SEOUL – Oct. 16, 2026 – You’ve been invited to the mysterious Hotel Carnivalia, but will you make it out alive? The debut title from Darelark Studio is an online first-person social deduction game, where each guest is given a secret role of predator, prey or disruptor. The demo is now live on Steam and will also participate in the upcoming Steam Next Fest from Monday, Oct. 19 to Monday, Oct. 26.
The game supports 4 to 15 players, with online lobbies now available to play the demo with friends. Hotel Carnivalia is set in a gothic hotel filled with animal guests, each hiding a secret role. Each player is assigned one of 26 roles. Predators hide among the guests to hunt for their next victim. Prey must identify and banish Predators to survive. Disruptors pursue their own objectives, separate from those of the two main factions. What happens at night shapes the next day’s accusations.
At night, players encounter other guests inside hotel rooms, where they can investigate, hide or fight with guns and blades. Prey can fight back with their bare hands or role-specific tools. During the next day cycle, the survivors can compare what they found, using bodies and bloodstains as evidence to expose an attacker. The guest nominated by the majority of players is put on trial and given a chance to defend themselves before the final yes/no vote.
The demo includes a tutorial to acquaint players with the day/night phases and the Shooting Range, while an in-game guide assists with the rules and controls. Voice and text chat are also active now. No bots are required to start a four-player game, but eight players are recommended for the best experience.
Hotel Carnivalia is available to wishlist on Steam now and is set to launch in December 2026. For more information on the upcoming social deduction game or to share feedback on the demo experience, join the official Darelark Studio Discord.
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About Darelark Studio
Darelark Studio is a small game development studio focused on creating games across several genres. The team playtests each project together and works by a simple rule: a game should be fun from the start. Their debut title, Hotel Carnivalia, is an online first-person social deduction game inspired by the team's passion for building games that people can enjoy together.
Media Contact
Zebra Partners on behalf of Darelark Studio