Become a Magpie, Pluck the World: Pie in the Sky to Release on February 2, 2026

Become Australia’s apex predator in a retro bird simulator

[Australia] – January 12, 2026 – Monster Shop Games and indie.io are proud and only slightly terrified to announce that Pie in the Sky, a unique retro arcade adventure, will release on February 2, 2026 for PC on Steam. Players will take to the skies as one of Australia’s most dangerous airborne threats, a creature whose heart is as black as its plumage: The Magpie. 

The goal of the Magpie is twofold: First, find enough food to feed its ever-hungry chicks, second, wreak havoc, cause mayhem, and terrorize humans in any way possible: Swoop in like a missile to knock over pedestrians, topple cyclists, and spill trash bins; gorge on food, then carry out bombing runs on the weird hairless apes; divebomb them with litter; find clever uses for everyday objects to teach humans the meaning of fear.

Players can be a feathered menace across six different levels inspired by iconic Australian locations, packed to the brim with secrets, interactions, and humans to terrorize. From idyllic suburbia, through picturesque beaches, to busy downtowns, there is no shortage of collectibles to find, mayhem to unleash, food to steal, while objectives only get crazier and more challenging.  

While the Magpie is already a perfect organism, unclouded by delusions of morality, its perfection can be further refined and specialized: Make it fly and walk faster, swoop more often, digest more readily to carry out bombing runs. If players prefer to, they can also change the colors of its feathers to mimic other amazing examples of avian perfection – or have their beautiful bird wear a nifty pirate hat. 

There is nothing quite like a magpie in a pirate hat. Or a retro-themed game that features not just high fidelity graphics of the PlayStation 2 era, but also a retro approach to progression: There are no vital parts of the game gated behind DLCs, no pay-to-win features, no lootboxes: Everything in the game can be unlocked simply by playing and introducing Aussies to the real terror of Australia…

“As an Australian, I’ve always seen magpies swooping people (including my kids) and thought, ‘It would be fun playing as a magpie in a game and turning the tables’”, says Mark Smith, the developer behind the game. “That’s where the idea began and before I knew it, I had a game on my hands that played like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater in the Sky but instead of skate tricks, you swooped people, stole their food and flew through gaps to keep your combo going. I’m a solo developer from Perth, Australia and I’m thrilled to share the terrifying reality of what Magpies are capable of with the rest of the world!”

Ready to put the fear of the Magpie in humanity? Pie in the Sky will release on February 2, 2026 for PC via Steam.

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Live, Roll, Die, Live Again—Celestial Return is a Striking Cyberpunk-Noir Narrative RPG Coming Spring 2026

Backed by publisher Shoreline Games and funded at over 200% on Kickstarter, this dark, dice-based adventure invites players into a world of cosmic horror and corruption 

Istanbul, Türkiye – January 13, 2026– Survival is optional in Celestial Return, a cyberpunk-noir, dice-based narrative RPG from storytelling veterans Metaphor Games, launching on PC via Steam in spring 2026 in partnership with publisher Shoreline Games. 

Celestial Return is a story-rich, boldly stylized sci-fi adventure where dice are your bullets, your bribes, and your last breath. Don the well-worn loafers of Detective Howard, a man with nothing left to lose, as he traverses the neon-washed streets of the decaying Netherveil City, where its corpses are clawing back to life and horrors loom in the shadows. You will investigate a string of suicides that reek of cosmic horror and corporate corruption where your only tools are your rusted badge, a loud-mouthed sentient rose, and a pocketful of stolen dice. 

Watch the announcement trailer: 

“Celestial Return has always been about creating a deeply immersive narrative experience that resonates with fans of both video games and storytelling-focused board games,” said Bilge Gul Cakir, Co-Founder / Author at Metaphor Games. “We are so honoured by the outpouring of support from our community, and we never imagined our gritty noir game would achieve 200% funding. Partnering with Shoreline Games allows us to amplify our vision and ensure the game reaches the widest possible audience. We’re excited to see how this collaboration will bring our community’s dream project to life in new and exciting ways.”

“This team has an undeniable work ethic and penchant for storytelling and developing rich, narrative driven storylines. But not only that—their community has spoken, and the support for the game’s development has been incredible to watch,” said Keith Kawamura, CEO of Shoreline Games. “So, to be a part of their journey translating those narratives from board games to video games, is something we absolutely wanted to be a part of, and are incredibly grateful to do so.” 

Celestial Return Key Features: 

• Doomed Gameplay Loop: Earn and spend your dice while leveling up your own personality, to gain the edge needed to survive conversational combat. It’s sometimes violent, but always desperate. 
• Simple Currency: Dice aren’t just tools. They’re oxygen. Earn ’em, spend ’em, lose ’em. Hoard them too long, and opportunities vanish. Roll recklessly, and resources burn.
• Welcome the Crossroads: Discover a vast sci-fi story, rich with twists, turns, mind-bending crossroads, and a branching narrative fully shaped by your decisions.
• Sounds & Visuals to Bleed For: Immerse yourself in a completely hand-drawn world where manga’s precision meets the raw nerve of American comics
• Choices Matter: Your choices are the weapons and your mind the battlefield. Decide the outcome with each small step. Just remember: Intelligence picks locks in silence. Virtue pleads for mercy. Foolishness laughs at the abyss.

Expanding the world of Celestial Return beyond the world of video games, Metaphor Games has also released the first in a series of Webtoon comics that delve deeper into the seedy underbelly of Netherveil City, with more episodes planned to release in the run up to the games’ launch. Designed as a living companion to its video game counterpart, the comic’s narrative ties directly into the game, blurring the line between game and graphic novel, with the final episode ending exactly where the game begins. 

Metaphor Games—composed of award-winning writers from TTRPG publisher Metis Creative—successfully rallied a strong Kickstarter community around Celestial Return with fans around the world, surpassing its funding goal by more than 200% and earning the coveted “Projects We Love” distinction. By partnering with Shoreline Games, Metaphor Games gains the support of a publishing studio experienced in bringing narrative-rich and system-driven games to global markets, ensuring Celestial Return will thrive both within and beyond its Kickstarter origins.

Celestial Return launches in spring 2026 for Windows PC via Steam. To follow along for news and updates, join the community on X (Twitter) and Instagram

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