GAMBONANZA

Stray Fawn and Sidekick Publishing Assemble Indie “Dream Team” for Global Launch of GAMBONANZA

ZURICH, CH / BERLIN, DE / PARIS, FR – 26^th January 2026 – Stray Fawn and Sidekick Publishing are proud to announce a global co-publishing partnership for Gambonanza, the upcoming roguelike chess-builder from solo developer Paul Giovannini (Blukulélé Studio). The original trailer reveal from Blukulélé back in March 2025 has wracked up a whopping 560k views! Coming soon to PC and Mobile platforms, a public playtest is now live on Steam.

While Stray Fawn’s involvement with the title was previously known, the inclusion of Sidekick Publishing as a global co-publisher marks a major expansion for the project. In a significant update to the game’s roadmap, the partners have confirmed that Gambonanza will now launch simultaneously on PC and Mobile platforms later this year. To facilitate this multi-platform release, the team has enlisted the expertise of ATEO, who will handle the mobile ports. This collaboration represents the assembly of a strategic “dream team” across the European indie scene, reuniting partners with a previous history of successful collaboration.

A Proven Indie-Alliance

This is not the first time these entities have shared the board. Sidekick and Stray Fawn previously worked together on the successful publishing of TerraScape in 2024. Furthermore, ATEO acts as a common technical thread, having recently collaborated with Sidekick on the mobile launch of Dwarves: Glory, Death and Loot, and with Stray Fawn on the mobile version of Dungeon Clawler. This collective experience ensures that Gambonanza benefits from a highly synchronized group of experts committed to bringing a new vision of chess to a global audience.

About Gambonanza: A Roguelike Chess Revolution

Gambonanza is a turn-based chess roguelike set on a condensed board where tactical risks yield high rewards. The game reimagines traditional chess as a strategy-packed adventure where victory requires capturing every piece on the board through synergistic play.

Key Features:

Synergistic Gambits: Over 150 Gambits allow players to alter the properties of their run, such as supercharging specific pieces or forcing enemies to skip turns.
Tactical Board Upgrades: Players can enhance the chessboard with golden squares, blessing tiles, and protective surfaces to gain a tactical edge.
Dynamic Reserve System: A unique off-board storage system allows players to keep extra pieces in reserve, deploying them at pivotal moments to shift the balance of power.
High-Impact Rounds: Smaller starting boards intensify the strategic tension, delivering quick yet deep gameplay sessions.
Retro Aesthetic: The game features vibrant pixel art and a nostalgic CRT filter, complemented by a quirky atmosphere and mini-games inspired by slot machines, pachinko and Gachapon.

Playtest and Upcoming Demo

To coincide with this partnership announcement, a Public Playtest is now live on Steam. This phase allows the community to provide critical insights ahead of Steam Next Fest in late February. These insights will help refine the experience as the team prepares for a free Demo release (coming soon) and the full global launch across PC and Mobile later this year.

Executive Quotes

Paul Giovannini (Blukulélé):

“Sidekick immediately understood Gambonanza, both the game and the vision behind it. They just get it, making our collaboration ridiculously smooth and motivating. And now that another partner has joined the adventure, our very serious victory poses have somehow become even more dramatically hilarious!”

Sidekick Publishing:

“Bringing a classic board game like chess to both PC and mobile with such a clever, roguelike twist is an opportunity we are thrilled to be part of. This partnership allows us to reunite with our long-term friends at Stray Fawn and ATEO, building up on that existing foundation of trust. We are 100% committed to Paul’s vision for Gambonanza and are eager to apply our collective expertise to make it a global success.” – Jasmin Oestreicher, Co-CEO and Co-Founder at Sidekick Publishing

Stray Fawn:

“When one of my teammates discovered the Gambonanza trailer on YouTube, we were all blown away by its charm. Within hours, I reached out to Paul to ask about a possible collaboration. When he said yes, it escalated into a small party at the office. And now, we have another big moment to celebrate, as our long-time partners Ateo and Sidekick have joined in as well.” – Philomena Schwab, Co-Founder at Stray Fawn Studio

ATEO:

