The Chinese cyber-noir detective RPG blends suspense, player choice, and a unique crime-scene reconstruction mechanic as players investigate a city haunted by its past.
China – July 27, 2026. Developer Shadowlight and publisher Phoenix Games are thrilled to announce that the atmospheric detective RPG Kill the Shadow will launch for PC via Steam on August 5th, 2026.
Set within the divided streets of Dark Tide City, Kill the Shadow is a gripping narrative-driven detective adventure that combines deep investigations, meaningful player choice, RPG progression, and a unique time-rewind mechanic to unravel a conspiracy buried beneath the city’s fractured past.
Players step into the role of Lucas, a former detective haunted by both his past and the mysterious Shadow attached to his back, a supernatural entity capable of reconstructing the final moments of the dead. Rather than changing the past, Lucas uses the Shadow to observe and reconstruct crime scenes exactly as they occurred, piecing together evidence, exposing lies, and uncovering the sinister forces manipulating the city from the shadows.
Nothing about Teddy’s death makes sense. Captain Theo’s fiercely loyal companion was powerful, healthy, and feared throughout Factory, yet the once-ferocious dog is discovered lifeless under mysterious circumstances. It’s only the first in a series of bizarre cases that draws Lucas into a conspiracy stretching back a decade. Armed with the mysterious Shadow attached to his back, Lucas must reconstruct the final moments of the dead, study crime scenes as they truly unfolded, and uncover the truth before the city’s darkest secrets consume everyone caught in their wake.
From the mysterious disappearance of Master Reed during a crowded temple festival to decades-old grudges buried deep within the Shipwreck Wharf, every investigation reveals another piece of Dark Tide City’s forgotten history. As clues begin to connect, players must decide whether to deliver justice, show mercy, or condemn those responsible for the city’s darkest secrets.
Alongside its gripping detective story, players are free to shape Lucas however they choose. Develop charisma to talk your way through dangerous encounters, rely on deduction and intelligence to connect complex evidence, or use brute force when diplomacy fails. Every conversation, investigation, and decision influences how the story unfolds, creating a detective adventure where your choices matter as much as the evidence you uncover.
Bringing Dark Tide City to life is a striking visual style that blends richly detailed 3D environments with expressive 2D pixel art characters, creating a distinctive Chinese cyber-noir world where retro aesthetics meet modern technology. Explore abandoned industrial factories, flood-ravaged docklands, bustling temple districts, and towering walled cities, each hiding new mysteries waiting to be uncovered.
Key Features
Investigate a City Full of Secrets: Solve interconnected murder cases while uncovering the hidden truth behind Dark Tide City’s mysterious past.
Reconstruct Crime Scenes: Harness the power of the Shadow to examine the final moments of the deceased and witness events exactly as they happened, allowing you to connect clues and uncover the truth behind each case.
Become the Detective You Want to Be: Develop Lucas through RPG progression, using deduction, persuasion, charm, or brute force to solve every investigation your own way.
Meaningful Choices & Multiple Endings: Judge, forgive, or condemn those responsible as your decisions shape the fate of the city and its inhabitants.
A Stunning Chinese Cyber-Noir World: Experience a distinctive blend of highly detailed 3D environments and beautifully animated 2D pixel art characters.
Meet an Unforgettable Cast: Discover the stories behind Dark Tide City’s diverse citizens, each hiding their own secrets, motivations, and personal tragedies.
Every clue uncovers another secret. Every decision shapes the truth. But in Dark Tide City, not every mystery is meant to be solved.
Kill the Shadowlaunches for PC via Steam on August 5th. Wishlist the game today and download the free playable Steam demo to begin your investigation before the full release.
STARCULT is a dark fantasy mystery visual novel where emotions unlock new dialogue options, influence relationships, and reveal hidden intentions
Aarhus, Denmark – July 27, 2026 – Indie developer Not a Cat Studios has released the public demo for STARCULT: Night Twisted Age, a dark fantasy mystery visual novel where players uncover secrets, build relationships, and shape their personality through a unique Emotion Palette system. The demo is now available on Steam.
