The Game Bakers, the French indie studio behind stylish action game Furi and sci-fi romance Haven, spent five years building something completely different. Cairn isn’t about swordplay or love stories but the brutal reality of solo mountaineering. You play as Aava, a professional alpinist attempting to summit Mount Kami, a sacred peak that has defeated every climber who dared attempt it. With 700,000 wishlists on Steam, a demo boasting a 99% positive rating after 600,000 downloads, and critical praise calling it the Dark Souls of climbing games, Cairn launches January 29, 2026 on PS5 and Steam for $29.99.
This isn’t just a climbing simulator but a 15-hour survival adventure with nearly an hour of cinematic cutscenes exploring why people push themselves beyond human limits. Creative Director Emeric Thoa describes being fascinated by the obsessive determination in mountaineering stories like manga The Summit of the Gods, which asks what you’d be willing to give everything for. The Game Bakers’ signature attention to animation, tactile mechanics, and emotional storytelling promises their most grounded project yet, completing their self-described trilogy on freedom after Furi and Haven.
- Ultra-Realistic Climbing Simulation
- Mount Kami: The Unconquered Peak
- Survival Beyond Climbing
- Aava’s Personal Story
- Nearly an Hour of Cinematics
- The Summit of the Gods Inspiration
- Deluxe Edition With Travel Guide
- Demo Available Now
- Delayed From November 2025
- Five Years in Development
- Completing the Freedom Trilogy
- Dark Souls of Climbing Games
- FAQs
- The Summit Awaits
Ultra-Realistic Climbing Simulation
The Game Bakers developed a completely new climbing system designed to be easy to pick up while creating surprising tension on Kami’s sheer walls. This isn’t simplified arcade climbing where you press buttons to automatically ascend but a simulation requiring route planning, stamina management, and understanding how your body moves across rock faces. You’ll grip handholds, find footholds, shift weight distribution, place protection gear, and manage exhaustion as muscles fatigue from sustained exertion.
The system captures what makes real climbing both meditative and terrifying. When you’re clinging to a cliff hundreds of feet above ground with limited strength reserves, every movement becomes calculated risk assessment. Do you reach for that distant handhold hoping your grip holds? Conserve energy by finding easier routes that take longer? Push through exhaustion gambling you’ll reach the next rest point before your arms give out? The climbing mechanics transform what could be simple traversal into constant tactical decisions where failure means falling.
Mount Kami: The Unconquered Peak
Mount Kami isn’t just another mountain but a sacred peak with spiritual significance and a deadly reputation. No climber has ever reached its summit and returned to tell the story. The mountain’s combination of extreme altitude, technical difficulty, unpredictable weather, and psychological pressure has defeated everyone who attempted the ascent. Aava knows this history intimately yet dedicates her life to preparing for what might be an impossible climb.
The mountain itself becomes a character through environmental storytelling. You’ll discover remnants of previous expeditions, traces of climbers who never made it down, and evidence of an ancient troglodyte civilization that once thrived in Kami’s hostile environment. These incredible rock carvers lived in seclusion high in the mountains, leaving behind structures and artifacts that reveal what drove them to such extreme heights. The discoveries add narrative depth transforming the climb from pure physical challenge into archaeological mystery.
Survival Beyond Climbing
Cairn combines climbing simulation with survival mechanics requiring you to find food, water, and safe places to rest throughout the ascent. You can’t simply climb non-stop but must manage biological needs while battling altitude sickness, exposure, and exhaustion. Route planning involves identifying rest points where you can recover strength, locations offering water sources, and opportunities to find or cache supplies for the final push toward the summit.
These survival elements ground the experience in mountaineering reality where logistics determine success as much as technical skill. Experienced alpinists spend months planning supply caches, acclimatization schedules, and contingency plans before attempting major peaks. Cairn respects that preparation and adaptation separate successful summits from tragedies. The survival mechanics prevent the climb from becoming pure skill execution, forcing strategic thinking about resource management across the entire 15-hour expedition.
Aava’s Personal Story
The narrative explores Aava’s obsession with conquering Kami and what drives someone to sacrifice everything for a mountain. Art Director and Writer Mathieu Bablet describes this relentless determination as the emotional core, a feeling players should experience alongside consequences of such absolute quests. The story unfolds through encounters with other climbers, exchanges with people Aava left behind, and her own reflections on why this summit matters more than anything else in her life.