“Gambonanza is a Steam game screaming for a mobile port; its core loop hooks players instantly with the perfect balance of speed and depth. We knew we were working on something amazing when our lead developer disappeared for 80 hours, resurfacing only to dive into in-depth feedback with the creator, Paul. Uniting our separate partners on this single project has been, simply put, awesome for everyone involved.” – Sebastian Tobler, Co-Founder and General Manager at ATEO

ENDS —

OLD SCHOOL RUNESCAPE CELEBRATES FRANCHISE’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A PACKED CALENDAR OF COMMUNITY-FOCUSED CONTENT AND EVENTS

OLD SCHOOL RUNESCAPE CELEBRATES FRANCHISE’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A PACKED CALENDAR OF COMMUNITY-FOCUSED CONTENT AND EVENTS

Jagex lines up the first-ever RuneScape event outside of the UK for 2026, alongside new quests, PvP events… and the first raid for the game in four years.

Monday, 26th January 2026, Cambridge, UK – Jagex, creator of the iconic RuneScape franchise, has today revealed a barrage of new content coming to Old School RuneScape in 2026, together with the game’s debut event to be held outside of the UK. Unveiled during today’s Old School RuneScape’s Winter Summit, players of the iconic, retro fantasy MMORPG can look forward to a whole slew of new, meaningful content over the weeks and months ahead.

Watch the Old School RuneScape Winter Summit on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/directory/category/old-school-runescape

Old School RuneScape Winter Summit Highlights

Expanded Sailing skill: Old School’s first new skill, Sailing, is set to be expanded upon in 2026 with a raft of additional content, including quests, a brand-new Barracuda Trial, and activities around the Red Reef.
Blood Moon Rises: Players of a certain disposition can pack their garlic and prepare to overcome ‘Blood Moon Rises’, a blood-curdling Grandmaster-tier quest finale that will conclude The Myreque storyline: regularly voted one of the most popular storylines by the community.
Raids IV: First revealed in front of a packed audience at RuneFest 2025, Old School RuneScape will be getting its first new raid in four years in 2026, The Fractured Archive.
Leagues VI: A temporary game mode that’s proved so popular that it’s since migrated to RuneScape, Leagues is returning once more to Old School RuneScape this April. Featuring fast-paced gameplay filled with bonus XP drops, loot boosts, and power buffs, Demonic Pacts will also be bringing back combat masteries reimagines for Leagues VI. Expect all new relics, tasks and truly demonic reward. Find out more.
Beware the Ides of Milk: The result of the most recent Game Jam, a new bovine boss is terrorising Lumbridge and all players (whether free-to-play or members) will be able take on Brutus the cow boss as they find out about the ongoing feud between Seth Groats and Cassius.

Deadman, Deadman, Deadman

Deadman: Allstars: This year will see Season 3 of Deadman: Allstars, Old School RuneScape’s premier PvP competition take place. Packed with some of the game’s biggest content creators and PK (player killer) veterans, the finals will see six teams battle it out in a live finale scheduled to take place at the Rosemont Theatre in Chicago, Illinois on 20th June.
- The Deadman: Allstars Live final will be the first time an Old School RuneScape event has taken place outside of the UK, underlining the continued expansion and success of the game, and will once again be hosted by creator, Solo Mission. Tickets will be released for sale on 21st February.
Deadman: Annihilation: More Deadman action will be taking place soon with the launch of the high intensity, PvP everywhere (well, aside from scarce designated safe zones) Deadman: Annihilation. Starting this Friday, and running until the 21st February, this limited-time game mode – and successor to 2024’s Armageddon variant – once again shakes things up with new additions to Sigils and Breaches, and players earn points that can be used to acquire cosmetic rewards in the main game.

Finally, the team unveiled some additions to the merchandise range with new items from StarForge. This includes an Old School RuneScape-themed keyboard and keycap set, a 3D modelled and hand-painted TzKal-Zuk keycap and a new platelight and wall art featuring a lineup of iconic bosses created in collaboration with community artist BucketCultist. These new items join the RuneScape 25th Anniversary collection alongside the previously announced YouTooz Lumbridge Castle and RuneScape: 25 Years Deluxe Vinyl from Laced Records.

