A small shelter in heavy rain, dimly lit by a single lightbulb in Reanimal
Image credit: THQ Nordic

Reanimal: Everything we know about the creepy horror adventure

This page mixes confirmed information with industry rumours and speculation. We’ll keep it updated as new details and leaks come to light.

Table of Contents
  1. The Escapist recaps
  2. When will Reanimal be released?
  3. Expected Reanimal price & pre-orders
  4. Reanimal platforms
  5. Reanimal trailer & gameplay analysis
  6. Ask The Escapist

Hauntingly beautiful yet eerily unnerving, Renaimal is the newest creation from the developers of Little Nightmares I and II. Described as a “more terrifying journey” than previously seen, Tarsier Studios has created a new hellish landscape to explore, this time through the eyes of a brother and sister. 

The Reanimal horror game has all the hallmarks of what made the first two Little Nightmares games so iconic – the stunning yet twisted scenery, horrifying enemies, and a thought-provoking narrative. Bearing so many similarities to Little Nightmares, fans are looking to learn as much about the upcoming release as possible. So, let’s look at everything we know so far.


The Escapist recaps

  • Reanimal is a horror-adventure game from Tarsier Studios, the creators behind the original Little Nightmares games.
  • Reanimal’s release date is 13 February 2026. 
  • Set on a “hellish island”, the story follows a brother and sister as they attempt to navigate the perils of this mysterious and dangerous place. 
  • The Reanimal game mechanics allow players to decide whether they want to play alone or in co-op mode, a feature that was lacking in Little Nightmares I and II

When will Reanimal be released?

Reanimal game scene with dimly lit, eerie attic filled with dust and mysterious covered statues
How will you find your way in the dark? Image credit: THQ Nordic

The Renaimal release date is 13 February 2026. 

When the Reanimal Steam demo first became available in October, the title’s release date was “coming soon”. However, during the Xbox Partner Preview, the developers revealed the date. For players looking to prepare for its upcoming release, console demos are now available on both Xbox Series X/S and PS5.

Expected Reanimal price & pre-orders

Reanimal game scene with a broken cinema sign glowing red. A mysterious figure stands in the foggy street, surrounded by abandoned cars
Enemies lurk around every corner. Image credit: THQ Nordic

Reanimal’s price is £34.99; this price applies to the standard edition of the game and remains the same across all platforms. If you wish to purchase the deluxe version of Reanimal, it’ll cost you £49.99, though this price may be discounted depending on when you pre-order it. 

Speaking of pre-orders, they are open for the Tarsier Studios title and include a range of in-game exclusives. By pre-ordering the standard game, you’ll receive the Foxhead and Muttonhead masks. For those who opt for the deluxe edition, you’ll receive a season pass for future DLCs in addition to the aforementioned masks. 

Reanimal platforms

A dimly lit room shows a small figure crouched by a wooden shack with a lantern. A giant, shadowy claw rests nearby in Reanimal
Always check your surroundings. Image credit: THQ Nordic

Reanimal will be available on PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and Nintendo Switch. 

Unlike Steam, Xbox, and PS5, there’s no pre-order option or demo available on the Nintendo eShop. However, despite this, the Switch 2 will be one of the platforms you can play Reanimal upon its release in 2026.

Reanimal trailer & gameplay analysis

Now that pre-orders are open, a new trailer has been released by THQ Nordic. In this latest video, players get a better idea of the deadly challenges the siblings will face. Emphasis is placed on Reanimal’s game mechanics, which are all about co-operation to survive. 

Even though you can experience Reanimal in single-player mode, co-op is where the tension of this world will come to life. If you don’t manage to work well together, you might not make it. As for its narrative, Reanimal is about a brother and sister’s journey to a dangerous, eerie island in an attempt to rescue their missing friends. 

Similar to the environments explored in Little Nightmares I and II, everything is decaying, seemingly abandoned, and twisted in unnatural ways. Since the release of the latest trailer, fans have noted that Reanimal appears to draw inspiration from World War I and World War II. 

Despite being very similar in aesthetic, themes, and gameplay, Reanimal isn’t connected to Little Nightmares; this is a separate experience. That being said, knowing the complete timeline of Little Nightmares’ lore may help you better immerse yourself in this creepy new world. 

Regardless of whether the stories ever indirectly connect, one aspect of the game that’ll bear a striking similarity is the world’s enemies and challenges. If you found the puppets in Little Nightmares III tricky, then be prepared to possibly be stumped by some of the deadly enemies in Reanimal. Sometimes you’ll stealth your way past threats, other times puzzle-solving is the key. And, on occasion, fighting your way out may be the only way forward. 

Whether Reanimal will become a new franchise or remain a standalone experience is yet to be determined. Even though it isn’t mentioned in the pre-order trailer, DLC will be released in the future. However, what these entail hasn’t been announced yet. Furthermore, you’ll need a season pass to play them, as referenced in the pre-orders section. 

Ask The Escapist

Is Reanimal a scary game?

Horror, as with any genre, is subjective; what one person finds scary, another is unbothered by. In that vein, some players will find Reanimal scary; however, most of the horror comes from the tension and unnerving mannerisms of the world and its characters.

Do I need to play Little Nightmates first?

Even though the Reanimal horror game has been created by the same developers who made Little Nightmares I and II, Reanimal isn’t connected to Little Nightmares beyond that. Still, to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of these spooky worlds, playing the first two Little Nightmares games will add context you may otherwise be lacking. Unsure what order to play Little Nightmares in? The Escapist has a guide for that.

Is Reanimal co-op only?

No, you don’t have to play in co-op mode and can play solo instead. Despite the game emphasizing the importance of working together, it also references the story of the siblings as much as it does playing with friends.

Will a Switch 2 Reanimal demo become available?

At the time of writing this, there’s no news regarding a Reanimal Switch 2 demo. However, as the game will release on that platform, a demo may be added at a later date.


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Emma Flint
Features Writer
Ever since Emma watched her mum play Alex Kidd back in the early 90s, she’s loved gaming. Now a Features Writer, with a particular fondness for RPGs, you can often find Emma starting yet another playthrough of the Dragon Age series. But she isn’t just a dedicated fangirl; she also has over 13 years of feature writing experience, having written for WIRED, The Guardian, TechRadar, and Inverse, to name but a few.
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Sam Smith
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Sam is Escapist's Features Editor and has been obsessed with gaming since he first discovered Sonic the Hedgehog in the mid-1990s. Since then, he’s collected nearly every console and adores all things Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox equally. After completing his journalism degree, Sam steered his career towards writing about games and has never looked back, with bylines at Dexerto, GamesRadar, Insider Gaming, Soundsphere, and more. He’s also fully NCTJ accredited. He’s also likely to be that annoying person who keeps beating you in Elden Ring’s Colosseum.