets or out of the way locations, and a crafting menu that allows players to craft healing items, ammo, and other useful tools including lockpicks.
Navigating through the labyrinth is a real treat as players will often find themselves getting turned around or needing to flee for their lives against the Chatterer all while dodging or avoiding hooks, or making use of the limited powers the Genesis Configuration bestows Aidan in the labyrinth. This includes the ability to move certain objects like blocks or rotating entire sections of a location, transferring magical flame between sources to activate different routes, and more. Throughout the labyrinth players will also find various shrines, mostly tucked away or off to the side and requiring extra risk and effort to reach. These shrines come in the form of suffering shrines that help boost the player’s overall “suffering” gauge and health shrines that boost Aidan’s total health.
Outside of the labyrinth is where players will be spending most of their time though as they choose to either sneak around and take out enemies with stealth takedowns, as players always have access to a small shiv, but sometimes this weapon isn’t enough to perform a stealth elimination, especially on armored cultists or “unworthy” monstrosities. This is where players will find themselves swapping either between stronger edged weaponry or blunt weapons, but the trade-off here is that every melee weapon can only be used for a few hits before it breaks, even if it does massive damage to the enemy and while players can use repair kits to restore a weapon back to its full durability, as long as they do it before it busts, that also means players will need to keep an eye on how many melee weapons they are carrying and balancing it with their limited inventory space that also shares healing items, sellable items, guns, and ammo.
This means that players may need to make use of storage or simply leave a weapon behind if they find themselves running low on space, or tossing a single round of pistol ammo to pick up a healthpack instead, since one round takes up the same space as twenty. Shooting enemies in the game and the stealth mechanics feel like they need a bit of work, especially stealth, as enemies can often find players from too far away or even behind objects which is disheartening, especially when trying to avoid a certain mental-draining gaze late-game. Similarly, firearms often feel underwhelming as even fully upgraded pistols or shotguns, such as having rounds act as dragonbreath rounds, narrow the spread, and increase the damage, don’t really stun foes as much as they should unless they actually catch fire. At least the armor piercing of the assault rifle works rather well, especially since it can shoot through multiple unarmored foes as a result.
The melee combat is similarly a bit underwhelming as players often feel like they are smacking at unresponsive foes as even some of the strongest melee weapons will leave foes unstaggered until they drop dead rather than stagger them first. Thankfully the Genesis Configuration continues to gain powers that utilize the “suffering” gauge players fill up by killing cultists and abominations, especially when banishing stunned abominations. This includes telekinetic powers that can snatch up buzz saws, spikes, logs of wood, and propel them with deadly speed to a foe, sap fire from a fire source and throw a fireball into a hoard of enemies, and even trigger a devastating finishing move eventually, utilizing an entire gauge to summon the player’s own hooks of death to tear apart every enemy in the area with instant kills, or leave mini-bosses on death’s door and ready to be finished off with a few more blows or shots.
The different enemy types that players face off against throughout Hellraiser: Revival are fairly predictable with standard cult members either sporting no armor, partial armor, or covered head to toe in BDSM-like armor that protects them from damage while they either shoot or try to melee the player while abominations simply seek to overwhelm the player with numbers, including speedy female ones and bloated explosive ones that leave a lingering pool that damages the player. The real unique part involves the boss encounters as many of the bosses have unique mechanics or ways that they can receive more damage or take and utilize different attacks depending on how far players have hurt them. This can include anything from setting them alight with fire barrels or dragon’s breath rounds, dodging grab attacks and punishing the nigh invulnerable foe, to manipulating the environment itself, creating memorable boss fights that almost always have multiple stages.
Audio & Visuals
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival really pushes the bar on how far a video game can probably go without breaking into the Adults Only rating. Between nudity of both genders, a BDSM club with plenty of interaction, and a large amount of enemies barely covered in leather straps or pasties and you have a game that is front and center with nudity and tons of gore everywhere. Cutscenes are filled with it while players exploring the levels will find macabre sculptures nearly everywhere, twisted paintings, and brutal depictions of suffering and torture that goes far beyond what many would expect in a video game, and that is saying something, especially since players can decapitate and sever limbs from foes, and the ultimate literally shreds their bodies into flesh nuggets. This is the type of title that literally nudges its toe right up against the line and tests that boundary, probably avoiding the rating only due to limiting the direct view of drugs being taken, as they happen slightly off-screen.
The voice work throughout the game is handled exceptionally well, with enemy Aidan and Sunny’s English voice actors doing a perfect job and even the enemy grunts and various mainline foes featuring plenty of unique voice lines depending on what is happening and how far players are in the story. It also must be said that the game deserves a lot of credit for bringing the original voice actor back to reprise his role as Pinhead here, as he delivers the exact level of cold gravitas players, and fans, have come to expect from the creepy cenobite. The background music is also filled with a number of fitting tracks that tend to range from dread-based, especially during some hoard style moments, to more dramatic or dance-like depending on if players are searching through the labyrinth or navigating the BDSM club.
Overall
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is probably the best thing to happen to the franchise since the original trilogy of films was released. Not only does it deliver the exact style of gruesome gore and borderline obsession with punishment and eroticism being blended together, but it also does it in a fairly solid video game as well. Sure, both the melee and firearm combat are janky and the inventory system is a bit annoying to deal with, but solving the puzzle box configurations to advance and navigating the deadly traps of the labyrinth capture the cruel magic of Hellraiser exactly how fans would want, jank and all.
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