The cult classic vehicular combat franchise is making a comeback, and not everyone got the memo to keep it secret. SteamDB database tracking revealed that a new entry called Carmageddon: Rogue Shift exists and is being developed by Italian studio 34BigThings, best known for the Redout racing series. The leak happened when the game’s Steam page went live with most details blacked out, but the SteamDB application history preserved the original title before it was censored to hide the Carmageddon branding.
How the Leak Unfolded
On November 20, 2025, eagle-eyed gamers noticed something peculiar on Steam. A mysterious game appeared with the title partially obscured as “███████████: Rogue Shift” with most of the description replaced by black bars. The developer clearly intended to build hype through mystery, planning a proper reveal at the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted event scheduled for December 4, 2025.
Unfortunately for the marketing team, SteamDB keeps detailed application history records. When developers change a game’s title or details, SteamDB archives the previous versions. In this case, the database showed the game was originally listed as Carmageddon: Rogue Shift before being renamed to the censored version. The cat escaped the bag before the official announcement could happen.
The Reddit gaming community quickly picked up on the discovery, with the GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit posting about it. While some commenters suggested this might be intentional viral marketing, others pointed out that if it was deliberate, it failed spectacularly since the page sat live for 10 hours before anyone noticed. Gaming insider Wario64 eventually tweeted about it, garnering over 80,000 views and spreading the leak widely across social media.
What We Know About Rogue Shift
Despite the heavy censorship on the Steam page, enough details slipped through to paint an interesting picture. Carmageddon: Rogue Shift is described as a post-apocalyptic combat-racing roguelite, representing a significant departure from traditional Carmageddon gameplay. The roguelite genre typically features procedurally generated content, permanent death mechanics, and meta-progression where players unlock new abilities or content across multiple runs.
The blacked-out description mentions racing during the day when the skyline darkens, and at night when zombie hordes emerge. Players must find their way out or win competitions through a chain of lethal races across dangerous territory leading toward mountains. This suggests a campaign structure with escalating difficulty and possibly branching paths, both hallmarks of roguelite design.
The developers behind this reimagining are 34BigThings, an Italian independent studio founded in 2013. They’re primarily known for the Redout franchise, a futuristic anti-gravity racing series that earned praise for its speed, visual polish, and challenging gameplay. Redout 2 launched in 2022 across multiple platforms. Taking on Carmageddon represents a tonal shift toward grittier, more violent content compared to their previous colorful sci-fi aesthetic.
Carmageddon’s Controversial Legacy
For younger gamers unfamiliar with the franchise, Carmageddon holds a notorious place in gaming history. The original game launched in 1997 from British developer Stainless Games, immediately sparking controversy over its violent content. Players earned points not just for racing, but for running over pedestrians and destroying opponent vehicles in creative ways. Multiple countries banned or censored the game, replacing human pedestrians with zombies, robots, or simply removing them entirely.
Despite the controversy, or perhaps because of it, Carmageddon became a commercial success. It pioneered realistic vehicle physics in an open-world sandbox environment where players could freely explore large maps instead of following strict racing lines. The combination of dark humor, vehicular mayhem, and technical innovation resonated with millions of players worldwide.
Stainless Games followed up with Carmageddon II: Carpocalypse Now in 1998, which many fans consider the series peak. Later entries like Carmageddon TDR 2000 were outsourced to other developers with less success. Stainless regained ownership of the intellectual property in 2011 and crowd-funded Carmageddon: Reincarnation through Kickstarter in 2012, raising over $625,000. That game eventually released in 2015 as Carmageddon: Max Damage after numerous delays and technical issues that disappointed many longtime fans.
Why 34BigThings Makes Sense
Handing Carmageddon to 34BigThings might seem unusual at first glance, but the partnership has logic behind it. The studio has proven expertise in racing mechanics through the Redout series, demonstrating they can handle high-speed vehicular gameplay with tight controls. They’ve also shown technical competency in creating visually impressive games that run smoothly across multiple platforms.
What 34BigThings lacks is experience with combat-focused gameplay and the specific brand of dark humor that defines Carmageddon. The roguelite angle could be their solution, creating a framework that emphasizes replayability and emergent chaos rather than attempting to perfectly recreate the original games’ anarchic sandbox feel. By incorporating procedural generation and run-based structure, they can deliver variety without requiring massive handcrafted open worlds.
