Order of the Sinking Star is out on PC via Steam, PS5, and Nintendo Switch 2. It holds Metascores of 83 to 85 across the three platforms and a 97 percent positive Steam review rating, and first-week Steam sales ran 45 percent above The Witness.
Order of the Sinking Star moved through a full marketing cycle to launch, and the release picture is now consistent across the coverage. Arc Games and Thekla ran a Steam Next Fest demo in June with about 110 puzzles, expanded it past 100 puzzles with the Bard and Druid added, then extended it to June 27 after it ranked among the top demos. Thekla set an October 8 release in August for PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch 2, and PS5, and PLAYISM took the Japanese console versions for release within 2026.
The game launched on Steam on October 9 at 3,400 yen including tax, with Japanese PS5 and Switch 2 versions from PLAYISM planned within 2026 and Japanese display and subtitles supported. It carries more than 1,000 handcrafted puzzles across four worlds, each with its own mechanics, characters, and story, and worlds merge through a Gold Room as the story progresses. Jonathan Blow directed the project, developed over about 10 years since The Witness and first shown as a prototype at Reboot Develop 2017.
The reception is settled and narrowly positive. Metascores are 83 from 17 PC reviews, 84 from 7 PS5 reviews, and 85 from 11 Switch 2 reviews, and Steam user reviews stood above 470 at 97 percent positive. The criticism lands on the dialogue and the absent hint system rather than the puzzles. Blow reported first-week Steam sales 45 percent above The Witness, at a 29.99 dollar price 25 percent below the earlier game's 39.99 dollars, and said he expects revenue to approach or eventually surpass it.
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Order of the Sinking Star, a puzzle adventure from Jonathan Blow's Thekla released October 8, 2026 on PC, PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2, carries Metascores of 83 from 17 PC reviews, 84 from 7 PS5 reviews and 85 from 11 Switch 2 reviews. Shacknews, Noisy Pixel and MonsterVine scored it 100. Metro GameCentral praised the puzzle count and design while calling the absent hint system and dialogue drawbacks.
Publisher Arc Games released Thekla's Order of the Sinking Star on PC via Steam on October 9. Jonathan Blow reported on October 16 that first-week Steam sales were 45 percent higher than The Witness's. The game costs 29.99 dollars, 25 percent below The Witness's 39.99 dollar list price. Blow spent about 10 years on the project and expects revenue to approach or eventually surpass The Witness.
Arc Games released Thekla's Order of the Sinking Star on PC via Steam on October 9, 2026, priced at 3,400 yen including tax. The game is directed by Jonathan Blow, known for Braid and The Witness, and was developed over about 10 years since The Witness. Steam user reviews exceeded 470 as of the time of writing, with 97 percent positive and a Very Positive rating. The game features more than 1,000 handcrafted puzzles across four worlds, each with its own mechanics, characters, and story. Players control characters on grid-divided stages, solving puzzles by moving objects and using abilities such as pushing, pulling, and teleporting. As the story progresses, worlds merge through a special area called the Gold Room, unlocking combined areas. The demo topped player numbers for single-player demos at Steam Next Fest in June. Japanese PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 versions are scheduled for release by PLAYISM within 2026, with Japanese display and subtitles supported.
At ChinaJoy 2026, Jonathan Blow discussed his approach to game development and why he does not build sequels. His next game, Order of the Sinking Star, was announced at The Game Awards on December 11, 2025 and is due October 8, 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and Nintendo Switch. He also said its story is larger than those of Braid and The Witness.
PLAYISM will publish the Japanese console version of Order of the Sinking Star, the puzzle adventure from Thekla, Inc., the studio of Jonathan Blow. The game is scheduled for release within 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5. The project has been in the works for roughly a decade, first shown as a prototype at the Reboot Develop 2017 developer event, and now carries more than 1,000 puzzles. Players explore four worlds, each with its own mechanics, characters, and story, in any order they choose, and can resume each puzzle stage from where they stopped. The playable cast includes a queen, a thief, a warrior, a sorcerer, and a talking ship, with abilities that differ by character. A playable demo is set for the PLAYISM booth at Tokyo Game Show 2026, which runs September 17 to 21 at Makuhari Messe. The PC version arrives October 9 through an overseas publisher.
Thekla announced on August 18, 2026, that Order of the Sinking Star, the new puzzle adventure by Jonathan Blow, will launch on October 8. The game, which has been in development for about ten years, will be available on PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch 2, and PS5. It features over 1,000 puzzles spread across four vast worlds, each with its own mechanics, characters, and story. Players control a queen exploring these worlds, while puzzle stages involve characters such as thieves, warriors, and mages, each with unique abilities. The thief can pull blocks or characters, the warrior can push them, and the mage can swap positions with a block or character. Puzzles incorporate dozens of mechanics that deepen as the game progresses, and some stages require all characters to stand on goal squares. As worlds intersect and characters meet, a mysterious story unfolds. A demo is currently available on Steam, and save data can carry over to the full version. The Steam version supports Japanese interface and subtitles. The game was first revealed as a prototype at Reboot Develop 2017.
Arc Games and Thekla extended the demo for Order of the Sinking Star until June 27 after it became one of the top demos at Steam Next Fest. The demo offers over 100 handcrafted puzzles and 110 levels across three worlds, with save transfer to the full version. The game launches on PC in 2026.
Arc Games and Thekla, Inc. released an update for the Order of the Sinking Star demo on June 20, expanding the puzzle count to over 100 and adding two new heroes: the Bard and the Druid. The demo is available on Steam until June 23. The full game is scheduled for a 2026 release on PC and Nintendo Switch 2.
Arc Games announced a limited-time demo for Jonathan Blow's new puzzle adventure Order of the Sinking Star, available during Steam Next Fest from June 16 to June 23. The demo includes about 110 puzzles across four worlds, with progress carrying over to the full game, which promises over 1,000 puzzles and a 2026 release on PC and Nintendo Switch 2.