Today’s raft of announcements for Old School RuneScape forms part of the RuneScape franchise’s 25th anniversary, which will also see the biggest RuneFest ever take place this autumn in Birmingham, UK.

Old School RuneScape is available now on PC, Steam, iOS, and Android, complete with cross-platform progression and play on PC and mobile.

Belle Citique

Cozy City Designer ‘Belle Citique’ Grants Fans of the Genre Their Biggest Wish – Animals and Villagers

Build in harmony with nature in Belle Citique, a cozy city designer finally giving fans of Townscaper and Tiny Glade what they’ve always wanted – villagers and animals!

[January 21, 2026]: Build for harmony and happiness in Belle Citique, a cozy new city designer from Willis Studios. Belle Citique is a cozy, water-focused city designer, with a powerful building-system that naturally adjusts to the terrain around it, creating canals, tunnels, waterways, parks, and more. Attract residents and animals to your city and watch them enjoying the lives you’ve built for them, exploring bustling marketplaces and lovely boulevards. Residents comment on what they love, and ask for more!

Instead of replacing nature, bring out its best – and attract animals to live within your towns. Towering walls and bridges adapt to the rivers and hills around them. Decorate your city with plazas, gates and fountains, naturally molding to the environment for a feeling of perfect balance. Fans of Townscape and Tiny Glade will feel at home!

With a new demo now on Steam, players can get to building their idyllic city – and populating it immediately.

Watch the trailer for Belle Citique below.

Steam

Key features of Belle Citique include:

Unleash the Joys of Nature. Walls and houses sprout tunnels to let rivers pass through. Canals work their way between buildings and around plazas. Trees grow joyfully towards the sun. Instead of just replacing or removing nature, Belle Citique imagines how we might build together with it.
Calming Natural Beauty. Enjoy villagers fishing in the canals, and dogs playing in the park. Watch the birds gently soaring by. Admire the mountains and the streams. Belle Citique is the perfect way to release your tension and unwind!
Happy Residents! As your city grows, more and more people will come to live in it, admiring your hard work and going about their lives. Residents will compliment your architecture and design, and as the population increases, more building-blocks and biomes will be unlocked to explore and experiment with.
Full Customization. Adjust colors and other design-details for each building-block to make sure that your city perfectly matches your heart. The only limit is your own imagination!

Belle Citique is available to wishlist now on Steam, with a demo currently available. It is planned to release in Q1/2 2026.

Tailside

Cozy Cafe Sim ‘Tailside’ Launches into Early Access on PC

Serve furry, friendly customers in laidback debut

Lithuania (January 21, 2025) – Opening day has finally arrived as developer Coffee Beans Dev launches cozy cafe sim Tailside into Early Access on Windows PC via Steam, with a full launch planned for 2027! Serve freshly baked goods and cups of coffee to friendly and furry customers as you create the perfect chill out spot!

Watch the Tailside launch trailer:

YouTube | Download

Sit back, relax, and fulfill your cafe management dreams in Tailside. Customize your cafe, bedroom, and terrace with a range of decor including the comfiest chairs, succulents, and plushies before opening the doors to take orders from creatures from across the forest!

Play without pressure as you roast and grind beans, create beautiful latte art and level up your coffee-making skills. Progress is laidback and with every in-game day, you’ll get closer to unlocking new brewing abilities and additional, decorative items with hundreds of signs, seats, and much more to eventually choose from.

Along the way, you’ll also meet more villagers and get to know a little more about the adorable animal customers who stop by each day. Follow their stories as the daily newspaper brings you closer to your paw pals.

Tailside even lets you add your own furry faces! With mod support, you can import custom characters and turn them into cafe visitors, bringing yourself and your real-life furry friends into the game.

These features are just the start of the Tailside journey as, on the Steam page, Coffee Beans Dev has already shared a roadmap of updates as the game progresses to 1.0 in 2027. Planned features include a full greenhouse system, a flower shop to grow and sell plants, and the ability to visit other players’ cafes!

