After four years in development, Demon Tides finally has a release date. Developer Fabraz announced during Day of the Devs: The Game Awards Edition on December 10, 2025 that their open-world 3D platformer launches February 19, 2026 on PC via Steam, with a Nintendo Switch version coming later. The game represents a massive evolution from Demon Turf, expanding from focused platforming challenges into a seamless open ocean adventure with over 50 talismans, player ghost racing, and graffiti sharing.
From Demon Turf to Demon Tides
Demon Turf earned recognition as one of the best modern indie platformers when it launched, combining expressive movement with stylish visuals and creative level design. Demon Tides builds on that foundation but completely reimagines the scope. Instead of discrete levels, you explore a massive, seamless open ocean filled with dozens of distinct locales. The transition from structured challenges to open exploration represents a significant risk for Fabraz, but early reactions suggest the gamble is paying off.
Players control Beebz and her crew on a journey of self-discovery across the vast oceans of Ragnar’s Rock. You navigate between distant structures at blazing speeds using a deeply expressive move-set that includes wall runs, dashes, bat transformations, spins, and countless other parkour techniques. The game emphasizes flow and creative traversal, letting players express themselves through movement rather than forcing specific solutions.
50 Talismans That Transform Gameplay
The core progression system revolves around collecting over 50 unique talismans that modify or expand your abilities. These aren’t simple stat boosts. They fundamentally change how you navigate the world. Get a paraglider to soar through the skies. Spawn bubbles to float in place indefinitely. Transform your spin attack into a hookshot for grappling mechanics. Each talisman opens new traversal possibilities and creative solutions to environmental puzzles.
This modular approach to abilities means players can customize their movement style based on personal preferences. Some might focus on aerial mobility, stacking paragliders and multiple jumps to stay airborne. Others might emphasize speed with dash-focused builds or vertical scaling with hookshots and wall-running enhancements. The game encourages experimentation, rewarding creative combinations that let you reach areas in unexpected ways.
Over 50,000 Cosmetic Combinations
Beyond abilities, Demon Tides includes extensive character customization with head gear, outfits, and hair dyes. According to Fabraz, there are over 50,000 possible appearance combinations. This level of cosmetic variety is unusual for 3D platformers, which typically offer minimal character customization. The developers clearly want players to feel ownership over their version of Beebz, making each player’s journey visually distinct.
All cosmetics are discoverable through gameplay rather than locked behind microtransactions. Hidden chests scattered throughout the world contain outfit pieces, accessories, and dyes. This approach respects players’ time while providing tangible rewards for exploration beyond just progression items.
Online Features Without Multiplayer
Demon Tides incorporates online functionality in clever ways that enhance the single-player experience without requiring direct multiplayer. Player ghosts appear throughout the world, showing how others navigated specific challenges or reached certain areas. You can race against these ghosts for speedrunning times, and the game notifies you if someone beats your ghost, letting you challenge them right back.
The graffiti system adds another social layer. Create custom designs and tag walls throughout the world. Your graffiti appears in other players’ games, allowing you to leave helpful hints toward hidden secrets, create art in scenic locations, or troll people with misleading directions. The developers explicitly encourage that last option, calling players “little rascals” for lying about secret locations. This asynchronous multiplayer creates community without requiring real-time coordination or competitive stress.
Four Years of Polish
Development began shortly after Demon Turf’s release, making Demon Tides a four-year project for Fabraz. That extended timeline shows in the trailers, which demonstrate polished movement, varied environments, and technical stability rare for indie platformers. The demo released earlier in 2025 received enthusiastic responses from players who praised the expressive movement and creative world design.
The February 19, 2026 release date falls almost exactly one year after the demo launch, suggesting Fabraz used that public testing period to refine systems and gather feedback. This measured approach contrasts with studios that rush to market, and it positions Demon Tides for a strong reception when it finally releases.
Physical Release Collection Coming
Fangamer will publish a physical release that bundles Demon Tides with both Demon Turf and Demon Turf: Neon Splash. This collection lets newcomers experience the entire trilogy in one package while giving collectors a complete physical edition. No pricing or release date for the physical version has been announced, but it’s expected to arrive after the initial digital launch on both PC and Switch.
The physical release represents Fabraz’s confidence in Demon Tides as a trilogy capstone. Bundling all three games acknowledges the series’ evolution while making it accessible to players who might have missed the earlier entries. It’s also a smart business move, creating a premium product for fans willing to pay extra for physical media.
FAQs
When does Demon Tides release?
Demon Tides launches February 19, 2026 on PC via Steam. A Nintendo Switch version releases at a later unannounced date.
Do I need to play Demon Turf first?
No. While Demon Tides is a sequel, it’s designed as a standalone experience. You don’t need prior knowledge of Demon Turf to enjoy the story or gameplay.
What are talismans in Demon Tides?
Talismans are collectible items that modify or expand your movement abilities. With over 50 unique talismans, they add paragliders, hookshots, bubbles, and other tools that transform how you navigate the world.
Does Demon Tides have multiplayer?
Not traditional multiplayer. The game features asynchronous online elements including racing against player ghosts for speedrun times and sharing graffiti that appears in other players’ worlds.
How big is the Demon Tides world?
Fabraz describes it as a massive, seamless open ocean with dozens of distinct locales to explore. The exact size hasn’t been specified, but trailers show varied environments including islands, structures, underground areas, and floating platforms.
Is there a physical version of Demon Tides?
Yes. Fangamer will publish a physical release bundling Demon Tides with Demon Turf and Demon Turf: Neon Splash. Release date and pricing for the physical collection haven’t been announced.
Who developed Demon Tides?
Fabraz, the independent studio behind Demon Turf and other titles. They’ve been working on Demon Tides for four years since the first game’s release.
Can I play the Demon Tides demo?
Yes. A demo is available now on Steam, letting you try the game’s movement mechanics and early exploration before the February 2026 launch.
February Can’t Come Soon Enough
Demon Tides arrives at a perfect moment for 3D platformers. The genre is experiencing a renaissance thanks to Astro Bot’s critical and commercial success, proving mainstream audiences still crave tight movement and creative level design. But indie developers have been carrying platforming on their backs for years, and Demon Tides represents the culmination of that effort. Four years of development, 50+ talismans, seamless open-world exploration, and expressive movement that encourages personal style rather than forcing specific solutions. The asynchronous online features add community without competitive stress, and the cosmetic variety ensures your Beebz looks different from everyone else’s. If you’ve been following Demon Tides since the Demon Turf days, February 19, 2026 marks the end of a long wait. If you’re new to Fabraz’s work, this might be the perfect entry point into one of indie gaming’s most stylish and mechanically satisfying platformer series. Just make sure you’ve got time cleared in late February, because this one looks like it’s going to swallow entire weekends whole.