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TinyBuild and Hypnohead Announce Roguelite City Builder The Crab Is Walking

The announcement signals Hypnohead's plan to experiment with higher-resolution art, more advanced unit behaviour through short-run roguelite design ahead of 2027 playtests.

Overview

  • The studios publicly announced The Crab Is Walking in mid-September, confirming a PC release on Steam with playtests scheduled to begin in 2027.
  • Players will build and manage a city on the back of giant mobile creatures, arranging uniquely shaped districts in a cramped space and merging buildings to upgrade them.
  • Core design centers on short roguelite runs with selectable 'Ride' and 'Rider' combinations and over 100 unit types that shape different playstyles.
  • Hypnohead said it will keep supporting its prior game The King Is Watching while using The Crab Is Walking to try higher-resolution pixel art, richer animations, and more sophisticated unit AI.
  • Combat details remain unclear from the announcement trailer, which several outlets said appears autobattler-like, and the 2027 playtests are the next step to reveal mechanics and a release timeline.