Red Barrels
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Vote for the scariest game of all time: Round 1
PC Gamer is hosting a bracket-style tournament to determine the scariest PC game of all time. Readers nominated games, and the top 16 have been seeded into head-to-head matchups. Voting for the first round concludes on Wednesday, October 28, with subsequent rounds narrowing the field until a winner is revealed on Saturday.
The Outlast Trials just received a surprise Nintendo Switch 2 release
Red Barrels has surprise-released The Outlast Trials on Nintendo Switch. The cooperative survival horror game, originally launched in 2024, is now available digitally for $39.99. The game tasks players with surviving mind-numbing experiments conducted by the Murkoff Corporation.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent's co-founder explained the 'the dynamic of Steam' to Red Barrels after…
Red Barrels, the developers of Outlast, revealed that the success of Frictional Games' Amnesia: The Dark Descent was instrumental in their own development and marketing strategy. Amnesia's sales figures provided a benchmark, and its co-founder, Thomas Grip, later offered advice on navigating Steam's sales dynamics, which helped Outlast achieve significant commercial success.
No publishers wanted Outlast because they'd 'rather invest $50,000 in 10 mobile games' so Red Barrels relied on public investment programs and their own savings instead
Developer Red Barrels faced significant challenges securing publishers for its debut horror title, Outlast, with many preferring to invest in mobile games. The studio, co-founded by Philippe Morin, ultimately relied on public funding from the Canada Media Fund and personal savings to develop and release the game, which went on to sell millions of copies and spawn successful sequels.
The Outlast Trials' initial playtests went poorly: Designer says 6-year development took 'a f**king long…
Red Barrels co-founder Philippe Morin revealed that The Outlast Trials underwent a six-year development cycle filled with numerous prototypes and a struggle to balance replayability with the core Outlast experience. Despite initial playtest failures, the game has found success as a live service title, though player reception to its use of AI-generated imagery is mixed.
Outlast designer says that one playtester was so upset by the horror series they 'ran out of the studio to go cry…
Red Barrels co-founder Phillipe Morin discussed the intense and graphic nature of the Outlast series, noting that some playtesters have been so affected they left the studio in tears. The company prioritizes transparency about its content during recruitment, though some individuals have still found the material too disturbing to continue working there. Despite the challenging content, the Outlast series has achieved significant commercial success.
No Publisher Wanted Outlast. 60 Million Players Later, The Horror Juggernaut Is Doing Just Fine.
Red Barrels' horror series Outlast, which began as a debut effort from a 10-person team with no publisher interest, has now attracted over 60 million players. The studio's founders, who left AAA studios, self-funded the first game and learned publishing on the fly, eventually finding success with the signature night-vision camera and unflinching gore. The latest entry, The Outlast Trials, has become their most successful game, embracing live-service elements while staying true to the series' core horror identity.
Three Years Later, The Outlast Trials Just Smashed Its Concurrent-Player Record
Red Barrels' co-op horror game, The Outlast Trials, has achieved a new concurrent player record, surpassing 120,000 players, significantly exceeding its previous peak of 36,000 during its Steam Early Access launch. This surge is attributed to a substantial discount during the Steam Autumn Sale and a notable increase in popularity in China. The game recently received its version 1.0 update and continues to receive seasonal content.
I've spent seven hours exploring the Steam Autumn Sale, and these are the 10 best games on discount I'd recommend picking up while you still can
This guide highlights ten of the best game deals available during the Steam Autumn Sale, which ends on October 8. The article recommends a variety of titles across different genres, including "Arc Raiders," "The Outlast Trials," "Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade," and "Resident Evil 4 Remake," noting record-low prices and significant discounts on acclaimed games and classics.
10 great games to grab during the Steam Autumn Sale 2026
The Steam Autumn Sale 2026 is offering significant discounts on a variety of PC games, with a focus on horror-adjacent titles due to the Halloween season. The sale features ten top picks, all at their lowest prices ever on Steam, including "007 First Light," "Sons of the Forest," and "Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth." The sale concludes on October 8, 2026.