In STARCULT: Night Twisted Age, players step into the role of Silviya Nebula, a noblewoman whose husband is murdered on their wedding night. As she searches for answers, she becomes entangled in a web of conspiracies, manipulation, romance, and supernatural forces lurking beneath the surface of her world.
At the heart of the experience is the Emotion Palette, a gameplay system that allows players to choose emotions before selecting dialogue. Different emotional states unlock different responses, revealing new information, changing relationships, and influencing how characters react.
Unlike traditional visual novels that offer only a handful of dialogue options, STARCULT’s system can unlock up to 15 dialogue choices within a single conversation, giving players greater control over how Silviya develops throughout the story. Every emotion picked nudges Silviya’s personality and her standing with the people around her, so the same conversation rarely plays out the same way twice.
“While making this game, we’re trying to base it on empathy, where each character have their own motivation and goals. The better MC would understand them, the wider choice she would have of how to build relationships with them. I’m super excited to see players react to each dialogue choice with their natural curiosity and choose by themselves which person MC should be in their current walkthrough,” says Liliia Sitailo, the artist and CEO of Not A Cat Studios.
Key DEMO Features
Use the Emotion Palette to unlock up to 15 different dialogue options within a single conversation
Uncover multiple story routes and demo endings shaped by your choices
Investigate a murder mystery filled with secrets, manipulation and supernatural forces
Can you discover who the murderer is? This is just the beginning of the story 🙂
Shape Silviya’s personality and influence how others perceive her.
Download the demo and wishlist STARCULT: Night Twisted Age on Steam today. The full game is planned to release on Steam in Q4 2026, following Steam Next Fest.
NOT A CAT STUDIOS
NOT A CAT STUDIOS is an indie developer driven by a love for things that have a double meaning. As the team puts it, “we love cats, but we also love horror.” This contrast is reflected in their mascot, the tentacle cat, capturing their approach to creating experiences that reveal a deeper, darker meaning the closer you look.
The team creates games they would want to play themselves, combining elements of eldritch horror with vivid, realistic characters and richly developed worlds. Stories unfold gradually with the horror emerging as the full picture becomes clear. With STARCULT, they explore emotions through an artist’s palette and the challenges of empathy in an inherently unequal society.
The fast-paced, high-mobility action game GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT, introduces a brand-new timeline in the Gundam saga, where humanity must fight for survival against an unknown threat. As part of this timeline, details have been shared for the RG Project, a new initiative that connects the upcoming anime Mobile Suit Gundam RG XARX-ZERO and GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT through a shared world.
The project’s worldview was created by director Kenji Kamiyama and author Toh Enjoe, establishing the foundation for a setting that will be expanded through a never-before-seen approach in the Gundam series. In GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT, players will become a Gundam pilot in an original story set beyond the events of the anime. In this story, three revelations were delivered by the Autonomous Interstellar Object from another galaxy ushered in an age of unprecedented prosperity, allowing humanity to expand across the entire solar system. Gravity Control. FTL Communication. Cognitive Materialization. Yet less than ten years after its discovery, the Object that had delivered these three revelations suddenly ran rampant, spawning an aggressive, self-proliferating ecosystem. Humanity came to see this unknown ecosystem as the Apocalypse. For three months, humanity fought the Apocalypse to a standstill in orbit above Earth. Forced to abandon the planet, humanity marked that year as A.A. 1—the first year After Apocalypse.
By A.A. 45, children born on the Moon and in space colonies have never known life without the Apocalypse. And on the lunar surface, a boy named Ray Azumi awakens.
Additionally, GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT tie-ins across the broader Gundam universe with the announcement of the HG 1/144 GUNDAM HELIX Gunpla model kit at Bandai Namco Store Exclusive, while the game’s Collector’s Edition will include the exclusive HG 1/144 ARK-10 GUNDAM HELIX (EARTH BLUE ver.). GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT will also join the Gundam Card Game, with a promotional card featuring the game’s key art.
GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT is a fast-paced, high-mobility action game that introduces a brand-new timeline in the Gundam saga, where humanity fights for survival against an unknown threat.
GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT is slated to launch in 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. For more information about GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT and other titles from Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe please visit: https://en.bandainamcoent.eu/gundam/gundam-rogue-orbit.
