Tag: #TheklaInc

  • Worlds Collide — Order of the Sinking Star Unveils “Explore the Realm” Trailer!

    Worlds Collide — Order of the Sinking Star Unveils “Explore the Realm” Trailer!

    Arc Games and Thekla, Inc. have pulled back the curtain on the next great journey from legendary designer Jonathan Blow (Braid, The Witness). A brand-new trailer titled “Explore the Realm” has debuted for Order of the Sinking Star, revealing the game’s sprawling Overworld, four distinct worlds, and the moment they all collide — and it lands October 8, 2026.

    The Overworld — No Path Is the Only Path

    At the heart of the game lies the Overworld: a vast central hub where you decide where to go, in what order, and when to return. There’s no single “correct” route — four cardinal paths stretch out before you, each leading to a realm with its own rules, heroes, and mysteries.

    “Explore at your own pace, revisit worlds, and return to challenges as you see fit.”

    Four Worlds — One Grand Design

    Each realm is a complete game unto itself, built from the ground up with unique mechanics, characters, and stories:

    Table

    WorldWhat Awaits
    The North — The Valorous Heroes of ChangeA ragtag band of adventurers — Warrior, Thief, Mage, Bard, Cleric, Druid — run a moving company. Distinct movement and pushing mechanics inspired by Heroes of Sokoban.
    The South — The Shimmering Mirror IslesSwap places with reflections across islands, reimagining space itself. Inspired by Mirror Isles.
    The East — Promesst’s LightNavigate a cavern of mysterious beams of light, where illumination reveals hidden paths. Inspired by Promesst.
    The West — Stones Upon WaterToss stones to create stepping paths across enchanted waters. Inspired by Skipping Stones to Lonely Homes.

    The Twist — When Worlds Merge

    Here’s where Order of the Sinking Star breaks new ground: the worlds collide. Characters from different realms meet, puzzle systems intertwine, and mechanics that began separate combine in surprising new ways. A light beam from the East might shine through a mirror from the South; a stone path from the West could lead a hero from the North into places neither was meant to tread. What begins as four distinct adventures evolves into one interconnected tapestry of possibilities.

    Over 1,000 Puzzles — 500+ Hours of Discovery

    • 1,000+ hand-crafted puzzles — no procedural generation; every clue and contraption is designed by hand
    • All-star voice cast — professional ensemble bringing the realm to life; full cast revealed near launch
    • Release: October 8, 2026
    • Platforms: Steam (PC), Nintendo Switch 2™, PlayStation®5
    • Vision: Jonathan Blow’s most ambitious work yet, nearly a decade in the making — a “puzzle design supercollider” where ideas from across the genre combine into something entirely new

    Wishlist & Learn More:

    The stars are aligning — prepare to explore the realm.

    Find out more here


    #OrderOfTheSinkingStar #JonathanBlow #TheklaInc #ArcGames #PuzzleGame #IndieGame #AdventureGame #Braid #TheWitness #NintendoSwitch2 #PS5 #GamingNews #TechMash

  • Prepare Your Brains: Jonathan Blow’s Massive Puzzle Adventure ‘Order of the Sinking Star’ Hits Platforms This October

    Prepare Your Brains: Jonathan Blow’s Massive Puzzle Adventure ‘Order of the Sinking Star’ Hits Platforms This October

    Puzzle genre fans, it’s time to dust off your thinking caps and clear your calendars.

    Arc Games and Thekla, Inc. have officially confirmed that Order of the Sinking Star—the colossal, highly anticipated puzzle adventure led by legendary game designer Jonathan Blow (Braid, The Witness)—is launching on October 8.

    The mind-bending journey will be landing across PC (via Steam and Steam Deck), PlayStation 5, and the Nintendo Switch 2.

    A Decade in the Making: The “Game Design Supercollider”

    In development for nearly 10 years following the critical acclaim of 2016’s The Witness, Order of the Sinking Star is positioning itself as a generational milestone for the puzzle genre.

    Rather than relying purely on a single set of mechanics, Blow and his team at Thekla have described the game as a “game design supercollider.” The title collides ideas from several brilliant indie puzzle games and designers into one grand, sprawling ecosystem.

    The game builds upon mechanics inspired by celebrated titles such as:

    • Skipping Stones to Lonely Homes & Mirror Isles (Alan Hazelden)
    • Heroes of Sokoban (Jonah Ostroff)
    • Promesst 1–3 (Sean Barrett)
    • Design contributions from Patrick Traynor (Patrick’s Parabox), Marc ten Bosch (Miegakure), Zach Polansky (Enigmash), and community members.

    When these distinct mechanics interact and overlap, players will witness simple early 2D rules evolve into breathtaking 3D challenges and deep layers of abstraction.

    Key Features to Expect:

    • Over 1,000 Hand-Crafted Puzzles: Featuring well over 1,400 challenges total, completionists can expect up to 250 to 500+ hours of unique, mind-bending gameplay.
    • Unlikely Playable Heroes: Control an ensemble cast including a queen, a thief, a warrior, a wizard, and even a talking boat—each possessing unique abilities that alter how you interact with the environment.
    • Four Interconnected Worlds: Explore diverse realms—such as The Mirror Isles, The Promise, and Hearty Heroes of Hauling—at your own pace with non-linear, open-ended progression.
    • An Entangling Mystery: As characters meet and mechanics collide, a rich narrative unfolds around a secret cult known as the Order of the Sinking Star.

    “By creating a kind of game design supercollider, we were able to bring together ideas from some of the most brilliant puzzle designers in the industry… We can’t wait for players to step into this world and discover just how deep and complex it really is.” — Jonathan Blow, Founder of Thekla, Inc.

    Mark Your Calendars

    Whether you’re looking to flex your brainpower on the desktop or take the brain-teasers on the go with the Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch 2, Order of the Sinking Star is shaping up to be an unmissable adventure for strategy and puzzle lovers alike.

    You can wishlist Order of the Sinking Star today on Steam, the PlayStation Store, and Nintendo eShop ahead of its October 8 release!

    Find out more here

    #OrderOfTheSinkingStar #JonathanBlow #ArcGames #TheklaInc #IndieGames #GamingNews #SteamDeck #NintendoSwitch2 #PS5 #PCGaming #PuzzleGames