Santa Barbara Games, a new developer comprised of former Bethesda, Riot, EA, and other talent, has announced its first game: Voidwood, a 1-4-player fantasy co-op survival horror game with a decidedly Studio Ghibli-esque art style. In it, you and your friends play as children lost in a cursed forest, scavenging for supplies and crafting tools by day in order to survive and escape at night when The Beast, an unkillable monstrous force, is unleashed.
Sound will play a key role in Voidwood, as players will communicate via proximity chat. Whispering is the way to go, and shouting…very much isn’t, lest you attract the attention of The Beast. Which, maybe you do if you want to secure escape for three of you at the expense of the fourth player. That is an option. You’ll always be able to regroup at camp, where the lower-tier monsters won’t go on account of the light from the campfire’s flame; note that The Beast has no problem charging headlong into your camp if he spots you there. You can also hide in the bushes, provided you stay quiet.
Every run is different, with instances lasting 20-30 minutes apiece. There is meta progression in order to keep your character evolving over the course of days, weeks, and months of play. Voidwood is in development for PC and due out in 2027. Wishlist it on Steam if you’re interested.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, and a co-host of Next-Gen Console Watch. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
