Cozy Above. Dangerous Below. Get Ready to Dive into NAUTUS in Steam Early Access Next Year!Â
LOS GATOS, Calif. – Aug. 14, 2026 – Arc Games, a leading publisher of AA and indie titles for PC and consoles, and Magic Design Studios, the indie developer behind acclaimed titles Have a Nice Death and Unruly Heroes, are excited to announce NAUTUS, a charmingly quirky island adventure where the surface is your cozy sanctuary, but the ocean floor is a whole different beast. This new, dual-layered, offbeat adventure is set to launch in Steam Early Access in 2027 — with the release timing for the game to be revealed at a later date.
Excited to jump into this charmingly quirky adventure? Wishlist the game today on Steam!
In NAUTUS, players arrive at the remote N.A.U.T.U.S. research station following an unsettling radio message from their uncle, Bernard Torpedo. Upon arrival, they discover the resident scientists have lost their memories and developed a paralyzing fear of the ocean. As the only one willing to brave the depths, players must pilot an upgradable submarine, encounter mutant marine life, and recover mysterious artifact stones to restore the locals’ memories and uncover the truth behind their uncle’s sudden disappearance.
The game features a distinct dual-layered gameplay loop:
- Dangerous Below: Take the helm of your submarine and plunge into the ocean abyss. Navigate uncharted trenches, vibrant coral reefs, and sunken pirate shipwrecks as you battle and capture bizarre mutant creatures. Uncover hidden artifact stones and haul back rare materials to craft specialized sub upgrades, gear, and advanced machinery.
- Cozy Above: Return to the surface to catch your breath, build, and unwind. Befriend eccentric island locals and take on quests to help restore their true selves, strategically manage your resources, and expand your tropical outpost into a thriving hub designed to power your next dive deep into the unknown.Â
Get ready to dive into and explore NAUTUS when it launches in Steam Early Access next year!
ABOUT NAUTUS
From the indie studio behind Have a Nice Death and Unruly Heroes comes NAUTUS, a charmingly quirky island adventure where the surface is your cozy sanctuary, but the ocean floor is a whole different beast. After getting an unsettling radio message from your uncle, you’ll go out on an adventure where you arrive at the remote N.A.U.T.U.S. research station only to find the local scientists have lost their memories and developed a paralyzing phobia of the ocean. As the only one brave enough to face the deep, you must take the helm of an upgradable submarine, encounter and, at times, fight off mutant creatures and recover hidden, mysterious artifact stones to restore the inhabitants’ memories and uncover the truth.
Between riveting yet fascinating expeditions into the underwater abyss below, you’ll return to the vibrant surface to catch your breath, befriend quirky scientists, and manage your resources. Blending exploration, action, and deep crafting, you’ll gather materials to upgrade your submarine and gear so you can plunge even deeper into the unknown—with the option to develop on the island to customize your home base over time. Take on this charmingly quirky journey solo, or team up with up to three friends in online co-op. Prepare to enter a dual-layered world that is full of adventure, mystery and wonder!
Game Features
- Explore the Deep Unknown: Navigate breathtaking coral reefs, sunken pirate shipwrecks, and uncharted underwater anomalies that even the local N.A.U.T.U.S. scientists refuse to approach. Make sure to be ready to fight and capture strange creatures that should never have existed!
- Pilot Your Own Upgradable Submarine: Craft specialized modules, protective equipment, and vital weaponry as you take control and update your own submarine. Advance your tech to dive deeper into hostile trenches and defend against aggressive, mutant marine life.
- Adventure Solo or Dive into Online Co-Op Multiplayer: Uncover the mystery of NAUTUS and brave the ocean depths entirely on your own, or team up with up to three players in four-player online co-op and dive into this offbeat adventure together.
- Meet, Befriend and Uncover the Mysteries of a Quirky Cast of Inhabitants: Meet eccentric, amnesiac locals like a tanning-obsessed diver and a quirky expedition chief. Collaborate with them on unique and useful projects and recover lost artifact stones to cure their bizarre phobia of the ocean and restore them to their true selves.
- Solve a Sunken Mystery: Investigate the sudden disappearance of your uncle, Bernard Torpedo, by hunting for ancient relics, hidden clues, and secrets buried in the abyss. Will you uncover the mysteries of your uncle and this mysterious island?
- Develop and Customize a Unique Outpost: Transform a secluded tropical outpost into a thriving home base of your own. Set up vital crafting machinery to refine rare materials gathered from the deep, manage your resources strategically, and build the essential infrastructure needed to fuel your next sub-aquatic expedition.
NAUTUS is available to wishlist now on Steam. For more information, please visit playnautus.com, and follow NAUTUS on Discord, YouTube, X/Twitter, Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok.
ABOUT ARC GAMES
Arc Games is a leading independent publisher of AA and indie video games — including premium and live-service titles — across North America, Europe, and Asia. Originally founded in 2008 as Perfect World Entertainment, the company later rebranded as Arc Games and continues to expand its presence as a global publisher. Known for bringing beloved titles such as Neverwinter and Star Trek Online to players around the world, Arc Games has also delivered a strong portfolio of original releases, including REMNANT II, Remnant: From the Ashes, the Torchlight series, and Fellowship, as well as distinctive indie experiences like Frosthaven and Have a Nice Death.
Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with offices in Amsterdam and Shanghai, Arc Games is dedicated to supporting talented game creators and delivering high-quality, memorable gaming experiences. For more information, please visit www.arcgames.com.
ABOUT MAGIC DESIGN STUDIOS
Magic Design Studios is an indie game studio located in Montpellier, France — a mecca for video game developers in France. Originally established in 2015, the studio’s mission is to build exciting worlds and offer unforgettable experiences for players. The core development team has decades of experience in the video game industry, after working on titles like Assassin’s Creed, Ghost Recon, Raving Rabbids, Rayman, and Splinter Cell with Ubisoft. Magic Design Studios launched its flagship game, Unruly Heroes, in 2019. This award-winning platformer was inspired by the Chinese novel Journey to the West. The studio then launched the critically acclaimed and award-winning darkly charming roguelike Have a Nice Death in Steam Early Access in March 2022, then officially launching it in 1.0 in 2023.
