Kwalee
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Mixtape and Bits & Bops dominate the AGDAs 2026 nominated finalists
The Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA) has announced the finalists for the 2026 Australian Game Developer Awards (AGDAs), celebrating Australian games released between July 2025 and October 2026. Mixtape and Bits & Bops lead the nominations across multiple categories, including Game of the Year, Excellence in Visual Art, and Excellence in Sound Design.
SPRAWL zero Launches With Gravity Guns, Bullet-Time And Serious Y2K FPS Energy
SPRAWL zero, a new first-person shooter from Kwalee and MAETH, has launched with a distinct early 2000s cyberpunk aesthetic and gameplay inspired by Y2K-era shooters. The game features fast combat, gravity manipulation abilities, and over 40 weapons, available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Welcome to Elderfield Review – Welcome to my cozy nightmare
Welcome to Elderfield is a cozy RPG life horror sim that blends pixelated, retro 90s aesthetics with Lovecraftian themes. Players explore the town of Elderfield, engaging in activities like farming and cooking, while uncovering unsettling secrets and battling monsters. Despite some minor issues with explanation and difficulty spikes, the game's impressive worldbuilding, humor, and unique blend of genres make it a highly engaging experience.
Next Week on XBOX: New Games for September 7 to 11
This week's Xbox releases include NHL 27, Halloween: The Game, Mewgenics, and Train Sim World 7, among many others. Several titles are optimized for Xbox Series X|S and available on Game Pass, including The Royal Writ and Dumb Ways to Build.
Immersive sim Retrospace, aka '70s System Shock, gets an October release date plus a trailer full of funky guns and sentient black holes
The space horror immersive sim RetroSpace, developed by The Wild Gentlemen and published by Kwalee, is set to launch on October 1st, 2026. Players will take on the role of a clone janitor on a space station consumed by a sentient black hole, utilizing stealth, combat, and unique 'mutamods' to survive against mutated creatures and security systems.
RetroSpace gets Nintendo Switch 2 release date, new trailer
Kwalee and The Wild Gentlemen have announced that RetroSpace will launch on Nintendo Switch 2 on October 1. This disco-punk space horror game allows players to choose between stealthy survival or action-hero mutant gameplay aboard a space station consumed by a black hole. A new trailer was also released alongside the announcement.
Welcome to Elderfield Looks Like Stardew Valley Went Very, Very Wrong
Welcome to Elderfield, a cosmic horror farming simulation game developed by Chris Cote and published by Kwalee, is set to release on PC via Steam on September 10th, 2026. The game blends traditional farming mechanics with Lovecraftian elements, featuring turn-based RPG combat against eldritch horrors. A demo is currently available on Steam, offering a portion of the full game's content.
Shift At Midnight Turns A Routine Night Shift Into A Fight For Game Pass Survival
Shift At Midnight, a co-op horror and simulation game, has launched on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Steam, and is available on Day One with Game Pass. The game challenges players to manage a gas station while identifying and surviving against non-human customers. It features investigation mechanics, survival horror elements, and multiplayer with proximity chat.
Next Week on XBOX: New Games for July 20 to 24
Xbox has announced a slate of new games arriving on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Game Pass between July 20 and July 24. The lineup includes titles like Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, The Planet Crafter, and CULTIC, with several optimized for current-gen consoles.
Talespinner announced for Nintendo Switch
Publisher Kwalee and developer Flash Cat Games have announced that the deck-building roguelike adventure Talespinner will be released on Nintendo Switch on August 6. The game features a narrative shaped by player decisions and deck construction, inspired by Japanese mythology, with three playable characters and over 200 battle cards.
Deck-Building Roguelike Adventure Talespinner Comes to PC & Switch This August
Kwalee and Flash Cat Games announced that their deck-building roguelike adventure, Talespinner, will launch on August 6, 2026, for PC and Nintendo Switch. The game features a narrative shaped by player decisions and deck construction, drawing inspiration from Japanese mythology with unique heroes, scenarios, and yokai encounters.
Summer Games Done Quick 2026: Watch Day 2 here
Summer Games Done Quick 2026 is underway in Minneapolis, Minnesota, raising money for Doctors Without Borders. The event features speedrunners tackling various games, with a detailed schedule provided for Day 2, including titles like Dragon Quest 11, Super Mario Odyssey, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart across multiple platforms.
GRIME II arrives at retail on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series as the Definitive Edition on September 15, 2026
Microids announced that GRIME II Definitive Edition will be released for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series on September 15, 2026. Developed by Clover Bite and published by Kwalee, this retail version includes the base game, a reversible inlay, boss cards, and a mini poster world map. GRIME II is a Metroidvania where players absorb enemy forms to gain abilities and explore a surreal world.
Kwalee Labs shut down following launch of Luna Abyss
Kwalee Labs, the developer of the PC and PlayStation 5 shooter Luna Abyss, has ceased operations just one month after the game's release. The studio, formerly known as Bonsai Collective, was acquired by Kwalee in 2025. Despite positive reviews and sales of 12,000 units on Steam, the entire nine-person team was made redundant due to circumstances beyond their control.
Kwalee lays off the entire Luna Abyss development team as one of this year's overlooked bullet-hell games falls victim to an overcrowded release schedule
Kwalee has laid off the entire development team behind the bullet-hell shooter Luna Abyss, citing an overcrowded release schedule and the game's launch not meeting internal performance targets. Despite positive reviews and a 'very positive' Steam rating, the game failed to gain significant traction. CEO Hollie Emery announced the redundancies, stating the decision was outside the team's control.
Luna Abyss development team laid off by Kwalee
UK publisher Kwalee has laid off the entire nine-person development team behind its bullet hell shooter, Luna Abyss, less than a month after its May 21, 2026 release. The studio, formerly known as Bonsai Collective, was acquired by Kwalee in September 2025. CEO Hollie Emery stated the decision was outside of the team's control and that all members are now available for new opportunities.
Dev releases one of the year's best shooters, entire team is laid off less than a month later: "A decision that was completely outside of our control"
Kwalee Labs has laid off its entire development team and shut down the studio less than a month after releasing its well-received cosmic horror bullet hell shooter, Luna Abyss. Despite positive reviews and critical acclaim, studio CEO Hollie Emery stated the decision was outside of their control. This follows a trend of successful games not guaranteeing studio survival, with the closure of Tango Gameworks after Hi-Fi Rush's release also noted.
Less than a month after launch, the entire Luna Abyss team has been laid off
Less than a month after its release, the entire development team behind the game Luna Abyss has been laid off by publisher Kwalee. CEO Hollie Emery announced the redundancies, stating the decision was outside of the team's control. Luna Abyss is a first-person bullet-hell platforming adventure game.
Step Into the Unknown: RetroSpace Demo Available Now
Kwalee and The Wild Gentlemen have released a demo for their upcoming sci-fi horror immersive sim, RetroSpace, available now on Steam. The demo allows players to explore a medical sector and experience a time-jump mechanic aboard the Aurora 5 space station. RetroSpace is described as a disco-punk space horror game with stealth and action gameplay options.
Luna Abyss arrives at retail on PlayStation 5 as the Adrift Edition on August 27, 2026
Microids announced that Kwalee's action-adventure game Luna Abyss will receive a physical PlayStation 5 release as the Adrift Edition on August 27, 2026. The Adrift Edition will include the base game, a mini concept artbook, and the digital soundtrack. Luna Abyss combines fluid platforming with intense bullet-hell combat as players explore a mysterious mimic moon.