Updated Article – April 9th 2026
The Lift will now be coming to Xbox, PlayStation and PC in 2027.
Original Article – September 16th 2025
The circuit board is ready, and a new mystery is waiting to be rewired.
Publisher tinyBuild and debut developer Fantastic Signals have today unveiled The Lift, a first-person, narrative-driven, supernatural handyman simulator.
The game is scheduled to launch on PC in 2026, with console versions confirmed to follow.
This innovative new title, which blends satisfying house-flipping gameplay with a mind-bending, retrofuturistic Soviet sci-fi story, has also launched a limited-time open playtest on Steam, giving players their first chance to step into its mysterious world.
From the Minds Behind Pathologic 2 and Ori
What makes this announcement so immediately exciting is the incredible pedigree of the new development team.
Fantastic Signals is a new studio comprised of industry veterans whose past credits include the hauntingly atmospheric and narratively complex Pathologic 2 and the stunningly beautiful, award-winning platformer Ori and the Will of the Wisps.
This background signals a team with a keen focus on building immersive, unforgettable worlds infused with deep storytelling.
Welcome to The Institute
The Lift is set in The Institute, once humanity’s most advanced research facility, until a catastrophic incident left it abandoned and drifting through an interdimensional void.
You are awakened from stasis with a singular goal: restore the Institute to its former glory and uncover the mind-bending truth behind what went so terribly wrong.
Renovate, Explore, and Repair
The game is a unique fusion of satisfying renovation gameplay and deep, systems-driven immersive sim elements.
- Renovate – Each floor of the Institute is a massive renovation project with its own unique set of challenges. You will work at your own pace, tackling everything from basic furniture repairs to complex engineering projects, using a variety of unique gadgets and crafted items to get the job done.
- Explore – The titular Lift will act as your mobile base of operations as you travel between the different biomes of the sprawling Institute. You’ll explore hidden areas, meet unforgettable characters, and complete quests to piece together the truth behind the facility’s collapse.
- Repair – This is where the game’s immersive sim DNA truly shines. You will need to breathe life back into dozens of intricate devices, from simple vending machines to complex reactors. This involves building circuits with multiple components, identifying fault currents, routing cables, and managing power supplies in a series of deep electrical engineering puzzles.
A Word from the Developers
The team at Fantastic Signals is excited to bring their unique vision to a genre that is ripe for innovation.
“I’m thrilled to finally unveil what we’ve been working on for the past three years, and looking forward to fans’ reactions and the feedback from the first Steam playtest,” said Ivan Slovtsov, Founder and Game Director at Fantastic Signals. “This game encapsulates everything we love about rich worldbuilding, captivating stories, and engaging systems-driven gameplay.”
He continued, “The Lift introduces multiple twists into the genre. For example, players will use electrical engineering concepts to fix and operate intricate, interconnected machines – all while exploring this mysterious world inspired by the works of the Strugatsky brothers and the SCP Foundation.”
A new mystery is waiting to be solved, one that will test both your renovation skills and your ability to comprehend the incomprehensible. With an incredible development team at the helm and a truly unique premise, The Lift is a fascinating new title that has immediately sparked our curiosity.
You can try the open playtest on Steam now, and we’ll be keeping a close eye out for news on the future console release.
