ENTER THE TWISTED WORLD OF BLIGHTED, A NEW METROIDVANIA ACTION-RPG FROM DRINKBOX STUDIOS

TORONTO, JUNE 6, 2025 - Drinkbox Studios, the acclaimed indie developer behind the iconic Guacamelee! series, Severed and Nobody Saves the World, have announced their new game, Blighted, as part of Summer Game Fest 2025. Lead Designer Ian Campbell and Art Director Augusto 'Cuxo' Quijano were also invited to go in-depth on the game’s unique world and mechanics as part of the Day of the Devs 2025: Summer Game Fest Edition.


Blighted is a brand new Metroidvania Action-RPG where players, alone or in co-op, battle their way through a psychedelic western nightmare to reclaim the memories of their people. Harnessing “Blight” by defeating enemies will change the world around you, modifying combat encounters, unlocking hidden paths, and more. Award-winning composer Jim Guthrie (Sword & Sworcery, BELOW, Nobody Saves the World) is also back as composer on the game, lending his skills to create an eerie feel to this devastated world.


"Blighted is our largest and most ambitious game to date. We've been building on the experience from creating our past games, while also experimenting with many new ideas," said Graham Smith, producer and co-founder at Drinkbox Studios. "We’re working hard towards finishing development of Blighted, and we're excited to finally reveal it to the world!"

Drinkbox Studios is targeting a 2026 release for Blighted on PC and consoles. 


About Blighted


Battle your way through a psychedelic western nightmare to reclaim the memories of your people in Blighted, a Metroidvania Action-RPG from the creators of Guacamelee!. Harness the power of the deadly, reality-altering Blight and unravel the world’s mysteries.

In the past, the dead were buried with seeds planted in their brains. These seeds would grow into trees, surrounding the player’s village. The fruit from these trees was special, it contained the memories of the dead. Knowledge and traditions were passed along through this fruit for generations. 

This continued until the one called Sorcisto defiled the ritual. By eating brains raw, he gained vast power and knowledge. He consumed the player’s entire village, destroyed its memory forest, and infected the world with a deadly Blight.

You take on the role of the lone survivor of Sorcisto’s rampage, fighting to reclaim the memories of your people, before your own Blight overtakes you.

Explore a world full of mystery in this psychedelic western nightmare. Learn to harness your Blight, which serves as both a source of power and added difficulty, challenging players of all skill levels and gating some of the world’s deepest secrets. Play through the entire campaign alone or with a friend in co-op. 

Features: 
- Intense combat: Combat in Blighted is nuanced and deadly. Carefully time your attacks to weave through enemies, chain together combos, and perform powerful finishers
- Harness your Blight: The player’s own Blight serves as a dynamic difficulty system that constantly changes the enemies, the player, and the world around them as they play
- Consume memories: Devour the brains of defeated bosses to gain their memories and become more powerful (and more Blighted), widening your skillset and opening up new paths in the world
- Unlock mysteries: Pay careful attention while exploring to unlock the many deep secrets of Blighted’s world
- Co-op multiplayer: Play through the adventure with a friend via drop-in / drop-out co-op multiplayer
- Haunting original score: Blighted features new music by Jim Guthrie, acclaimed composer of Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, Below, and Nobody Saves the World

For more information on Blighted, visit blightedgame.com. 

Find the game on Steam here.


Acknowledgement
The development of Blighted has been made possible with the generous support of Ontario Creates.


About Drinkbox Studios
Drinkbox Studios is an independent Toronto-based video game developer. Founded in 2008, Drinkbox is best known for the award winning Guacamelee! series, and the Action-RPG Nobody Saves the World. The team is currently hard at work on their latest game, Blighted, slated for 2026. Drinkbox Studios enjoys long walks on the beach, candlelit dinners, and cuddling in front of a warm fire.


About Ontario Creates
Ontario Creates is a provincial agency that facilitates economic development, investment and collaboration in Ontario’s creative industries including the music, book, magazine, film, television and interactive digital media sectors. www.ontariocreates.ca