tobspr Games Announces 'puzzlez - a shapez game' for 2027
tobspr Games founder Tobias Springer said the project was first planned as shapez 2 DLC, and the studio now intends to develop it as an independent series rather than an add-on.
Key Facts
- tobspr Games announced puzzlez - a shapez game on September 7, 2026, for PC (Steam) with a planned 2027 release.
- puzzlez - a shapez game contains more than 75 handcrafted 3D automation and logic puzzles.
- shapez and shapez 2 have sold more than 2 million copies combined and both hold "Overwhelmingly Positive" ratings on Steam.
- puzzlez - a shapez game began as DLC for shapez 2 before tobspr Games turned it into a standalone title.
- shapez 2 officially released in April 2026.
Reporting from 4 sources: 4Gamer.net, Denfaminicogamer, Automaton, Game Spark.
tobspr Games announced puzzlez - a shapez game on September 7, a spin-off that turns the studio's factory automation series into a compact puzzle game. The game is planned for PC (Steam) with a 2027 release. It contains more than 75 handcrafted puzzles, from simple introductory lines to multi-layer problems, set in a compact 3D space rather than the sprawling factories of shapez 2. The puzzles draw on shapez 2's automation, including the liquid element used to paint shapes. Solutions are not limited to one path, and the emphasis is on creative line-building over the efficiency the original series pursued. Players can compare their own solutions with other players' approaches. A puzzle editor ships with the same tools used in development, and community-created puzzles can be shared and are scheduled for official distribution. The game began as DLC for shapez 2, according to tobspr Games founder Tobias Springer, before the studio decided a standalone release was the right call.
shapez and shapez 2 have sold more than 2 million copies combined on Steam, where both hold "Overwhelmingly Positive" user ratings. shapez 2 left early access in April 2026. The original shapez already had a comparable add-on, the Puzzle DLC, which puzzlez builds on as an evolution. tobspr Games founder Tobias Springer said the new game was first planned as DLC for shapez 2, but the studio decided it was not fair to require buying the full game to play a standalone puzzle experience, so it pivoted to a separate release and now wants to grow it as an independent series. The announcement came with discounts: 90 percent off shapez and 50 percent off shapez 2. tobspr Games and Doyoyo Games are both credited on the announcement. Reports differ on the release window: one says it is undecided, two list 2027. The puzzles run from simple introductory lines to problems that span multiple assembly layers, and players can compare their own solutions against other players' approaches after finishing a level.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 4 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- 4Gamer.net 「Shapez」のスピンオフパズルゲーム「puzzlez - a shapez game」が発表に。自動化工場のシステムを利用したさまざまなパズルに挑戦
- Denfaminicogamer 「圧倒的に好評」を得た工場自動化ゲーム『Shapez』の新作スピンオフ『puzzlez』発表、2027年に発売予定。コンパクトな3D空間で生産ラインを組み立てるパズルゲーム
- Automaton 大人気ゲーム『shapez』開発元の新作は“工場自動化パズル”、『puzzlez – a shapez game』発表。効率化ではなくヒラメキと工夫が活きるライン構築
- Game Spark 図形生産工場シムがパズルゲームに！『puzzlez - a shapez game』発表。自作パズルの共有機能も搭載