Utrecht, the Netherlands, Friday February 13th - Skunx Games, founded by Winston van Graafeiland, creator of the Horror Skunx YouTube channel with over 8.5 million subscribers, has officially announced its debut video game, Dark Pals: The 1st Floor, a first-person, mascot horror puzzle adventure coming to Steam in 2026.
Set inside an abandoned children’s mental health asylum left to rot since the 1980s, Dark Pals: The 1st Floor tasks players with exploring its eerie halls, solving environmental puzzles, and uncovering what truly happened within its walls. The facility is now home to disturbing mascot-like creatures that lurk just out of sight.
Watch the trailer here:
https://youtu.be/PpIRQ3F35yU?si=uF_kUkLoRPVCtqUh
Wishlist the game on Steam!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/4157130/Dark_Pals_The_1st_Floor/
Founder Winston van Graafeiland speaks about the inspirations behind making a video game: “We’ve been itching for five years to make something that is truly our own. A project conceived and created entirely by us. Horror Skunx viewers have been asking for this for years, and we’ve finally managed to assemble a team of talented people to make this dream a reality!”
In Dark Pals: The 1st Floor, players explore the asylum alongside Inky the Ink Blaster, a mysterious companion manifested through an ink-shooting toy gun. By solving puzzles and unlocking new areas, players slowly piece together the asylum’s past and the origins of the creatures that inhabit it.
Dark Pals: The 1st Floor is designed as a transmedia horror experience. Additional story elements and hidden lore will be revealed through a dedicated series of videos starring Winston uploaded to the Horror Skunx YouTube channel. YouTuber Chazington appears in-game through video projections scattered throughout the asylum, guiding players along their journey.
Dark Pals: The 1st Floor features:
- Creepy Mascots: Beware of creepy cartoonish creatures lurking around.
- Abandoned Child Mental Health Asylum: Unravel the mysteries this dark place holds and uncover why it was abandoned in the late 80’s.
- Clever Environmental Puzzles: Unlock new rooms within the facility by solving puzzles.
- Ink Shooting Toy: Together with your companion Inky, the Ink Blaster, you will be looking for answers…
- Transmedia Mystery: A narrative told through transmedial storytelling and eerie music, with Youtube videos that provide additional lore to the game.
Important links:
Official website: https://www.darkpals.com/
Steam store page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4157130/Dark_Pals_The_1st_Floor/
Press kit: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ame54clk0j8xx50f9xgls/ALxd9_npaWQI5vsCwlG0hgw?rlkey=ez70hds4zj49wrk0y7yf2t94i&st=tw8n4958&dl=0
Discord channel: https://discord.gg/U65RARf6Wn
X: https://x.com/skunxgames
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skunxgames
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SkunxGames
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About Skunx Games
Youtube channel Horror Skunx was founded in 2020 by professional visual artist Winston van Graafeiland. He gathered millions of subscribers worldwide by posting short films and music videos featuring viral 3D animated characters. Winston expanded his brand outside of his channel, and founded Skunx Escape Rooms and Skunx Games. His game studio’s first project is the indie game Dark Pals: The 1st Floor which will release on Steam in 2026.
Press contact
Bram van Lith
Public Relations - Dark Pals: The 1st Floor
E-mail: bram@game-drive.nl