The masters of modern gaming are back, and they’re taking us to a dark, twisted new world with Blighted.
Drinkbox Studios, the celebrated independent team behind classics like the Guacamelee! series and Nobody Saves the World, has officially announced Blighted.
This new Metroidvania Action-RPG is set to launch in 2026 on PC and consoles. And when we say ‘consoles’, we’re seriously hoping that includes Xbox Series X|S.
Described as a “psychedelic western nightmare,” the game will plunge players, either alone or in co-op, into a devastated world. The experience will be scored by award-winning composer Jim Guthrie (Sword & Sworcery, BELOW), who is reuniting with the studio to create an appropriately eerie soundtrack.
A Dark New World from a Celebrated Studio
Drinkbox Studios has a stellar reputation for creating vibrant, polished, and critically acclaimed titles. From the luchador action of Guacamelee! and the touch-screen slashing of Severed to the form-swapping antics of Nobody Saves the World, the studio has consistently delivered excellence.
Now, they are channelling that experience into their most ambitious project yet.
“Blighted is our largest and most ambitious game to date. We’ve been building on the experience from creating our past games, while also experimenting with many new ideas,” said Graham Smith, producer and co-founder at Drinkbox Studios. “We’re working hard towards finishing development of Blighted, and we’re excited to finally reveal it to the world!“
Reclaim the Past, Consume the Blight
The game’s premise is as unique as it is haunting. In this world, the dead were once buried with seeds planted in their brains. These seeds grew into a “memory forest,” and the fruit from these trees contained the knowledge and traditions of past generations.
This sacred ritual was defiled by a being known as Sorcisto, who consumed the brains raw to gain immense power. He destroyed the player’s village and its memory forest, infecting the world with a deadly, reality-altering Blight.
As the lone survivor, you must fight to reclaim the memories of your people before your own encroaching Blight consumes you completely.
The Core Gameplay: A Double-Edged Sword
Blighted combines intense, nuanced combat with deep exploration and a fascinating risk-reward system at its core.
- Harness Your Blight: The very corruption that plagues the world is also your source of power. The player’s own Blight serves as a dynamic difficulty system, constantly changing the enemies, the player’s abilities, and the world around them as they play.
- Consume Memories: In a dark twist on Metroidvania progression, you will devour the brains of defeated bosses. This grants you their memories, making you more powerful and more Blighted, while widening your skillset and opening up new paths in the world.
- Intense, Nuanced Combat: Battles are deadly and tactical. You’ll need to carefully time your attacks to weave through enemies, chain together devastating combos, and execute powerful finishers to survive.
- Drop-In/Drop-Out Co-op: You don’t have to face the nightmare alone. A friend can join you at any time to play through the entire adventure in cooperative multiplayer.
- Haunting Original Score: The devastated world is brought to life by a brand-new, eerie soundtrack from acclaimed composer Jim Guthrie.
With a trusted developer at the helm, a uniquely haunting premise, and a fascinating blend of mechanics, Blighted has immediately become one of our most anticipated indie titles of 2026. For now, hit up Steam.
Prepare to enter the psychedelic western nightmare.
