Seattle, WA – February 13, 2026 – Independent game developer and publisher ProbablyMonsters has today pulled back the curtain on its latest project, an ambitious co-operative action RPG titled Crimson Moon. Set to launch within the current year, the announcement marks a significant step for the studio, which has been steadily building its portfolio of diverse gaming experiences. Further details about Crimson Moon can be found in a dedicated news story available at https://wccftech.com/crimson-moon-gothic-high-renaissance-coop-action-rpg/.
This latest reveal comes on the heels of the recent expanded release of Storm Lancers, the studio’s inaugural title. Storm Lancers made its debut on the Nintendo Switch in September 2025, and subsequently launched for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, as well as the newly released Nintendo Switch 2, last month. The game is priced at $19.99, with existing Nintendo Switch owners eligible for a complimentary upgrade to the Switch 2 version, a move designed to foster player loyalty and accessibility.
In an exclusive interview conducted following the Storm Lancers release, the ProbablyMonsters team elaborated on their strategic decisions, their unique studio structure, and their stance on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence in game development. Their insights shed light on the studio’s philosophy and its approach to navigating the competitive gaming landscape.
ProbablyMonsters: A New Paradigm in Game Development
Founded with the explicit mission to “build a better way to make games and build careers in games,” ProbablyMonsters operates with a distinct organizational model. With dual offices located in Fort Worth, Texas, and Bellevue, Washington, the studio comprises a team of seasoned industry veterans, many of whom have contributed to AAA titles. This collective expertise is channeled through a unique structure that enables the simultaneous development of multiple games, spanning various scales and genres.
“Our team of AAA industry veterans is built with a unique structure that allows us to develop multiple games of different scales at the same time,” a spokesperson for ProbablyMonsters explained. “We are committed to developing and releasing multiple high-quality PC and console titles each year. This commitment began last year with our debut titles, Storm Lancers and Ire: A Prologue.” This forward-thinking approach positions ProbablyMonsters to consistently deliver a pipeline of new content, aiming to capture a broad spectrum of the gaming market.
Storm Lancers: A Rogue-Like Reinvented with Co-op
Storm Lancers itself represents an innovative take on the popular rogue-like genre. The game seamlessly blends a vibrant, retro 1980s aesthetic with fast-paced, intense combat. Its most significant departure from convention is the integration of couch co-op, allowing two players to embark on the perilous journey together. The narrative places players on a dying alien world teeming with unstable magic, where cooperation is key to unleashing new powers, overcoming evolving enemy hordes, and achieving greater strength.
While playable as a solo experience, Storm Lancers was meticulously designed with two-player co-operation at its core. The game leverages Nintendo’s innovative GameShare feature on the Switch 2 and Steam’s Remote Play Together functionality. These features are particularly noteworthy as they enable players to team up even if only one of them possesses a copy of the game, significantly lowering the barrier to entry for cooperative play.
“Adding co-op into a rogue-like was a fun and exciting challenge for our development team,” the developers shared. “We hope players have enjoyed becoming true legends of Cryptica together.” This emphasis on accessible multiplayer experiences underscores the studio’s commitment to fostering social gaming.
Community Reception and Development Roadmap
The initial reception to Storm Lancers has been largely positive, with players specifically praising the two-player co-op feature, the game’s visually striking art style, and its responsive controls. As the studio’s debut title, Storm Lancers was developed with a focused scope to facilitate the team’s learning and iterative process.
“We’ve received feedback that people wish there was more of the game to play,” the developers admitted. “In our minds, this is great feedback because it signals that players resonate with the experience we’ve created and are really having fun, which was our primary goal with Storm Lancers.” This constructive criticism is being addressed, and the team is actively working on performance enhancements for the recently launched Steam version. A patch addressing these issues is slated for release within the next few weeks, with announcements to be made on Discord and X.
Strategic Platform Choices: Nintendo’s Ecosystem
The decision to prioritize Nintendo’s platforms for Storm Lancers‘ initial console release was a deliberate one, driven by a strong partnership and the unique capabilities of the hardware. “Nintendo has been a great partner for us, and Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 are the perfect home for a co-op title that players can enjoy at home or on the go,” the team stated.