Key Features of Tailside

Progress Without Pressure: This is a wholesome sim, not a tycoon title and the gameplay is designed to be stress-free. Those who prefer to play without levels and objectives can also enjoy the Sandbox mode, which is more decor-focused.
That’s That Me Espresso: Brew coffees made with different flavors, and strengths, create latte art, and unlock even more coffee varieties as you progress through levels!
Fully Customizable: Design multiple areas in your cafe, with a bedroom and a terrace, as you choose from hundreds of decor items. Import custom characters for even more personalization!

Tailside: Cozy Cafe Sim is out now on Windows PC via Steam for $9.89 USD, £8.36 GBP, and €9,71 EUR with a 10% launch discount. The game is also “Playable” on Steam Deck.

For more on Tailside, follow developer Coffee Beans Dev on X (Twitter) and join the official Discord.

Bladesong

The level of detail in this game is insane and makes me feel like an actual blade Smith not just a gamer playing a game.

You start the game in a dream state you pick your character type male or female then what your life was like your knowledge and so forth and yes it actually helps with the progression in the story as some choices depend on certain skills you have your toughness and knowledge being some as well as finesse, after you make your choices the game opens up into the tutorial and even the tutorial tells you pay attention or you wont learn so please pay attention.

The first thing it goes over it the camera movement which im not a fan of why would you stick a camera binding to the press of the scroll wheel makes no sense at all but thats just my 2 cents. Next your looking at the anvil and the process begins. The tutorial starts by telling you how the lengthen the metal that will become the blade each blade has a sweet spot in length and the info box on the top left tells you everything that is e,petted of the sword you are making and boy does shit get complex as you progress. Then you gotta flatten the blade and widen it these 3 steps are the most basic of everything your gonna be doing so make sure you watch everything closely cause if you mess up you will have to start over and fix the sword properly.

Next the game will show you how to put a tip on the sword and this one is probably the most trickiest of them all as you can over tip the sword to the point its almost a needle which some customers will want that.

Then comes the sharpness of the blade which is the easiest to do you see a blue line will pop up on the blade and will move until it hits the proper spot then it will change to orange when you have reached the exact point intended honestly best guide line ever.

The whole left side of the screen while your at the anvil is your info bar as well as the square that pops up on the right also shows some details as well.

After the tutorial of making the game shows you a small fixing tutorial cause not only will you be making blades you will be fixing them as well. The amount of detail and information in this tutorial is insane and well done could they have added more sure but it might have messed with the flow of the game.

After the game drops you into the story of the game where you are awoken at a tent with a forge outside in a tent filled camp of people trying to enter a city for safety. You will try to get in as well but no luck sadly.

This is where the game opens up where every choice is both good and bad where everyone is watching you and where one wrong move can mean death for your character.

The economy is rough not only must you find supplies but you also gotta find vendors and boy the first vendor you find is rough considering this game takes place during medieval times people were scared of plagues and everything else.

This game is amazing the detail the feel of making a sword the hilts and everything in between i am so glade to have experienced this game and I cant wait tonsee what they do with it in the future so if you wanna feel like a real bladesmith pick up Bladesong you wont be disappointed, thank you all for coming by take care and game on.

poppy playtime chapter 5

November 22nd, 1990
Incident Report
[RESTRICTED_conditioning_1990]
EXPERIMENT #1188 “CATNAP”

From the beginning, it was clear 1188 would need extensive treatment.

What is your name?
What is your experiment number?
Can you tell me who you are?

Total treatment time: 49 days.
Treatment outcome: Successful.

—M̶̠̒͠Y̷̲̌̽ ̸̱͂N̴̠͘AM̶͍͉̍Ë̷͔̙́ ̸̩̪̾Í̷͇̯S ̸̦̈́̕T̶̤̆HE̴͉͛Ȍ̵͙͒D̶̜̊͝OR̴͆͜E—

Further observation continues: https://discord.com/invite/FmsXQDK7Zp

Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5 — “Broken Things” launches February 18, 2026, on PC. Wishlist now on Steam and Epic Games. Console versions will be available in the months to follow.

