Chilla's Art Announces Snow-Shoveling Horror Game Snowed Under
Chilla's Art is following up the fishing-focused "Umigari" with a snow-shoveling mechanic, suggesting the studio is experimenting with novel gameplay loops beyond its usual short horror formula.
Key Facts
- Chilla's Art announced "Snowed Under" on July 25, 2026, and opened its Steam store page.
- The game is a first-person horror title where the player shovels snow on a snowy mountain toward a radio tower.
- Players can upgrade their shovel using scrap metal found while digging to increase efficiency.
- The game includes conversations with a friend named Kaito that progress as days pass.
- Estimated playtime is 2 to 4 hours; no release date or price has been announced.
Reporting from 3 sources: 4Gamer.net, Automaton, Game Spark.
Japanese indie developer Chilla's Art announced a new PC horror game titled "Snowed Under" on July 25, 2026, and opened its Steam store page. The game is a first-person experience set on a snowy mountain where the player digs through snow toward a radio tower. As they shovel, they can find scrap metal to upgrade their shovel for better digging efficiency, and various buildings emerge from beneath the snow. The store page hints that "various things" lie buried, and screenshots show a creepy figure with a white face. The game also includes conversations with a friend named Kaito that progress as days pass. Estimated playtime is 2 to 4 hours. No release date or price has been announced, but the game is available for wishlisting on Steam. Chilla's Art is a brother duo known for short horror titles such as "The Night Shift," which received a live-action film adaptation and a Nintendo Switch port. Their most recent release, "Umigari," launched in February 2026 and currently holds an 82% positive rating on Steam.
The brother duo behind Chilla's Art has released over a dozen short horror games on PC, including "Closing Shop Incident," "Red Mantle," and "Hell Bathhouse." Their works often gain attention through game commentary and live streams. "The Night Shift Incident" received a live-action film adaptation that opened in Japanese theaters on February 20, 2026, and a Nintendo Switch port released on July 16, 2026.
The studio's most recent title before "Snowed Under" was "Umigari," a marine exploration and fishing game released in February 2026. It holds an 82% positive rating from 976 user reviews on Steam, earning a "Very Positive" status. The fishing mechanic in "Umigari" marked a departure from Chilla's Art's typical formula, and "Snowed Under" continues that trend by centering gameplay on snow shoveling and shovel upgrades rather than pure exploration.
"Snowed Under" is a first-person game where the player digs through snow on a mountain, heading toward a radio tower. The Steam store page describes the core loop as "just keep digging." Along the way, players find scrap metal to upgrade their shovel, increasing digging efficiency. As they dig further, various buildings emerge from beneath the snow. Screenshots show a blizzard, a scene with a fire and two figures eating together, and a creepy figure with a white face. The store page asks "What happened in this place, what will happen, what to think..."
Conversations with a friend named Kaito progress as in-game days pass. The estimated playtime is 2 to 4 hours. No release date or price has been announced. The game is available for wishlisting on Steam.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.