Cairn: Mathair’s Curse Launches Today on Steam

Dundee, Scotland – 9 October 2025 – After five years of solo development, Cairn: Mathair’s Curse, a story-driven Scottish JRPG by developer Ross McRitchie, has released on PC via Steam on 9 October 2025.

Cairn: Mathair’s Curse is a Scottish turn-based story driven JRPG about a boy and his mother, in an adventure that explores loss and family. When a mysterious cult unleashes an ancient curse on their home, Alex and his friends must embark on an adventure, defeating wacky enemies, solving puzzles and meeting new friends along the way!

Set in a world inspired by growing up in the Scottish Highlands, it weaves together humour, culture, and personal storytelling. The fictional land of Albaness draws heavily on Scottish culture, landscapes, and dialects. From snowy forests and ruined castles to quaint villages, the game reflects a world that is both fantastical and rooted in Scotland, in a story that blends Celtic mythology with a personal story about grief and family.

The soundtrack of Cairn: Mathair’s Curse draws on both traditional Scottish music and classic SNES-era JRPGs. Across more than 100 tracks, players encounter bagpipe-rock battle themes, melodic motifs for each main character, and sweeping emotional pieces that underscore the story’s moving moments.

Features

30 hour single player JRPG
Story rich narrative steeped in Celtic mythology and Scottish culture
Turn-based combat with funky enemies like Haggis and stop signs
Hand-crafted pixel art exploring the world of Albaness

About
Cairn: Mathair’s Curse is developed by solo developer Ross McRitchie, based in Dundee, Scotland. Over the past five years, Ross has designed the world, developed the art, written the story, and programmed the game. The Celtic soundtrack is produced by his partner, Christine. Ross and Christine are based in Dundee, Scotland.