TECHMASH

Tag: #SantaBarbaraGames

  • Keep Quiet or Die: Voidwood’s New Gameplay Shows the Danger of Speaking Up

    Keep Quiet or Die: Voidwood’s New Gameplay Shows the Danger of Speaking Up

    Co-op survival horror fans have a chilling new title to keep on their radar. Developer Santa Barbara Games—a team founded by industry veterans hailing from EA, Riot Games, and Bethesda—has released terrifying new gameplay footage for Voidwood, their upcoming PC title where your real-world voice is your greatest tool and your deadliest mistake.

    A Charming Dream Turned Nightmarish Reality

    At first glance, Voidwood draws you in with a deceptively whimsical, Studio Ghibli-esque art style. Players take on the roles of children trapped in a mysterious, cursed forest. However, don’t let the enchanting visuals fool you; this game is pure horror at its core.

    The gameplay loops around a tense day-and-night cycle:

    • By Day: You and up to three friends (1–4 players total) scavenge the forest for supplies, craft vital survival tools, and search for clues left behind by the children who vanished before you. The deeper you venture into the woods, the richer the rewards, but the risk grows exponentially as the sun dips below the horizon.
    • By Night: Scavenging ends and pure survival begins. Nightfall summons “The Beast”—an unkillable, horrifying apex predator that stalks the forest. Fighting back isn’t an option. Your only goals are hiding, outrunning the creature, and making it back to camp alive.

    Speak Carefully: The Forest is Listening

    What sets Voidwood apart from standard co-op horror games is its heavy reliance on proximity voice chat and spatial audio. To coordinate strategies, share supplies, or alert friends to impending danger, you have to talk into your microphone.

    However, Voidwood‘s audio mechanics mean monsters—especially The Beast—can hear every whisper, footstep, and panicked scream.

    Shouting to warn a teammate across a clearing might save their life, but it will pinpoint your exact location for the creatures lurking in the dark. The newly revealed gameplay footage highlights this agonising dynamic: players must balance essential communication with total silence, forcing teams to whisper, use subtle signals, or even make the grim decision to use noise as a distraction (sacrificing one player so the rest can slip away).

    Camp Upgrades and Endless Replayability

    Surviving the night allows teams to regroup at their central camp, a safe haven where lower-tier creatures refuse to enter due to the campfire’s light. Here, players can use scavenged resources to upgrade their camp, craft advanced gear, and plan their next excursion. Because every successful run dynamically alters forest conditions, no two nights play out the same way.

    Voidwood is slated for release on PC via Steam in 2027, with playtests and public hands-on demos kicking off. If you’re a fan of high-stakes co-op horror games like Lethal Company or Phasmophobia, Voidwood promises a fresh, voice-driven twist that will test your team’s discipline—and your friendships.

    Find out more here

    #Voidwood #SantaBarbaraGames #IndieGames #GamingNews #PCGaming #HorrorGames #CoOpGaming #SurvivalHorror #Steam #Gaming #techmash

  • Don’t Go into the Woods: Santa Barbara Games Announces ‘Voidwood’, a New Co-Op Survival Horror Game

    Don’t Go into the Woods: Santa Barbara Games Announces ‘Voidwood’, a New Co-Op Survival Horror Game

    If your friend group’s favourite weekend activity is screaming in terror together on Discord, add this one to your Steam wishlist immediately.

    Santa Barbara Games has officially announced Voidwood, a 1–4 player co-op survival horror game slated to launch on Steam in 2027.

    Set in an eerie, ancient forest that looks deceptively inviting by sunup, Voidwood promises a thrilling mix of atmospheric exploration, strategic crafting, and heart-pounding nocturnal survival.

    What is Voidwood?

    At first glance, the world of Voidwood welcomes you with lush canopies, tranquil streams, and hidden ruins. But don’t let the scenic views fool you—this forest carries a sinister curse.

    The core gameplay centres around a tense, day-and-night cycle:

    • By Day (Explore & Prepare): You and up to three friends must venture out into the wild. Use the sunlight to gather vital resources, build a fortified base, craft traps, and unravel the lore behind the forest’s curse.
    • By Night (Survive the Hunt): As soon as darkness falls, the atmosphere shifts drastically. The cursed woods transform into lethal hunting grounds filled with terrifying creatures. Your group’s survival depends on how well you fortified your shelter during the day and how well you work together in the dark.

    Perfect for Fans of Co-Op Horror

    Combining the addictive resource-management of survival titles like Sons of the Forest and Valheim with the terrifying co-op tension of games like Phasmophobia and Lethal Company, Voidwood aims to test both your survival instincts and your friendships.

    Will you stick together to hold the line, or leave your buddy behind as bait when the woods come alive?

    Release Date & Platforms

    Voidwood is being developed for PC via Steam, with a target release window in 2027.

    Keep your flashlight batteries charged and stay tuned to TechMash for more updates as development unfolds!

    Find out more here

    #Voidwood #SantaBarbaraGames #CoOpGaming #HorrorGames #SurvivalHorror #Steam #GamingNews #IndieGames #TechMash