Publisher Arc Games and developer Thekla have announced that Order of the Sinking Star will launch for the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam on October 8.
Quick Facts
- Release Date: October 8
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and PC (Steam)
- Developer: Thekla
- Publisher: Arc Games
- Demo Availability: A PC demo is available now on Steam with save data carrying over to the full game.
Development and Design Contributions
In development for 10 years following the release of The Witness, Thekla founder Jonathan Blow described the project as a game design supercollider. The title brings together puzzle concepts from multiple designers across the industry, including Alan Hazelden (Skipping Stones to Lonely Holmes, Mirror Isles), Sean Barrett (Promesst), Jonah Ostroff (Heroes of Sokoban), Zach Polansky (Enigmash), Patrick Traynor (Patrick's Parabox), and Marc ten Bosch (Miegakure). Additional design contributions also came from Twitch followers over the years.
Gameplay and World Design
The puzzle adventure features more than a thousand hand-crafted challenges spread across four expansive game worlds. Players take the helm of a crew of heroes—including a queen, a thief, a warrior, a wizard, and a talking boat—each equipped with complementary abilities.
Designed with an open-ended, non-linear structure, the game allows players to leave challenging puzzles and return to them later by pivoting to different areas of the interconnected world. The experience includes professional voice narration, cryptic notes, and a gradual unravelling of the overarching mystery as characters and mechanics collide.