REANIMAL

Overview and Introduction

REANIMAL is a cinematic third-person survival horror adventure developed by Swedish studio Tarsier Studios and published by THQ Nordic. Formally announced on August 20, 2024, during Gamescom Opening Night Live, the game launched globally on February 13, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Created by the original creative directors behind Little Nightmares and Little Nightmares II, REANIMAL is a completely independent, original intellectual property owned by Tarsier Studios and published by THQ Nordic. The narrative follows an orphaned brother and sister embarking on a rescue expedition across a nightmarish archipelago to find their missing friends.

Core Pillars of REANIMAL:

• Original Horror Universe: An original IP owned by Tarsier Studios and published by THQ Nordic, separate from Bandai Namco's Little Nightmares franchise.
• Dual Orphan Protagonists: A linear, story-driven journey following a brother and sister across nine atmospheric chapters.
• Shared Claustrophobic Camera: Utilizes a single shared camera framing both characters simultaneously in both solo and cooperative play.
• Versatile Cooperative Access: Supports single-player with AI, two-player local couch co-op, and online crossplay with Friend's Pass and GameShare functionality.

Top 3 Reasons to Play REANIMAL

REANIMAL builds upon cinematic puzzle-platforming with visceral creature design and collaborative gameplay.

• Heavy Psychological Horror Atmosphere: Depicts a grim world populated by grotesque body horror, decaying rural architecture, and disturbing humanoid-animal hybrids.
• Tactile Two-Player Coordination: Puzzles and navigation require physical collaboration, from operating heavy coastal machinery to coordinating distractions and boosts.
• Flexible Cross-Platform Co-op: Allows players to complete the full campaign together online across PC and console ecosystems without requiring both users to purchase the full game.

Story, Lore, and Setting

Set across a desolate, storm-ravaged archipelago that was once their home, REANIMAL follows a desperate rescue mission.

Narrative Premise

• The Orphan Siblings: Players guide an orphaned brother and sister who return to the warped remains of their home island to find their missing friends.
• The Distorted Island: The environment has decayed into industrial slaughterhouses, rusted naval wrecks, and contaminated coastal settlements.
• Corrupted Fauna: The island's animal life has mutated into monstrous entities, including hollow-eyed sheep and mutated swine.
• Linear Campaign & Secret Ending: Across the 9-chapter linear story, players reach a standard narrative conclusion. A secret scene plays after the credits following Chapter 9 for players who find all five hidden coffins in a single continuous playthrough; coffins collected via Chapter Select do not count toward unlocking the secret ending.

Gameplay, Mechanics, and Co-op

The gameplay loop blends exploration, environmental physics puzzles, stealth evasion, and combat against minor threats.

Core Mechanics

• Shared-Camera Navigation: The camera tracks both characters in a shared viewport without splitting screens, heightening tension and demanding spatial awareness.
• Combat and Evasion: While colossal mutant bosses cannot be fought and must be avoided through stealth and timing, players engage in direct combat against smaller hostile creatures using defensive tools like crowbars and firearms.
• Land and Waterway Travel: Exploration alternates between on-foot crawling through industrial structures and piloting a small motorboat across treacherous ocean channels.
• Collectible Masks: Players can locate 18 hidden masks scattered across the chapters—including the Bird Head, Deer Head, and Bucket Head—to customize their character's appearance.

Developers, Editions, and Post-Launch Content

REANIMAL marks Tarsier Studios' major production under publisher THQ Nordic following the studio's acquisition by Embracer Group.

Editions and Season Pass

• Standard Edition: Contains the core base game.
• Digital Deluxe Edition: Includes the base game, two exclusive in-game cosmetic masks (Foxhead and Muttonhead), and The Expanded World Season Pass. A standalone soundtrack was not bundled with any edition, with developers considering a separate release post-launch.
• Collector's Edition: Features the base game, The Expanded World Season Pass, an exclusive collector box, an artbook, a printed world map poster, a keychain, sticker sheets, a 25 cm PVC "Pig" statue, and a 12 cm "Bucket" mini-statue.
• The Expanded World (DLC Chapters): A three-part story expansion that requires the base game and follows two new characters, the Soldier and the Prisoner:
  • Chapter 1 (The Prisoner): Released on August 7, 2026.
  • Chapter 2: Scheduled for release in Q4 2026 (between October and December 2026).
  • Chapter 3: Slated for launch in Q1 2027.

Platforms, Technical Profile, and Crossplay

REANIMAL is developed natively for current-generation hardware, bypassing older eighth-generation platforms.

Platform Availability and Network Features

• Release Date: February 13, 2026
• Supported Platforms:
  • PC
  • PlayStation 5
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Nintendo Switch 2
• Cross-Platform Play: Full crossplay supported across PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
  Friend's Pass & Co-op Delivery:
  • Steam & Xbox Series X|S: Utilizes a dedicated, free standalone Friend's Pass client downloaded from the respective store.
  • PlayStation 5 & Nintendo Switch 2: The free downloadable Demo functions as the Friend's Pass client, allowing invited players to join a full-game owner's lobby. On Nintendo Switch 2, the game additionally supports GameShare functionality.