New Playable Content, FINAL FANTASY VII Remake Trilogy Crossover Raid Series, Nintendo Switch™ 2 Version Release Date and More Announced at FAN FESTIVAL 2026 in Berlin Keynote Address
London (25th July, 2026) – SQUARE ENIX® today revealed brand-new information about Evercold, the sixth expansion for its critically acclaimed MMORPG FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, set to launch in January 2027 alongside new playable content, a FINAL FANTASY VII Remake Trilogy crossover raid series, the Nintendo Switch 2 version release date and more.
An extended teaser trailer for Evercold was also revealed, providing a glimpse into the world of the Fourth and the adventures that await the Warrior of Light in the start of the Goddless Realms Saga story arc. The extended Evercold teaser trailer is available below.
During the Fan Festival 2026 in Berlin keynote address, Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida revealed the first new job coming to Evercold: Bastion—a main tank that wields a pair of greatshields known as skyltborg—and unveiled a trailer showcasing the new job in action.
View the Bastion job trailer below.
Details were also shared on several new features coming to Evercold, including changes to the narrative structure that will be implemented for the main scenario, field, and game system, allowing players more freedom to choose what area they complete first between various paths in the main scenario. Through Auto Content Balancing, difficulty scaling and enemy levels will adjust to the appropriate player level as they play through dungeons in their chosen order. Additionally, a first look was provided for Character Action Skins, a feature that lets players assign alternate animations to personalise existing General actions, such as Teleport and Warp, with support for additional skins such as job actions arriving in future updates. Character customisation will also be expanded so players have more ways to make their character stand out, including a greater range of color options with the new color picker, the ability to fine-tune features such as eyes and lips, new elements such as eye shadow, and more.
Following the reveal of the EVANGELION – Ghosts of Desire alliance raid series in April, Yoshida unveiled a new teaser trailer and announced that acclaimed director and animator Mahiro Maeda will join the project as a special guest artist and designer. Throughout his career, Maeda has contributed to numerous acclaimed projects, including “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015) as a concept artist and designer, and “EVANGELION:3.0 +1.0 THRICE UPON A TIME” (2021), where he served as director, concept art director, storyboard artist, art setting designer and key animator.
The new teaser trailer can be viewed below.
Joined on stage by FINAL FANTASY VII Remake series Director Naoki Hamaguchi, Yoshida also revealed “Beyond the Lifestream,” a new FINAL FANTASY VII-themed 8-player raid series that players will challenge in Evercold. Both development teams are working closely together to create an exciting new raid experience for players.
Further, FINAL FANTASY XIV will launch on Nintendo Switch 2 on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, with pre-orders starting today on Nintendo eShop. To ensure server stability, there will be an approximately one-month free subscription period on Nintendo Switch 2. Whether beginning with the Free Trial, starting their adventure with the Starter Edition, or diving into the full story and experience with the Complete Edition, more players than ever before will soon be able to join together in the vast world of FINAL FANTASY XIV.
An outline of the content reveals from the keynote address can be found below:
New Job: Bastion, a main tank wielding two greatshields known as skyltborg
New Areas in the Icebound Realm of the Fourth: Naglfar, the Realmship of Water; Hringhorni, the Realmship of Fire; and Fargarth, a new city
New Raid Series: Beyond the Lifestream – a crossover with the FINAL FANTASY VII Remake trilogy
New EVANGELION – Ghosts of Desire Teaser Trailer
Chocobo Companion System Overhaul – Patch 8.1: Beginning with Patch 8.1, Expansive updates to chocobo companions, including an overhaul of the chocobo raising system, as well as the ability to call forth your chocobo to assist you in dungeons
Nintendo Switch 2 Version: Available for pre-order now; the Free Trial, Starter Edition, Complete Edition, and Dawntrail will launch on Tuesday, 4th August 2026
Same-Region Player Matching – Patch 7.5x: Matchmaking will expand across entire physical data centers rather than being limited by logical data centers, beginning with Japan in mid-October and North America and Europe to follow
New Gold Saucer Mini-game: Keybound Brawler: a FINAL FANTASY VII-themed typing mini-game that can be with up to four players arriving on Wednesday, 28th October 2026
Finally, Yoshida revealed the Evercold Collector’s Bundle, which includes a collection of physical items: the Evercold Special Art Box, Expertly Crafted Reaper Figure, Ethos Metal Keychain, Köttr Mini Plush, and Tapestry of the Fourth. Also included is the digital Collector’s Edition, featuring three in-game items: the Crystal Skyltborg bastion weapon, Vallhallar Odin mount, and Entreat Crystal emote. More information regarding availability and pre-orders will be announced in the future.
