Stage Fright: Everything We Know

Ghost Town Games made its mark in the gaming industry when it launched the multiplayer sensation Overcooked in 2016. It then doubled down on the chaos and craziness with Overcooked 2. The remaster, Overcooked! All You Can Eat left fans wondering what more the studio had in store.  As it turns out, the studio has been working on another game for some time now. The new game, Stage Fright, has been described as having the potential to be as outstanding as Overcooked. While information about this new game is limited, we know enough to paint a vague picture of what to expect. Here is everything we know about Stage Fright.  

What is Stage Fright?

Stage Fright is a co-op adventure game with a scary thrill. The game is the brainchild of Ghost Town Games, the developer behind Overcooked. The studio announced the game at The Game Awards 2024. Notably, the studio promises that Stage Fright will be as outstanding as Overcooked, which ranks among the best multiplayer games of all time.

“Nothing else really played like Overcooked when it came out, and Stage Fright is just as innovative, but in a really different direction,” said a representative of the game’s publisher. “The setting is magical and spooky. Think Luigi’s Mansion meets Overcooked with a really charming story. Everyone loved characters like The Onion King in Overcooked, but this is much more touching, with a real heart.”

Story

It is worth noting that the developers have not shared the full story behind Stage Fright. However, the publisher describes the story as charming.

The game follows three friends, Drew, Blake, and Charlie, who are at the movie theater watching a film. Something happens in the theater that seems to teleport them into an alternate reality that looks like a movie. This alternate world has one-eyed monsters that start chasing the guys. They must run for their lives, explore the alternate world, solve escape rooms, and overcome many other obstacles to solve an ancient mystery that could help them understand and stop whatever is happening.

Gameplay

Stage Fright promises an innovative gameplay style that blends exploration, solving puzzle rooms, overcoming various obstacles, and a bit of action. Notably, the gameplay style will incorporate the same chaos as Overcooked but with something new.

Exploration is a central aspect of the gameplay. Notably, the game features a split screen, with each player trapped in a different world with wildly different landscapes. For example, the trailer shows one player in a town at night and the other player in a more fantastical world. Each character explores their world for escape routes to get away from the monsters. Unfortunately, the developers haven’t shared more information about the game’s exploration system.

Besides exploring, players also solve escape room-style puzzles to progress in certain parts. You need good wits, as the challenges will exercise your mental skills more than your motor skills. Moreover, you must also overcome various other obstacles when exploring and solving escape rooms.

You will be running away from monsters as you explore the worlds, setting the stage for a bit of action. Interestingly, the worlds appear to be interconnected. The trailer showcases one character using a mechanism to shock a monster chasing their friend in another world. As such, this co-op game requires close coordination and collaboration between players. Notably, the game is designed with communication and teamwork in mind. Moreover, in everything we know about Stage Fright, the design optimizes accessibility for all players.

Interestingly, you can partner with friends remotely or side-by-side via the game’s online and local co-op modes. While the game has three characters, you can only play two characters at a time.

Development

Ghost Town Games, the renowned developer that gave the world Overcooked, is also the developer behind Stage Fright. Interestingly, the award-winning indie developer comprises only three core members. However, they regularly hire extra help and collaborate with other developers when working on big projects like Stage Fright. In this case, the studio has partnered with Hello Games, the developer of No Man’s Sky, to publish the game once it is ready.

Interestingly, the developer mentioned that Stage Fright has been five years in the making. Moreover, the publisher promises to share more information in about one year, meaning that there is still a lot of work to be done.

Trailer

The official Stage Fright announcement trailer debuted at The Game Awards 2024 alongside the game’s official announcement. The trailer gives a creative peek at the game’s details, story, and gameplay.

The trailer opens with a scene of the three characters at the theater waiting for the movie to start. Interestingly, their conversation as they await the movie seems to be about the developer’s iconic multiplayer game, Overcooked. The three kids are so engaged in the conversation that they don’t notice one-eyed monsters in the back of the theater.

Something weird then happens, causing everything to go dark and transporting two of the friends to an alternate reality with the one-eyed monsters. The monsters start chasing, and the friends run for their lives, showcasing a bit of the gameplay in the process. Unfortunately, the trailer only gives a sneak peek at the gameplay.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Ghost Town Games and Hello Games haven’t yet announced the release date for Stage Fright. Interestingly, a representative of Hello Games said that the publisher would “have more to say about the game in about 12 months.” This suggests that the developer still has a long way to go, considering that 12 months will only yield more information and not an actual release. As such, the game could launch in or beyond 2027.

Part of everything we know about Stage Fright is that it has only been announced for PC via the Steam platform. However, the developers have not ruled out other platforms. Publisher Hello Games will announce whether the game will support other platforms in about 12 months, as promised.

Are you eager to play Stage Fright? Does everything we know about Stage Fright answer your most pressing questions? Let us know on our socials here or leave us a comment below.