HIPS N NOSES Free Demo Launches on Steam July 31
The demo release marks the first public playable version of a game that blends two genres-cafe management simulation and action roguelike-into a single growth loop, a design approach that PepperStones has not previously attempted at this scale.
Key Facts
- The free demo of 'HIPS N NOSES' launches on Steam on July 31, 2026, covering one in-game week (up to day 7).
- The game combines cafe management simulation with action roguelike elements in a day-night cycle.
- The game is set in a world where sleep does not exist; protagonist Mera is the only girl who can dream.
- The full game is scheduled for Steam Early Access in Q1 2027, with 10 supported languages including Japanese.
- PepperStones' previous game 'Wetory' was selected for gamescom Best Indie Top 10 in 2022.
Reporting from 2 sources: 4Gamer.net, Denfaminicogamer.
South Korean indie studio PepperStones will release a free demo of its upcoming game 'HIPS N NOSES' on Steam on July 31, 2026. The demo covers one in-game week (up to day 7) and lets players experience the core day-night cycle: daytime cafe management where players combine ingredients to make drinks based on customer hints, and nighttime action roguelike battles in a dream world where they collect materials to unlock new recipes, facilities, and character growth. The game is set in a world where sleep does not exist; the protagonist Mera is the only girl who can dream, and she runs a cafe to help people recover lost memories. The demo incorporates fixes and improvements from a February Steam playtest. The game will also be exhibited at ChinaJoy 2026 in Shanghai from July 31 to August 3, where a playable demo and a new official trailer will be available. 'HIPS N NOSES' is scheduled for Steam Early Access in Q1 2027, with price to be announced. It will support 10 languages including Japanese.
PepperStones, a South Korean indie studio founded in 2021 by two former middle school classmates, is bringing its second major title to the public for the first time. The studio's previous work, 'Wetory', was exhibited at Tokyo Game Show 2022 and selected for gamescom's Best Indie Top 10. For 'HIPS N NOSES', the team is expanding into a dual-structure game where daytime cafe management and nighttime dream battles feed into each other: materials obtained in dreams become ingredients for new drink recipes and cafe upgrades, while cafe profits unlock facilities that deepen exploration in subsequent dream sessions.
The demo available on Steam from July 31 will let players play through one in-game week. At ChinaJoy, attendees at booth G-892 in Hall N1 can try the same demo in a continuous session. The official trailer released during the event will introduce the world, main characters, and the cartoon-style visuals that PepperStones is known for. The full game is planned for Steam Early Access in Q1 2027, with 10 supported languages including Japanese, English, Korean, and Simplified Chinese. The price has not been announced.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.