For more information and the latest updates on Evercold, please visit the teaser site at: https://sqex.to/LtSxV
The keynote presentation (English language supported) is available to view on YouTube via the Fan Festival 2026 in Berlin Day 1 live stream:
FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Berlin continued through Sunday, 26th July, with the Day 2 live stream available to watch here:
Fans at home were able to enjoy the stage content live on Twitch and YouTube as well as purchase a range of new in-game items commemorating the event from the FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Store. The commemorative items are also available at a discounted price until Wednesday, 12th August 2026. Additionally, both the piano and THE PRIMALS concerts are available as a paid stream until Sunday, 16th August 2026.
FINAL FANTASY XIV Patch 7.55 will also be releasing on Tuesday, July 28, bringing players more updates, with new Occult Crescent, Phantom Weapons, Inconceivably Further Hildibrand Adventures, and Allied Society quests. More information is available on the official Patch 7.5 promotional site at: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/dawntrail/patch_7_5/
With more than 30 million total registered players, there has never been a better time for newcomers to begin their adventures in the critically acclaimed FINAL FANTASY XIV Online saga. The Free Trial now contains all content from A Realm Reborn, Heavensward, Stormblood and Shadowbringers expansions up through patch 5.58. Free Trial players can enjoy hundreds of hours of award-winning gameplay and story experiences equivalent to four full FINAL FANTASY titles, without limit on playtime. More information can be found at: http://sqex.to/FFXIVFreeTrial
About EVANGELION
The television series NEON GENESIS EVANGELION became an immediate and widespread sensation upon its first broadcast in 1995.
In 2007, the series was relaunched as the Rebuild of EVANGELION film series. Conceived, written and directed by Hideaki Anno, EVANGELION: 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 were all hugely successful, captivating new fans and garnering much praise from a wide range of audiences.
The fourth and final film in the series, EVANGELION: 3.0 + 1.0, was released on March 8, 2021, after having been postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It recorded 6.73 million admissions, earning 10.2 billion yen at the box office.
On March 8, 2023, the long-awaited Blu-ray and DVD, EVANGELION: 3.0 + 1.11 THRICE UPON A TIME was released.
October 2025 marked 30 years since the television series debuted, and a celebratory event titled EVANGELION: 30+; 30th ANNIVERSARY OF EVANGELION was held in Yokohama Arena between February 21 and 23, 2026. Though such an anniversary event was a first for the series, it proved to be a resounding success, attracting a great many visitors from Japan and around the world.
About FINAL FANTASY VII First released in 1997 on the PlayStation® computer entertainment system, FINAL FANTASY VII will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2027. The game is universally regarded as a landmark title of the RPG genre. The original title received high praise for its epic storyline, unique characters, and movie sequences that utilised the most cutting-edge technology of the time. Since then, the game revolving around iconic hero Cloud Strife and his pursuit of the antagonist Sephiroth has sold over 15.7 million copies worldwide and continues to receive widespread acclaim from critics and fans around the world. The popular game has expanded into spin-offs, films and merchandise.
Now, Square Enix’s FINAL FANTASY VII Remake Series, created by a team of original and new developers, retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. The first game of the trilogy, FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE, is available for PS4® consoles. The expanded edition, FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE, and the second entry, FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH, are now available for Nintendo Switch 2, XBOX Series X|S, XBOX PC, PS5® consoles and PC. FINAL FANTASY VII REVELATION, the climactic conclusion of the series, will release for PS5 consoles, Nintendo Switch 2, XBOX Series X|S and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store and XBOX PC, in Spring 2027.
