CONFIRMED
Tenebris Somnia, the retro survival horror adventure that stitches 8/16-bit exploration to live-action FMV scares, is out today, October 16, 2026. Publisher New Blood Interactive and developer Saibot Studios set that date back in June, per Gematsu, and the platform list runs across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, Switch and PC. The hook for horror movie fans: Xbox Wire says the practical monster effects were supervised by Marcos Berta of When Evil Lurks.
What we know
The date and the platforms come straight from the announcement. Gematsu reported on June 6, 2026 that New Blood Interactive and Saibot Studios had locked Tenebris Somnia for October 16 on PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, Switch and PC via Steam, with physical editions coming through Lost in Cult. The Steam store page, run by Valve, lists the same October 16, 2026 release date.
Bloody Disgusting’s review, published around October 15, says the game launches October 16 on PC via Steam and GOG, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series. That adds GOG as a PC storefront. Its list leaves out the original Switch, which Gematsu’s report did include, so we have two slightly different platform lists from two grade B outlets. We are treating the original Switch version as announced but worth double checking on the eShop today.
On the movie side, the Xbox Wire post dated October 16 is the clearest source. It says the practical monster effects were supervised by Marcos Berta, credited as award-winning for When Evil Lurks. Argentine actress Clara Kovacic plays the protagonist, and Andrés Borghi directed the live-action production. Bloody Disgusting’s review adds that, according to New Blood, the same team behind the effects on When Evil Lurks worked on the live-action sequences.
As for what the game actually is, the Steam listing describes a survival horror adventure in the vein of Silent Hill or Resident Evil, adapted to a retro 2D 8/16-bit aesthetic. Think pixel art exploration and inventory puzzles for the bulk of play, with the FMV footage reserved for the moments the game wants to hurt you. New Blood’s trailers and promotion have leaned on live-action cutscenes built with practical effects and no generative AI, and Polygon published demo impressions as far back as October 2024.
On pricing, New Blood set a $24.99 USD base price with a 20% launch discount to $19.99, plus extra discounts for owners of FAITH: The Unholy Trinity, with Lost in Cult physical editions at £29.99 to £59.99. GoNintendo reported the same numbers.
One claim needs clarifying. TheClick, writing with reference to October 11, noted October 16 as the PC date and said console support had no confirmed matching date. It did not call the launch PC-only. Gematsu’s report of the June announcement dated the PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2 and Switch versions for October 16, and both the Xbox Wire post and Bloody Disgusting’s review published around launch are consistent with a multiplatform release. We consider the console date confirmed for today.
What we don’t know yet
Physical timing. Time Extension reports today’s launch is digital, with physical editions expected later and a demo on select platforms. That matches the earlier Lost in Cult pre-order listing Gematsu mentioned, but Time Extension is also outside our verified list, so we are flagging it as context.
PlayStation 4. Kill Screen lists PS4 alongside PS5. Gematsu’s report of the official platform list does not include PS4, so we consider that version unverified.
Borghi’s exact film credit. Kill Screen and GameWatcher describe Andrés Borghi as the VFX artist on When Evil Lurks. Xbox Wire credits Borghi as director of this game’s live-action production, and credits Marcos Berta, not Borghi, as supervisor of the practical monster effects. Either way, the connection is to the film’s effects team, not its director or writers.
Reception. Metacritic shows a 79 Metascore from five critic reviews as of today. That is early and will move.
What it means
The When Evil Lurks connection is the real story here for anyone who reads this site. That film’s practical gore is some of the most upsetting work in recent horror, and Xbox Wire confirming Marcos Berta on monster effects means the FMV sequences are being made by people who know how to make rot look wet. Pairing that with an 8/16-bit adventure frame is a smart contrast: the pixel sections build dread cheaply, and the live footage cashes it in.
If you want to try before buying, Time Extension says a demo is available on some platforms, and Polygon covered an earlier demo two years ago. If you want the box, Lost in Cult is where Gematsu says the physical editions live. We will update once the PS4 question is confirmed by sources we trust.