The Real Face of a VTuber review

Hello everyone hows it going today I wanna talk to you about my first ever murder mystery game called The Real Face of a VTuber. But first huge thank you to Lilien Games for sending me a copy to check out hugely appreciated so let’s dive in.

As I said this is my first murder mystery game so honestly I wasnt sure what expectations to have or what to look for so I went in blind and im glad I did the game is a blast and so detailed in its experience and the tutorial isnt in your face it blends with the game as a natural part of conversation it was perfectly done and impressed me from the start.

So players take on the role of a prosecutor by the name of Justin Truth who’s sole mission is to figure out who murdered our victim and to bring justice to the departed so justice we shall bring.

So im guessing more murder mystery games are similar in theres a lot and I mean a lot of dialog and reading which honestly im fine with it feels like a novel and the mystery is just getting juicy.
So the victim owns the company where everyone will be interrogated and its your job to determine which employee did it and how, now this game has multiple endings that means you will be playing more then once for a complete story and im not complaining one bit this game hooks its claws into you as soon as you start getting into the main story.

The gameplay is simple and smooth I haven’t had any issues the whole time ive been playing the graphics are similar to a visual novel game so the colors are great nothing is over done.

So your job find the murderer but you also get a bonus in you must find out who is the face of the vtuber who was employed at the company you will interrogate and check evidence cross examine everyone and everything find out who’s lying and telling the truth and trust me this part is hard cause I already have a few people I dont like in the game and I wanna blame them so bad but im trying not to be biased.

I haven’t come across any bugs except one of the achievements didnt pop up for me but other then that the game is solid and fun.

Im sorry this review isnt up to par ive never played a murder mystery game so I dont have anything to go by but I will say this the game is fun the details are insane and makes you wanna play more non stop so please pick up the real face of a vtuber and experience for yourself thank you all have a great day and game on.

Masters of Albion

Build By Day, Defend By Night. A God Game Reimagined – Watch the Action Unfold in the New Release Date Trailer HERE

Guildford, UK – January 12, 2026 – 22cans, led by legendary game creator Peter Molyneux, today announced that Masters of Albion will launch on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 18:00 BST, exclusively on PC via Steam. A brand-new release date trailer showcases the game’s unique blend of cosy creativity by day and brutal survival by night.Built by a team that includes legends of the industry, Mark Healey, Russell Shaw, Iain Wright and Kareem Ettouney, who were key in developing Dungeon Keeper, Black & White, and Fable, Masters of Albion reimagines the god game for today. Blending strategy, simulation, town management, and real-time defence, the game gives players extraordinary freedom to play the game the way they want to play it.Taking inspiration from some of Peter’s classic titles, Masters of Albion is a return to form, blending gameplay mechanics from multiple genres, strategy with simulation, town management with defence, to reinvigorate the god game, and give players the power and freedom to create.

Or destroy…

Said Peter Molyneux:
“Masters of Albion is the culmination of my life’s work, a game that owes so much to titles like Dungeon Keeper, Black & White, and Fable. It’s a totally unique game that we hope will delight players, a game that brings God Games into the modern gaming landscape and puts the genre firmly back on the map.”

Albion, a land shaped by the hands of heroes, is at a great turning point in its history. Its lords and luminaries have pulled Albion’s society into a new age of manufacturing and production, a golden era, an industrial revolution. But behind this modernisation lurks a painful past of magic and mayhem, one that threatens to drag Albion back into a dark age of mysticism.

Shape the world from above as a god or step directly into it by possessing heroes, workers, animals and more.

Masters of Albion mixes strategy, simulation, town management, and real-time defence, all woven into a rich narrative-driven world.

“Some are born with power, some achieve power, and some have great power thrust upon them.”

Build, Create, and Customise

As a god, you have absolute freedom over your towns and villages:

• Design and build every structure
• Hire, house and manage your workforce
• Customise buildings with paint, patterns and embellishments
• Combine building types into unique multi-purpose structures
• No timers or waiting, build instantly and iterate freely

From small workshops to sprawling towns, Albion grows exactly how you decide.

