Orbitals (video game)
Cooperative puzzle-adventure set on a storm-threatened space station.
Orbitals is a cooperative puzzle-adventure game from Tokyo-based developer Shapefarm and publisher Kepler Interactive. Released on September 3, 2026, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2, it follows space explorers Maki and Omura as they work together to save a space station from a destructive storm. Played from a third-person perspective, the game requires two players to take on different roles—asymmetrical gameplay that forces them to combine their unique tools and gadgets to solve puzzles and open new paths.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Orbitals
- Developer
- Shapefarm
- Publisher
- Kepler Interactive
- Director
- Marcos Ramos · Jakob Lundgren
- Designer
- Hugo Sanchez Westberg
- Artist
- Johannes Varmedal
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Released
- September 3, 2026
- Genre
- Puzzle-adventure
- Modes
- Multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Orbitals follows two space explorers, Maki and Omura, who must work together to prevent a space station from being destroyed by a deadly storm. The game is played from a third-person perspective and requires two players to cooperate, using various tools and gadgets to open pathways and solve puzzles. Gameplay is asymmetrical, meaning each player assumes a different role and must synergize with the other to succeed.
Reader's Guide
Orbitals was developed by Shapefarm, a Tokyo-based studio, with creative director Marcos Ramos and game director Jakob Lundgren, the latter having previously worked at Hazelight Studios on A Way Out, It Takes Two, and Split Fiction. The game was designed to be accessible and never too difficult, with a larger emphasis on puzzle-solving than platforming. Its art style was inspired by Cowboy Bebop, Dragon Ball, and Neon Genesis Evangelion, while the lead characters drew from Sailor Moon and Ranma Saotome. Cutscenes were produced by Studio Massket, known for Lycoris Recoil. The game was announced at The Game Awards in December 2025 and utilizes the Switch 2's GameShare functionality, allowing a purchaser to invite a friend to play for free. According to Metacritic, Orbitals received generally favorable reviews, and OpenCritic reported that 93% of critics recommended the game.
Did You Know?
- The game's cutscenes were produced by Studio Massket, the anime studio behind Lycoris Recoil.
- Orbitals uses the Nintendo Switch 2's GameShare feature, allowing a purchaser to invite a friend to play for free.
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