You’ll meet Marco, a younger climber representing who Aava was before mountaineering consumed her completely. He climbs for joy rather than pride, helping Aava rediscover the simple pleasure she lost chasing accomplishment. Regular check-ins come from Naomi, who stayed behind worrying, and agent Chris, constantly pursuing Aava with business concerns. These relationships reveal the personal costs of Aava’s singular focus, showing what she gave up and who she left behind in pursuit of this one perfect ascent.
Nearly an Hour of Cinematics
Cairn features nearly one hour of cinematic cutscenes performed by a cast of ten actors, delivering narrative depth unusual for climbing simulators. The Game Bakers could have made pure simulation focused exclusively on mechanics, but for the entire team it was important to tell a story that moves players emotionally. The cinematics explore Aava’s motivations, her relationships, and the sacrifices that led to this moment, providing context that elevates mechanical challenges into meaningful personal journey.
The investment in performance and storytelling reflects The Game Bakers’ signature approach across Furi and Haven. Their games consistently pair tight mechanical design with strong emotional narratives and distinctive artistic visions. Cairn continues that tradition by asking not just can you climb this mountain but why would you, what would it cost, and what does pursuing impossible goals reveal about human nature. The cinematics ensure the 15-hour experience maintains emotional investment beyond pure gameplay satisfaction.
The Summit of the Gods Inspiration
Creative Director Emeric Thoa explicitly cites Jiro Taniguchi’s manga The Summit of the Gods as inspiration for Cairn. That acclaimed work explores mountaineering’s psychological dimensions through a photographer’s search for a legendary climber who may have reached Everest’s summit before Edmund Hillary. The manga captures obsessive determination and the question of what drives people to risk everything for achievements that exist purely for personal satisfaction without practical benefit.
This thematic connection positions Cairn within broader mountaineering literature examining why humans willingly suffer for summits. From Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air to Reinhold Messner’s philosophical writings on alpinism, the genre consistently explores tension between achievement and cost, ambition and destruction, life and death. Cairn engages these questions interactively, letting players experience that determination firsthand while confronting consequences through Aava’s journey and the fate of those who climbed Kami before her.
Deluxe Edition With Travel Guide
The Deluxe Edition priced at $36.99 includes a Kami travel guide created by acclaimed comic artist Mathieu Bablet, who also serves as Art Director and Writer on Cairn. This physical-style digital guide presumably provides backstory, maps, character profiles, and artwork expanding the game’s world beyond what the climbing simulation reveals. Three in-game keepsakes are also included, though specific details about these items haven’t been announced.
The Deluxe Edition offers 10% launch discount reducing the price to $34.20 temporarily. The standard edition launches at $29.99 with identical launch discount. These pricing tiers accommodate both players wanting pure gameplay experience and fans who appreciate expanded lore materials and collectible bonuses. The Mathieu Bablet-created guide particularly appeals to comic and graphic novel enthusiasts familiar with his distinctive artistic style.
Demo Available Now
A free demo is currently available on both Steam and PlayStation 5, letting players experience Cairn’s climbing mechanics and atmospheric storytelling before launch. The demo’s 99% positive rating after 600,000 downloads represents exceptional reception rare for game demos. Most demos receive mixed feedback as players identify issues and criticisms, but Cairn’s near-universal praise suggests The Game Bakers nailed the core experience.
The demo availability removes all barriers to trying Cairn and forming educated purchasing decisions. Too many games launch without demos, forcing players to rely on marketing materials and reviews rather than firsthand experience. The Game Bakers’ confidence releasing a demo months before launch demonstrates their belief in the climbing mechanics and narrative hooks. The overwhelmingly positive reception validates that confidence while building anticipation for the complete 15-hour experience.
Delayed From November 2025
Cairn was originally scheduled for November 5, 2025 but The Game Bakers delayed launch to January 29, 2026 for additional polish. The three-month delay demonstrates commitment to quality over arbitrary deadlines, particularly important given the 700,000 wishlists representing substantial audience expectations. Launching prematurely with technical issues or incomplete content would damage reputation more than brief delays.
The delay positions Cairn outside the crowded holiday release window when major AAA titles dominate attention and marketing budgets. January launches face less competition, potentially improving visibility and word-of-mouth momentum. The timing also follows holiday gift card redemptions, capturing audiences with fresh Steam wallets seeking interesting experiences to kick off 2026. Strategic launch timing matters enormously for indie games competing against unlimited entertainment options.