A key consideration in the development of Storm Lancers was its ability to be played with a single Joy-Con controller, a design choice that facilitates spontaneous co-op sessions. Nintendo’s support, including a feature in their September 2025 Nintendo Direct presentation, provided an ideal platform for the game’s stealth launch.
Currently, there are no immediate plans for a PlayStation or Xbox release of Storm Lancers. The studio’s primary focus remains on expanding its audience on Steam and supporting the European release of the Switch 2 version. However, the possibility of future multiplatform releases has not been entirely ruled out, with the company indicating that fans will be kept informed of any changes to their release strategy.
GameShare: A Catalyst for Co-op Connectivity
The implementation of Nintendo’s GameShare feature was a significant aspect of the Storm Lancers development. GameShare allows multiple players to access and play a game on a single digital license, a feature that ProbablyMonsters views as a powerful tool for enhancing the co-operative experience, especially for players who are geographically separated.
“We built Storm Lancers to truly shine in co-op, and GameShare gives us a unique path to building a couch co-op like experience for players who live apart,” the developers explained. “Being able to see the same screen and play on the same copy of the game creates a truly seamless experience.” The team expressed enthusiasm for the feature, recognizing its immense value for households and friends eager to share gaming experiences. From a self-publishing perspective, GameShare is also seen as a valuable asset for organic promotion.
The implementation process for GameShare was reportedly efficient. “Implementing GameShare into Storm Lancers was very easy, and our small but mighty engineering team was able to get it fully implemented and released in just over a month,” they revealed. This suggests the feature is developer-friendly and offers a streamlined solution for establishing online multiplayer capabilities without extensive new development.
The Nintendo Switch 2: Enhanced Capabilities and Developer Perspective
ProbablyMonsters holds a positive view of the Nintendo Switch 2, anticipating that its more powerful hardware will unlock greater creative and technical ambitions for future projects. The ability to experience Storm Lancers in 4K resolution at a smooth 60 frames per second on the new console was highlighted as a particularly impressive advancement.
Regarding criticisms of the Switch 2’s HDR (High Dynamic Range) capabilities, the development team offered a pragmatic perspective. While acknowledging consumer feedback, they reported no significant challenges in their own development process. “From a development perspective, we never encountered any issues working with it and think Storm Lancers looks awesome with the expanded range of colors,” they stated. They also affirmed the consumer’s right to provide feedback on technology that does not meet expectations.
Diversifying Genres: The Future of ProbablyMonsters
Beyond Storm Lancers, the studio also launched Ire: A Prologue in October, a starkly different horror-inspired experience. This diversification across genres indicates a broad strategic vision for the company.
“We have several titles in development for release over the next couple of years and are building games in a broad range of genres that will help us reach every type of player,” the developers confirmed. “We will have more to say about some of them in the coming months.” This suggests a robust pipeline of upcoming projects that will cater to varied player tastes, further solidifying ProbablyMonsters’ position as a versatile publisher and developer.
Navigating the AI Landscape: A Human-Centric Approach
In an era where artificial intelligence is increasingly integrated into various industries, ProbablyMonsters has articulated a clear policy on its use in game development. As a “people-first company,” their core philosophy emphasizes creating games “by people, for people.”
While open to leveraging AI for administrative support and automating repetitive technical tasks, the studio maintains a firm stance against its use in asset generation or creative decision-making. “We do not use AI for asset generation or creative decisions, and all final assets in our games are reviewed, refined, and approved by our development team,” they clarified. This approach ensures that the human element and artistic integrity remain paramount in their game development process, even as they explore AI as a tool for efficiency.
The studio’s commitment to this human-centric development model, combined with its innovative studio structure and diverse game pipeline, positions ProbablyMonsters as a noteworthy player in the independent game development scene. With Crimson Moon on the horizon and a clear vision for the future, the company appears poised for continued growth and success.