Mystery Game Dark Auction Gets a Demo and January 29 Launch

Good Smile Company and IzanagiGames released a free demo on Steam this week for Dark Auction, a new mystery adventure game from Gangsta. creator Kohske and veteran writer Rika Suzuki, known for Trace Memory and Hotel Dusk: Room 215. The full game is now set to launch on January 29, 2026.

The project has had a long road to release. It was first announced under a different title and planned for 2024 on Switch and Steam, before a series of delays pushed it back, with a PlayStation 5 version also in the works.

It owes its existence in part to fans. The game was funded through a Japanese crowdfunding campaign that raised around 9.3 million yen, far surpassing its original goal.

The story follows Noah, who lives with his eccentric, artifact hunting father. When he attends a strange auction held in an ancient castle, he has to unravel the secrets hidden in the items on offer, and ultimately uncover the truth about his father.

Yuko Komiyama, known for her work on the Monster Hunter series, is composing the soundtrack. Notably, Kohske has been working on a flexible schedule in recent years while managing serious health conditions.

My take: A proper mystery adventure penned by the writer behind Hotel Dusk instantly has my attention, since that game is a quiet classic. The eerie castle auction premise sounds like a perfect fit for the genre.