15 video game franchises that need to end - Reader's Feature
A reader argues that numerous long-running video game franchises have overstayed their welcome and should be retired to encourage innovation. Titles like Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty, Halo, and The Last of Us are cited as examples of games that have become repetitive and are primarily cash grabs, with the author suggesting developers should focus on new intellectual properties instead.
CRUEL AND UNUSUAL: Season 7 of The Outlast Trials, Project Boneyard, is Live Today
Red Barrels has launched Season 7, titled Project Boneyard, for The Outlast Trials, available now on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. This free update introduces a new environment called Prison Farm, a new Trial called Locksock the Warden, new MK-Challenges, a community Blood Drive event, a new enemy called The Biter, and significant reworks to Escalation and Invasion modes, alongside new customization features.
The Outlast Trials Gets Even More Twisted With Season 7: Project Boneyard
The Outlast Trials has launched its free Season 7 update, titled Project Boneyard, introducing a new Prison Farm environment, a fresh Trial called Locksock the Warden, and a new enemy known as The Biter. The update also includes quality-of-life improvements such as Rig Customisation and Loadout Presets, and is available on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.
WHAT DOESN’T BITE MAKES YOU STRONGER: Sergeant Coyle Returns With a New Bitey Ex-Pop to Enforce Order in The Outlast Trials Upcoming Season 7: Project Boneyard
Red Barrels announced Season 7: Project Boneyard for The Outlast Trials, launching July 14 on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. This update introduces a new Prison Farm environment, the returning Sergeant Leland Coyle in a new Trial called Locksock the Warden, two new MK-Challenges, a new Ex-Pop enemy called "The Biter," and major reworks to Escalation and Invasion modes. The season also includes new customization features and a Twitch Drops campaign.
DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL… Prime Time Returns to The Outlast Trials With New MK-Challenges, Rewards, and Added Prime Asset Pressure
The Outlast Trials has launched its Season 6.1 update, titled 'Prime Time,' introducing a new limited-time event that increases the pressure with multiple Prime Assets appearing in trials. This update also adds new MK-Challenges, cosmetic rewards, and extends Routine Therapy durations to two weeks. The game, developed by Red Barrels, is a co-op psychological horror experience set during the Cold War.
‘We did say we were going to work on it at some point:’ Red Barrels co-founder says a ‘project’ is in the works, and I sure hope it’s Outlast 3
Red Barrels co-founder Philippe Morin confirmed that the studio is working on a new game project in parallel to their live-service title, The Outlast Trials. While not explicitly named, Morin hinted that it could be Outlast 3, stating that the franchise's financial success makes a new entry logical. The studio is currently balancing development between two projects.
The Outlast Trials just got a huge update, reminding us that multiplayer horror need not be friendslop
The Outlast Trials has received a significant update with its sixth content season, Project Judas, introducing new environments and trials themed around film and TV production. This update expands Red Barrels' co-op horror experience, making it one of the most content-rich games in the genre. The article highlights how the game successfully blends challenging gameplay with cooperative mechanics, contrasting it with the concept of 'friendslop'.
Season 6 of The Outlast Trials, Project Judas, is Live Today
Red Barrels has launched Season 6, titled Project Judas, for The Outlast Trials, introducing a new Television Studio Trial environment with a political takeover theme. The update is available for free on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, coinciding with the game's second anniversary and Red Barrels' 15th anniversary. The season also includes new cosmetic items, a Scavenger Limited-Time Event, rig improvements, and a Twitch Drop campaign.
CookieRun DevNow Showcase Highlights Open World Adventure, Chapter 2, and More
The CookieRun DevNow Showcase revealed several new titles and updates, including the ambitious open-world RPG CookieRun: New World targeting a 2029 release on mobile, PC, and console. Also announced were the casual idle RPG CookieRun: Crumble for the latter half of this year, and CookieRun: Kingdom – Chapter 2, launching in May with a new story arc and playable region. CookieRun: Kingdom also features an upcoming K-Pop collaboration and is available on mobile platforms.
The Outlast Trials Season 6 Premiering March 24
Red Barrels announced that Season 6 of The Outlast Trials, titled "Project Judas," will premiere on March 24. This new season introduces the Television Studio Trial environment and features returning characters Otto and Arora Kress. The game is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
