We’re excited to finally share that the release date for BLACKWOOD: Act 1 is September 16, 2026!
This is a major milestone for our team. BLACKWOOD has been an ambitious passion project from the beginning, and we’re incredibly proud to be at the point where we can have the players experience what we have built.
Alongside this announcement, we’ve also released the latest BLACKWOOD release-date trailer. We hope you’ll watch it and get a closer look at what’s waiting for you in Act 1.
There are a few important things we want to explain before launch, particularly how BLACKWOOD’s episodic structure works, what you’ll receive with your purchase, and what you can expect from the game as it continues to release.
Act 1 will launch at $24.99.
When you purchase BLACKWOOD, you are purchasing the full game, not just Act 1. All future acts will be provided as free updates to existing owners. If you buy BLACKWOOD at launch, you will not need to purchase Act 2 or Act 3 separately.
The base price of the game will increase as additional acts are released:
At Launch Act 1: $24.99
Base Price after Act 2 Update : $29.99
Base Price after Act 3 Update : $34.99
This means that players who purchase BLACKWOOD during Act 1 will receive the complete game as it releases, while paying the lowest price at which the game will be available.
We’re sharing this structure clearly because we want there to be no confusion about what you are buying. There’s no requirement to purchase early, but those who choose to support us from Act 1 will receive the entire eventual experience at the lowest price.
BLACKWOOD is designed as a focused, linear experience, built around a structured story, cinematic presentation, carefully designed encounters, and single-player gameplay.
It is NOT an open-world game.
The current structure is:
Act 1: 4 main missions
Act 2: 4 main missions
Act 3: 5 main missions
These numbers refer to the main story missions only. Each act also includes multiple side missions and additional content, giving players more to experience beyond the main story. Each act is also a complete arc within the game's story and is built to stand alone while still advancing the main narrative.
Act 1 is not limited to its four main missions. With its side missions and additional content, Act 1 offers 6+ hours of gameplay.
Act 3 contains an additional main mission because it includes an alternate ending. The mission count is provided to give players a clearer understanding of how BLACKWOOD is structured and what to expect from each act.
During the periods between major act releases, patches can introduce new side missions and other smaller pieces of content. As the game expands, each act will also bring additions such as new collectibles, achievements, takedowns, weapons, enemy variations, and other side content where applicable.
The important distinction is that the acts are the major story releases, while patches give us opportunities to continue adding to and improving the experience between them. That includes addressing bugs, technical issues, problems discovered after launch, and other fixes needed to maintain the quality of the experience.
Our current release plan is:
Act 1: September 16, 2026
Act 2: March 2027
Act 3: September 2027
The six-month spacing between acts shows our current development roadmap. These future dates are the planned targets, and we’ll share more information as development progresses.
One of the most important things we want to make clear is that BLACKWOOD is not an Early Access game.
Act 1 is not an unfinished version of BLACKWOOD. When you play Act 1, you are not playing a work-in-progress version of the game. You are playing one complete part of the whole game.
BLACKWOOD is being developed as a full game and released in three acts.
The visual quality of BLACKWOOD is not intended to progressively improve from Act 1 through Act 3. Act 1 is not meant to look like an early graphical version of the game, with Act 3 eventually becoming the “real” finished version. Each act is a planned part of the full game, with later acts continuing the story and adding new gameplay and content.
BLACKWOOD is an ambitious and expensive project for our team. We have set big goals for the game, and we want to achieve them without rushing development or compromising the experience we are trying to create.
Releasing BLACKWOOD in acts gives us a way to deliver the game progressively while continuing to work on the remaining parts of the story. This allows players to start experiencing BLACKWOOD sooner, while giving our team the time needed to continue developing the remaining acts.
After two years of working on BLACKWOOD, it means a lot to us to finally share the first part of the game with you. We can’t wait for you to experience our game.
Act 1 is just the beginning. There is more of BLACKWOOD still to come, and we’re excited to continue this journey and share the rest of the story with you.
Thank you for being here and for giving BLACKWOOD a chance.
BLACKWOOD Act 1 releases September 16, 2026.
That’s everything for now.
If you want to stay up to date, share feedback, or connect directly with the team, join our Discord and be part of the discussion. We’ll be sharing more updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes details as development continues.
Discord: (Join) Thank you for reading. We hope you enjoyed this deep dive.
Find BLACKWOOD at Gamescom:
📌In the Indie Section: Hall 10.2 | Stand F044g - E061g
🗺️ August 26-30, 2026