Five Years in Development
Development started in 2020 with a team of 25 people working over five years to complete Cairn. This substantial timeline for an indie studio reflects the technical challenges of building believable climbing simulation and the narrative ambitions of telling meaningful story across 15 hours. The Game Bakers’ previous titles Furi and Haven took similar development timeframes, suggesting the studio prioritizes thorough execution over rapid releases.
The five-year commitment represents significant financial and creative risk for an independent studio. Most indie developers can’t sustain multi-year development without publisher funding or successful previous releases generating ongoing revenue. The Game Bakers’ track record with Furi and Haven presumably provided financial stability enabling patient development of Cairn without compromising vision due to budget pressures. This approach benefits players through more polished final products even if it means longer waits between releases.
Completing the Freedom Trilogy
The Game Bakers describes Cairn as completing their trilogy on freedom following Furi and Haven. Furi explored freedom through stylized boss battles where a prisoner fights to escape. Haven examined freedom through romantic relationship where two lovers flee oppressive societies to build life together. Cairn investigates freedom through mountaineering’s ultimate expression of personal choice: risking everything for achievement with no practical purpose beyond proving you can.
This thematic progression demonstrates artistic maturity where each game explores similar ideas through completely different mechanical and narrative frameworks. The trilogy approach provides creative structure guiding design decisions while allowing radical experimentation with genre and style. Cairn’s realistic climbing simulation shares almost no mechanical DNA with Furi’s combat or Haven’s relationship management, yet all three examine what freedom means and what people sacrifice pursuing it.
Dark Souls of Climbing Games
Multiple outlets describe Cairn as the Dark Souls of climbing games, referencing challenging difficulty and punishing consequences for mistakes. The comparison captures how Cairn prioritizes realistic consequences over player comfort. Poor planning leads to exhaustion. Exhaustion leads to mistakes. Mistakes on cliff faces lead to falling. The unforgiving nature creates tension where success feels genuinely earned rather than guaranteed through persistence.
The Dark Souls comparison also suggests satisfying progression where mastering mechanics enables overcoming previously impossible challenges. Early sections that seemed brutally difficult become manageable as you internalize climbing systems and develop strategic thinking. This learning curve separates players seeking meaningful challenges from those preferring relaxing experiences, setting appropriate expectations about what Cairn offers.
FAQs
When does Cairn release?
Cairn launches January 29, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Steam for PC. The game was originally scheduled for November 5, 2025 but The Game Bakers delayed release three months for additional polish and refinement.
How much does Cairn cost?
The standard edition costs $29.99 with 10% launch discount. The Deluxe Edition including a Kami travel guide by Mathieu Bablet and three in-game keepsakes costs $36.99, discounted to $34.20 at launch.
Is there a demo available?
Yes, a free demo is available now on both Steam and PlayStation 5. The demo has received exceptional reception with a 99% positive rating after 600,000 downloads, letting players experience the climbing mechanics before purchasing the full game.
Who is developing Cairn?
The Game Bakers, a French indie studio known for Furi and Haven, spent five years developing Cairn with a team of 25 people. Creative Director Emeric Thoa and Art Director/Writer Mathieu Bablet lead the project.
How long is Cairn?
The complete ascent takes approximately 15 hours to complete, combining climbing simulation, survival mechanics, and nearly one hour of cinematic cutscenes performed by a cast of ten actors exploring Aava’s story and motivations.
What makes Cairn different from other climbing games?
Cairn features ultra-realistic climbing simulation requiring route planning and stamina management combined with survival mechanics and deep narrative about obsession and determination. It’s described as completing The Game Bakers’ trilogy on freedom following Furi and Haven.
Can I play Cairn on console?
Yes, Cairn launches simultaneously on PlayStation 5 and Steam for PC. No other console versions have been announced, though Xbox or Nintendo Switch ports could follow if the PS5/PC launch succeeds.
The Summit Awaits
Cairn represents The Game Bakers’ most ambitious project yet, transforming five years of development into a climbing experience that respects both the mechanical realities of mountaineering and the psychological depths that drive people to attempt impossible ascents. The overwhelming positive reception to the demo validates their approach while 700,000 wishlists demonstrate substantial audience hunger for climbing games with genuine substance beyond basic mechanics. Download the demo now and discover whether you have what it takes to guide Aava to Kami’s summit. January 29 can’t come soon enough for the thousands waiting to test themselves against the mountain that has defeated every climber before. Sometimes the most profound freedom comes from choosing challenges that might destroy you, and Cairn lets you experience that terrible, beautiful determination interactively. The climb of a lifetime starts in less than two months.