About Square Enix Ltd. Ranked as the #1 Publisher of the Year in 2025 by Metacritic.
Square Enix Ltd. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX and TAITO branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix group of companies. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 207 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST, which has sold over 95 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe have launched digital pre-orders for HELLO KITTY PARTY LAND, the casual party game bringing the cutest crew together. Enter the colourful world of Hello Kitty® and Friends in Sanrio Games’ debut title featuring 145 characters and dozens of fun and unique mini games. HELLO KITTY PARTY LAND launches on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on 29 October 2026. Pre-orders are available now, both in standard and deluxe editions with included bonuses in both physical and digital versions.
HELLO KITTY PARTY LAND features Sanrio’s favourite friends in an experience that is fun for all ages, taking players to a charming town populated by Hello Kitty and Friends. Gameplay lets up to four players participate in more than 45 casual mini games, playing with one another in a range of whimsical party games themed after sports, food, music and more. Players choose from a massive roster of popular characters, and they can customise their avatars with hairstyles, outfits and items found throughout the game. Designed with intuitive controls, HELLO KITTY PARTY LAND is perfect for newcomers and experienced players to play solo or with friends in local or online multiplayer.
For more information about Hello Kitty Party Land and other titles from Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe please visit: https://www.bandainamcoent.eu.
About Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe S.A.S.
Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe is a leading global publisher, developer, and distributor of entertainment content for platforms including, but not limited to, all major video game consoles and PC.
Producing intellectual property for a global audience, Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe is building its reputation with franchises such as LITTLE NIGHTMARES™, and production capabilities of Reflector Entertainment.
Based in Lyon, France, Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe is known for bringing many of the entertainment industry’s top franchises such as PAC-MAN™, GUNDAM™, TEKKEN™, ACE COMBAT™, DARK SOULS™, and ELDEN RING™ to EMEA and ANZ markets.
A Game About Penguins, a charming title with online co-op for up to 12 players, launches on PC on August 10. This sandbox game combines a snowy penguin world with a variety of fun activities, including fishing, snowball fights, and ice skating. The game will also come to PlayStation 5 and XBOX Series X|S later. A free prologue, A Game About Penguins: First Catch, has been available on PC since July 22.
A Game About Penguins is the work of independent studio CO’s Entertainment from Turkey. Ultimate Games S.A. is the publisher.
Penguins Take Over PC Soon
A Game About Penguins is a relaxing sandbox game that can be played solo or in online co-op with up to 12 players at once. Players take on the role of adorable penguins living in a world full of snow and ice.
The title lets players discover new areas and take part in various mini-games and other fun activities. Penguins can fish, climb, throw snowballs, swim, play chess, and slide across the ice, among other things.
A Game About Penguins offers extensive customization options for outfits, hats, and accessories. Notably, co-op mode also allows players to meet up and interact in extra ways, such as gathering around a shared campfire.
Free Prologue for A Game About Penguins Available Now
The free prologue has been available on Steam since July 22. In A Game About Penguins: First Catch, players can try out all the core mechanics, along with some of the mini-games and penguin customization options. Like the full version, the prologue offers online co-op for up to 12 players.
Character upgrades in the prologue are capped at level 3. The full game also includes more NPCs, more items, and a whole load of new content.
A Game About Penguins – Key Features:
A cozy game with adorable penguins
Relaxing and fun gameplay
Many types of activities and mini-games
Plenty of penguin customization options
Online co-op for up to 12 players
The full version of A Game About Penguins launches on PC on August 10, 2026. The game will also come to PlayStation 5 and XBOX Series X|S at a later date.
Freedom is almost within reach! Today, Goose Byte Games and Balor Games announced that Sponge Break will set sail July 30, 2026 on PC (Steam) for $7.99 USD, sending players on a chaotic, co-op rafting adventure where sponges must fight, float and flail their way down a wild and unpredictable river after escaping the confines of the kitchen sink. Since its reveal earlier this month, Sponge Break has been making waves with creators around the world, soaking up more than 26 million views of shared shenanigans across streaming and social media platforms as well as 500,000 minutes played in the playtest.
