Toronto, Canada - September 17, 2026 - Lofty Sky Games announced today that Hope In The City will release on November 10th, 2026 launching day one on XBOX. The news was revealed by XBOX as part of its Tokyo Game Show 2026 lineup, running September 17–21, alongside 17 other titles.
Hope in the City, has already been featured in major events like Future Games Show Live, Women-Led Games, Game Devs of Color, The Indie Premiere, and nominated at BIC Festival and gamescom dev for awards including Excellence in Narrative, Most Innovative Game, Best Sound Design, Excellence in Social Impact, and Most Promising Game.
It was part of the 18 games featured in the XBOX Direct at Tokyo Game Show, officially announcing:
- Release date: Hope In The City launches on November 10th, 2026.
- XBOX day one: Hope In The City will be available at launch on XBOX, alongside its release on Steam.
- New trailer: A trailer premiered alongside the announcement, giving more information on the game's content and mystery.
- Age Rating: ERSB: TEEN | PEGI: 12
Players wishing to check out the demo in person in Tokyo this week can find it at the Ukiyo Game Bar & Cafe, a short walk from Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace. It's also available now on Steam.
“Hope in the City has been such a special project for our team, and we’re incredibly excited to finally bring Hope’s story to players on XBOX and PC”
said Judith Cheung, Creative Director at Lofty Sky Games.
“We set out to create a different kind of mystery, where observation, curiosity and creativity are your greatest tools, set against a part of Northeast China rarely explored in games. We can’t wait for players to step into Hope’s shoes and uncover the truth for themselves.”
HOPE IN THE CITY — XBOX REVEAL TRAILER: https://youtu.be/aeSj0-tQqxY
Any press, streamers or other content creators interested in covering Hope in the City can request a review code here: Form.
Store Link: HITC Steam Page
Press contact: Thomas Vermeil - pr@naga-games.agency
About the game
Hope in the City is an impactful narrative mystery game made by the team behind the 2026 GDC Best in Play Winner Sky of Tides and the Annie Award-nominated Eternal Spring. When 17-year-old Hope Song comes home to find her parents gone, she refuses to wait for answers; she becomes the investigator herself.
Sketching clues into her notebook and connecting them into breakthroughs, Hope uncovers the dark secrets hiding just beneath her city's calm, familiar surface. Set in the city of Shenyang China, players explore its beautiful streets in a bold, colorful and stylized visual identity with an edge.
Dive into a deep narrative mystery where every sketch reveals a little more of the truth.
Key features
- Sketchbook-Based Investigation: Gather clues, record observations, and piece them together through sketches in Hope's notebook.
- Thought-Building Mechanic: Turn scattered observations into insights, then chain them into breakthroughs to advance the case.
- Complex Case Structure: Pursue leads in the order you choose as you dig into your parents' disappearance.
- Exploration-Driven Discovery: Explore a seemingly calm and beautiful city with a unique design to uncover the clues and secrets hidden beneath its surface.
- Story-Driven Progression: Custom cutscenes trigger as you solve the mystery, tying investigation progress directly to narrative reveals.
Wishlist Hope in the City on Steam, follow Lofty Sky on X or join their Discord for more information and exciting cryptics to win keys or secret teasers.
About the Studio
Lofty Sky Games is a Toronto-based award-winning studio producing games, animation, VR, and documentary content. Our work has represented Canada at the Academy Awards®, won GDC Pitch and GDC Best in Play, and earned nominations from the Canadian Screen and Canadian Game Awards.
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