Wield the Power of the God Hand
Command the world with ancient powers:

• Manipulate buildings and objects freely
• Possess and control the living
• Inspire, reward, insult, or punish your people
• Throw giant boulders, spiked balls, exploding barrels or just plain old-fashioned people
• Rain lightning, fire and destruction down upon your enemies
• Shape Albion with absolute authority

Enjoy the freedom that being a god brings, but with great freedom comes great responsibility.

Roam Freely Across Albion
Experience the world from multiple perspectives:

• View Albion from the heavens or possess living beings to explore on foot
• Control heroes, dogs, workers and even chickens
• Complete quests to unlock treasures and secrets
• Delve into dangerous underground cave networks
• Craft weapons and armour for your heroes
• Design the clothes that your workers wear (however bizarre)
• Explore, experiment and uncover the forgotten history of Albion

Defend the Night
When night falls, Albion is no longer safe. Malevolent creatures emerge from the darkness, attacking towns and killing indiscriminately. Survival depends on preparation and decisive action:

• Design, build and arm powerful defensive turrets
• Hire heroes to protect the people
• Escort the vulnerable through the terrors of the night
• Construct walls, choke points, and deadly defences
• Channel enemies into carefully planned kill zones
• Use god powers to strike fear into the undead
• Possess heroes and fight enemies directly in real-time combat

Each night tests your planning, creativity, and resolve.

Key Themes
• Power and responsibility
• Industry versus ancient magic
• Freedom of choice and consequence
• Cosy creativity contrasted with chaos and danger

Players can enjoy the freedom that comes with being a God by Wishlisting the game now via Steam ahead of its release on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Keep up to date on the latest news via X, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Players can get exclusive news and content by signing up to the official Discord.

Anthem#9

Turn-Based Gem-Matching Roguelite ANTHEM#9 Launches February 5th on PC via Steam

New “Extra Mission” Endgame Content Promises Unprecedented Challenges

Tokyo, Japan – January 13th, 2026 – Shueisha Games is excited to announce that the gem-matching roguelite ANTHEM#9 will launch on February 5th on PC via Steam. Along with the release date, the new “Extra Mission” mode has been revealed – a high-difficulty endgame challenge for players who complete the main campaign. The publisher also confirmed that ANTHEM#9’s creator Koeda will also host a special developer talk and Q&A session on January 30th at 8:00 PM JST via the official Discord server.

Watch the ANTHEM#9 Release Date Trailer:

Extra Mission: A Brutal Endgame Challenge
“Extra Mission” is a challenging endgame mode in ANTHEM#9, unlocked after completing the standard campaign (Missions 1-4) and designed for players seeking the ultimate test. Players begin with Extra-1 and progress through increasingly brutal stages. Each level boosts enemy stats and adds restrictions that push players to their limits. Clearing Extra-1 unlocks Extra-2, challenging players to test how far their skills can go in an escalating gauntlet.

Refined UI Based on Community Feedback
Based on recent community feedback from the ANTHEM#9 demo, the full release has undergone a major user interface overhaul. The redesigned UI is cleaner, more intuitive, and streamlined to make gameplay smoother and more accessible for players. Every element has been refined to keep players focused on the core gameplay and maximize enjoyment in the fast-paced roguelite action.

Developer Talk & Q&A – January 30th
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to go behind the scenes with ANTHEM#9’s creator, Koeda! On January 30th at 8:00 PM JST, Shueisha Games will host a special live developer talk on the official ANTHEM#9 Discord server, where fans can hear never-before-shared stories from the game’s development and ask Koeda questions directly. The session will be presented live in both English and Japanese, making it accessible to fans around the world. Another creator talk is planned for the launch period — stay tuned!

Join the official Discord server: https://discord.gg/Ap3JGdmECq

About ANTHEM#9
ANTHEM#9 is a turn-based roguelite where players match red, green and blue gems to activate skills and unleash dazzling combo chains. Quick thinking and smart deck-building are the keys to survival as every run challenges you to adapt, strategize and push your combos to the limit.

Match gems to trigger powerful skills, chain them together for massive damage and crush bosses with style. Collect new skills and “Blessings” as you progress through procedurally generated dungeons as you customize your deck to fit your strategy. The higher the combo, the greater the thrill of battle!

pie in the sky release date

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.