In Sponge Break, players and up to three friends take on the role of sponges who’ve recently found themselves upstream without a paddle…literally. Armed with nothing more than a trusty plunger-hook, a bit of wishful thinking, and proximity chat, the goal of the game is simple: navigate a very fragile raft down the world’s most dangerous rapids. (Oh, and don’t get wet. That’s important, too.) Each sponge team must work together to keep their makeshift barge afloat while using physics and various consumable items to solve challenging puzzles, dodge environmental hazards, and avoid getting attacked by all sorts of wildlife. Simple, right? Players can get an early look at the game, and become part of a growing community of fellow sponges, by joining the official playtest before it ends on July 28: https://sponge-break.firstlook.gg/.
LOS ANGELES – JULY 24, 2026 – Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality games, has delivered a new update for its collectible RPG Seven Knights Re:BIRTH, welcoming a new Legendary hero, a Korea-themed main story, and various events.
[Empyrean Sword] Sunran, a member of Guardian of the Boundary, joins the roster as an original hero created exclusively for Seven Knights Re:BIRTH. A Legendary attack-type hero trained under the same master as Teo, she is positioned among the strongest heroes in the Seven Knights universe and built as a damage dealer who overwhelms weaker opponents in battle. Through Sunran Rate Up Summon, players can add her to their roster, while the accompanying Sunran Power UP Event rewards her growth with items such as Inner Spark and Rate Up Hero Summon Vouchers.
All players can obtain her fellow disciple Teo, along with a set of equipment including Teo’s Dedicated Equipment, to mark Sunran’s arrival.
A new Korea-themed main story has also been added that introduces a new cast of characters set in a region inspired by Korean culture. In addition, the second phase of the “Month of 7K” event is now underway that allows players to earn Month of 7K Tokens through Adventure and Raid content and exchange them at a special shop for a variety of rewards. The Seven Knights of Old Special Summon is now available as well, offering players up to 100 Seven Knights of Old Summon Vouchers for an opportunity to acquire a Seven Knights of Old hero.
Seven Knights Re:BIRTH inherits the key elements of the original Seven Knights, Netmarble’s flagship IP that has surpassed 100 million cumulative downloads, including its story, characters, combat systems, and core mechanics while enhancing the gameplay experience with modern gameplay features and the latest trends.
More details on Seven Knights Re:BIRTH are available on the official website and forum. Fans can also stay up-to-date with the latest information on the game by following official social channels on Facebook and YouTube.
About Netmarble Corporation
Founded in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a leading global game developer and publisher. Through acclaimed franchises and strategic partnerships with top-tier IP holders, the company delivers innovative and engaging gaming experiences to audiences worldwide. As a parent company of Kabam, SpinX Games, Jam City, and a major shareholder of HYBE and NCSOFT, Netmarble’s diverse portfolio includes Solo Leveling:ARISE, Seven Knights Re:BIRTH, RAVEN2, MARVEL Future Fight, and The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross. More information can be found athttp://company.netmarble.com.
Toronto, Canada – July 24, 2026. Build a trade empire from a single medieval city, then defend it when the great powers come for your wealth. City States: Medieval, a hybrid of city-building, grand strategy, and real-time siege warfare, launches its full 1.0 version today. Shaped by a steady run of Early Access updates the 1.0 is available now on Steam and the indie.io Store for $19.99 USD with a 20% launch discount, alongside a new free demo for players who want to try it first.
The game casts players as the leader of a lone merchant city in the turbulent 12th century, surviving between kingdoms far larger than itself. Wealth is the weapon. Players trade commodities, from wool and linen to silk and spices, across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, turning a single city into a power that greater realms have to reckon with. But every fortune invites a siege, and holding the walls means mastering a real-time siege system built on tactical combat and medieval fortress warfare.
Command runs through heroes, historic leaders whose presence unlocks full control of a city and its armies. In the run-up to launch, Reverie widened that system: any of a player’s armies can now hold a city in real-time combat, not only a hero, opening new strategies for garrisoning distant colonies and holdings while heroes range abroad. A rebuilt Call to Arms and lord management let players summon and direct those leaders reliably, making them a decisive force in the mid and late game.
