Blighted: Drinkbox Studios Reveals a Psychedelic Western Metroidvania with Co-Op, RPG Systems, and World-Altering Powers
Blighted Announced: Drinkbox Studios’ Most Ambitious Game Yet Fuses Psychedelic Western Horror with Metroidvania-RPG Action
Drinkbox Studios, the celebrated team behind Guacamelee!, Severed, and Nobody Saves the World, has officially unveiled its boldest and most ambitious title yet — Blighted. Announced during Summer Game Fest 2025, this all-new Metroidvania Action-RPG plunges players into a psychedelic western nightmare, where corrupted memories, shifting worlds, and dynamic combat rule the day.
Featuring solo or co-op play, world-altering progression mechanics, and a haunting original score by Jim Guthrie, Blighted is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing indie titles currently in development.
The game is scheduled to launch in 2026 on PC and consoles.
A World Consumed by Blight
In Blighted, players find themselves in a twisted, broken landscape teetering between reality and memory. The world is corrupted by a mysterious force known as the Blight, and only by embracing it can players begin to reclaim what has been lost.
You’ll play as a lone wanderer — or team up with a friend in online or local co-op — to battle horrific enemies, explore fragmented memories, and restore the past one encounter at a time.
“Blighted is our largest and most ambitious game to date,” said Graham Smith, producer and co-founder of Drinkbox Studios. “We’re excited to finally reveal it to the world!”
Combat That Evolves the World
At the core of Blighted is a unique mechanic: defeating enemies allows you to harness the Blight, a force that not only enhances your abilities but changes the game world.
As you accumulate and manipulate Blight energy, you’ll:
- Unlock hidden paths
- Alter combat dynamics
- Reveal secrets buried in the environment
- Shift the tone and layout of levels
This isn’t just progression — it’s mutation, and it adds a deeply strategic layer to every fight and decision you make.
Metroidvania Meets Action-RPG
Staying true to the studio’s pedigree, Blighted blends the tight exploration and progression of classic Metroidvanias with deep Action-RPG systems, including:
- Character upgrades
- Customizable abilities
- Stat-based gear and weapons
- Skill trees tied to Blight usage
As you traverse the world, you’ll earn new traversal abilities, unlock shortcuts, and discover secrets — all while building a character that reflects your playstyle.
Drinkbox promises that Blighted will deliver the most expansive, layered gameplay in their portfolio to date.
A Psychedelic Western Nightmare
Visually and tonally, Blighted breaks new ground for Drinkbox. While the studio is known for vibrant, comedic art styles, this new game veers into surreal horror, moody dreamscapes, and psychedelic chaos, with a visual style that's as haunting as it is mesmerizing.
Led by Art Director Augusto 'Cuxo' Quijano, the team has crafted a world that feels like a fever dream on the edge of collapse, filled with:
- Twisted Western iconography
- Distorted memories of fallen civilizations
- Creatures that echo your decay
And tying it all together is a score by Jim Guthrie (Sword & Sworcery, BELOW, Nobody Saves the World), whose music adds eerie ambience and emotional depth to an already haunting world.
Co-Op Exploration and Shared Memory
One of the most exciting additions in Blighted is the option to play in co-op, giving players the chance to share the eerie journey through the Blighted world with a friend. Whether exploring together, tackling puzzles, or taking on corrupted bosses, Drinkbox is designing Blighted to be a cooperative experience unlike anything else in the genre.
How you and your partner use the Blight — and how it changes your world — may differ depending on your decisions.
Day of the Devs: Inside the World of Blighted
As part of Day of the Devs 2025, Lead Designer Ian Campbell and Art Director Augusto Quijano gave fans a deeper look into Blighted’s creative vision, design pillars, and themes of memory, corruption, and hope.
Highlights included:
- A glimpse at how environments evolve through the Blight use
- An overview of combat systems and traversal abilities
- Concept art showcasing strange creatures and biome-shifting effects
- A hint at narrative elements centred on cultural memory and identity
When and Where to Play
Release Window: 2026
Platforms:
- PC (Steam)
- Consoles (Platforms TBA — Likely PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2)
Stay tuned for more platform-specific announcements as development continues. You can wishlist Blighted on Steam today to get updates as they arrive.
Final Thoughts: Blighted Is Drinkbox Unleashed
With Blighted, Drinkbox Studios is venturing into bold new territory — both creatively and mechanically. This isn’t just a bigger game. It’s a deeper, stranger, and more emotionally resonant experience than anything the studio has made before.
Blending Metroidvania progression, RPG mechanics, co-op action, and world-warping exploration, Blighted is poised to become one of 2026’s most distinctive indie releases.