The zombie enemies mentioned in the censored description also sidestep the pedestrian controversy that plagued earlier games. Fighting undead hordes is far more socially acceptable than the original game’s gleeful pedestrian carnage, potentially allowing for wider distribution without censorship or bans in various markets.
The PC Gaming Show Reveal
Full details will emerge during the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2025 on December 4 at 12pm PST, 3pm EST, and 8pm GMT. The showcase promises over 30 games including world premieres, new trailers, and behind-the-scenes studio content from publishers like Team 17, Dotemu, Lightbulb Crew, and Playstack.
The event will broadcast across YouTube, Twitch, Steam, X, Bilibili, and other platforms. Carmageddon: Rogue Shift appears positioned as one of the major announcements, likely featuring gameplay footage, release date information, and hopefully clarification on how roguelite mechanics integrate with traditional Carmageddon vehicular combat.
Community Reactions
The leak generated mixed responses across gaming forums and social media. Longtime Carmageddon fans expressed cautious optimism tempered by memories of Reincarnation’s troubled development and disappointing reception. Many pointed out that both Reincarnation and Max Damage felt hollow compared to the classic entries, lacking the depth and polish that made the originals special.
Some players are excited about the roguelite direction, viewing it as a fresh take that could revitalize the franchise rather than attempting another straight remake. Others worry that procedural generation and run-based structure contradicts the exploratory open-world design that defined classic Carmageddon gameplay.
The broader conversation touched on the recent resurgence of classic racing franchises. Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown launched in 2024 despite technical problems, Screamer received updates showcasing modern visuals, and developers seem increasingly willing to revive dormant racing properties. Whether Carmageddon: Rogue Shift can successfully modernize the franchise or becomes another disappointing comeback attempt remains to be seen.
What Happens Next
For now, the Steam page remains live in its censored state, accessible to anyone curious enough to search for it. The page currently shows only the teaser trailer and minimal information, with most details blacked out pending the December 4 official reveal. No release date, pricing, or platform information beyond PC has been confirmed yet.
Given 34BigThings’ track record with multiplatform releases, console versions are likely but unannounced. The studio brought Redout 2 to PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch alongside PC, suggesting they have the technical capability and publishing relationships to support wide distribution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Carmageddon: Rogue Shift?
Carmageddon: Rogue Shift is an upcoming post-apocalyptic combat-racing roguelite developed by 34BigThings. The game combines vehicular combat with roguelite mechanics featuring procedural content and run-based gameplay.
Who is developing the new Carmageddon game?
Italian studio 34BigThings is developing Carmageddon: Rogue Shift. They are best known for creating the Redout anti-gravity racing franchise. This marks their first project working with the Carmageddon intellectual property.
When will Carmageddon: Rogue Shift be officially announced?
The full reveal is scheduled for December 4, 2025, during the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted event at 12pm PST, 3pm EST, and 8pm GMT. The showcase will stream across YouTube, Twitch, Steam, and other platforms.
How was Carmageddon: Rogue Shift leaked?
SteamDB database tracking revealed the game’s original title before developers censored it on the Steam store page. The application history showed it was initially listed as Carmageddon: Rogue Shift before being changed to a blacked-out version to maintain mystery.
Is this connected to the original Carmageddon developers?
No, the original Carmageddon was created by British studio Stainless Games. They also developed the recent Carmageddon: Reincarnation and Max Damage. Rogue Shift is being developed by a completely different studio, 34BigThings from Italy.
What platforms will Carmageddon: Rogue Shift release on?
Only PC through Steam has been confirmed so far. However, 34BigThings previously released Redout 2 on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, suggesting console versions are likely but unannounced pending the official reveal.
What are roguelite mechanics?
Roguelite games feature procedurally generated content, permanent death where you restart runs from the beginning, and meta-progression where you unlock new abilities or content that persists across multiple attempts. This creates high replayability through randomized elements.
Conclusion
The accidental leak of Carmageddon: Rogue Shift proves once again that keeping secrets in the modern gaming industry is nearly impossible. While the marketing team surely wanted to control the reveal narrative during the PC Gaming Show, the SteamDB slip-up generated organic buzz and conversation across gaming communities. Whether this roguelite reimagining can satisfy longtime fans hungry for a proper Carmageddon sequel while attracting new players unfamiliar with the franchise’s notorious history will depend on the execution. December 4 can’t come fast enough for fans eager to see actual gameplay and learn whether 34BigThings has what it takes to resurrect this controversial classic.