The 1.0 release is City States: Medieval at its sharpest. Every system has been tuned for the full launch, with major world map performance gains, upgraded visuals, a rebuilt tutorial that eases newcomers in, and deep balancing across trade, research, and the campaign economy that makes long-term strategy more rewarding than ever. This is the deepest, smoothest, and most satisfying way to rule a city-state, whether you are commanding your first city or your fifth.
Newcomers can start with the free demo, which offers around 90 minutes of the prologue campaign and covers most of the game’s systems, from the world map and combat to trade and city-building.
One city, surrounded by empires, is now yours to save or squander. City States: Medieval 1.0 is available today for $19.99 USD, with a 20% launch discount, on Steam and the indie.io Store, with a free demo for players who want to try the campaign first.
ABOUT REVERIE WORLD STUDIOS
Reverie World Studios, founded in Toronto, Canada in 2007, boasts a completed next-gen game engine, five previously released titles, and a talented team ready to seize opportunities in the expanding interactive entertainment market. Drawing from diverse global talent, including North America, Europe, and Australia, the team behind the Kingdom Wars series operates in a multicultural environment, leveraging virtual office technology for over a decade to streamline operations. Inspired by Canada’s game development successes, Reverie aims to excel as a leading exporter of interactive media, focusing on innovation and fostering a concentrated talent pool.
ABOUT INDIE.IO
indie.io is home to over 100 of the world’s best independent video games and developers. Our platform was built to provide independent developers with the resources, services, and management tools needed for success. Through collaboration and passion, we strive to cultivate a diverse and vibrant gaming landscape that resonates with players and creators alike!
Squads can drop in now and immediately arm up with new weapons, attachments, and cosmetics from the day-one Combat Specialist Pack.
July 24, 2026- The wait is over. Codename CURE II is live on Steam, free-to-play, and the infected are already spreading. Developed by Raptor Byte and published by indie.io, the cooperative first-person shooter drops squads of up to five into a post-apocalyptic zombie scourge with a simple mission: wipe it out at any cost. Launching alongside the game is the Combat Specialist Pack, a $9.99 DLC discounted 20% at launch, arming players with new firearms, attachments, and military cosmetics from day one.
Squads jumping in today will find a game that has rebuilt the original Codename CURE from the ground up. Procedurally generated maps built from diverse tilesets ensure no two mission runs are ever the same, while a fully reactive gore system makes every encounter feel visceral and distinct. Dynamic limb and head dismemberment, body deformation, multilayered damage systems and enemies whose clothes and flesh burn away when set on fire combine to make neutralising the infected as satisfying as it is brutal.
The infected themselves come in multiple forms. Common enemies and fallen soldiers form the bulk of each wave, but squads will also contend with Zogs, zombie dogs that close distance fast and launch themselves at players from range. More unpredictable still is The Disciple, a semi-optional boss who appears at a random location mid-mission. Squads can choose to fight or carefully navigate around him, though how the map generates may leave no choice in the matter.
Between missions, squads regroup at CURE HQ, where players can gear up, test weapons, track their rank progression and plan their next deployment. Five distinct classes, Pointman, Support, Assault, Technician and Sniper, each come with their own full selection of weapons and attachments, while AI enemies are smart enough to utilise the same unlocked gear when filling squad roles.
Squads looking to expand their arsenal can pick up the Combat Specialist Pack, available now at $9.99 with a 20% launch discount. The pack includes new firearms: the SPAR12-SA semi-automatic shotgun for the Pointman, the SPAR12-PA pump-action shotgun for the Technician and the Patriot, a high-caliber sidearm available to all classes. Attachments include a holographic sight compatible with most primary weapons, a micro cobra dot for all pistols, and a tactical suppressor compatible with most weapons. A full range of ballistic masks and battle dress finishes round out the pack, letting squads personalize their look on the battlefield.
Codename CURE II follows the original Codename CURE, which earned a Very Positive rating on Steam across more than 16,000 user reviews and accumulated over 2.5 million players. The sequel rebuilds that experience with modern tools, expanded systems, and a commitment to making every run feel new. The infected won’t wait. Drop into Codename Cure II for free right now on Steam.
