Going up – it’s the new gaming trend. But in Cairn, you’ll get to climb like never before.
From The Game Bakers comes Cairn; their newest creation after the award-winning Furi and Haven.
Revealed for a 2025 launch on PC and console, Cairn takes players on pro-climber Aava’s journey, as she embarks on the ascent of a lifetime to conquer a summit never reached before.
It plays out as a realistic mountain ascent adventure with an intuitive climbing simulation that lets players climb naturally, seamlessly moving arms and legs. This means you’ll get to freely explore the mountain, reading the rock face, deciding on your next route.
But as we learnt in the likes of Jusant, climbing is challenging and in Cairn you’ll find difficult sections to navigate – equipment and pitons must therefore be used wisely. In the unforgiving high-altitude environment, climbers will need to manage their resources and physical condition, making the most of whatever can be found, foraging for food or water or setting up a bivouac.
“With Cairn, we are exploring a new genre that we named “Survival-Climber”. We have created a new type of climbing simulation. It feels extremely natural and intuitive, yet the challenges of the mountain will test players’ determination,” says Emeric Thoa, Creative Director.
The team at The Game Bakers has brought on best-in-class reinforcement with an all-star audio team composed of Martin Stig Andersen (Limbo, Inside, Control) and Lukas Julian Lentz (Cocoon). The stylized art direction and story are the creation of French comic book artist Mathieu Bablet (Carbon & Silicon, Shangri-La).
True to The Game Bakers’ signature style, players also embark on an unforgettable story, following Aava’s journey on the deadly mountain. She will have unexpected encounters and discover the mountain’s history and hidden treasures. She will also have to decide the sacrifices she is willing to make to achieve her dream.
“After Furi — living free, and Haven — free to love who you want, Cairn is the conclusion of our trilogy on freedom. This time it’s about pushing beyond your limits, and breaking free from your obsessions,” adds Audrey Leprince, CEO.
Key features
- THE ASCENT OF A LIFETIME – As pro climber Aava, you embark on the ascent of Mount Kami, a summit that has never been reached. Along the journey, meet unexpected companions and hear from those left on the ground. Discover the mountain’s history and decide what Aava is willing to sacrifice to achieve her dream.
- REALISTIC CLIMBING SIMULATION – Cairn’s realistic simulation allows intuitive climbing: find the best holds and place your hands and feet seamlessly with simple controls. Adapt your posture, effort and balance —if you’re not careful, you will fall!
- OPEN YOUR OWN ROUTE – You are free to climb anywhere. Explore the mountain, read the rock face from the ground and plan your route carefully to reach the top. Solve problems while on the wall to navigate difficult sections. You can climb on anything, so choose your path wisely!
- CLIMBING IS A FIGHT – Climbing is challenging: each wall feels like a boss fight. A thrilling challenge for those eager to test themselves, but you can also adjust the difficulty to customise your experience.
- SURVIVE THE DEADLY MOUNTAIN – Manage your resources to survive during the long ascent: pitons, chalk, finger tape… but also food, water and medicine. Set up bivouacs and explore the mountain to find resources to reach the summit.
- ENDLESS REPLAYABILITY – In Expedition mode, choose Aava or Marco and attack different mountains your way: select your climbing style (alpine, free solo) and challenges to take on. Compare your performance with other climbers.
- AWARD-WINNING TEAM – An unforgettable experience from the makers of Furi and Haven, with music and sound design by the team behind Limbo, Inside, Control and Cocoon, and art and story by renowned comic-book artist Mathieu Bablet.
Cairn is scheduled to be released in 2025 on PC (Steam) and consoles. We’ll keep you looped as the months move forward. For now, check out the reveal trailer.
