The Walker
Hunts by sound
Every footstep is a decision. Move slowly or move quietly, because you can't always do both.
Four of you go in. The lights don't last.
Absentia is a co-op survival horror game about going into a house after someone who never came back out, finding out what happened to them, and getting out alive.
The things hunting you each want something different. One hears you. One sees you. One waits for the moment you're on your own.
Move together, watch each other, and get out. Split up, and you won't.
Absentia announcement trailer
Who's making this
We're Zachary and Sophie, two parents in Manchester, and Absentia is what we make once our son's asleep.
Every room, entity and sound in it has been argued over and reworked until it felt right. Each entity has its own personality and its own rules: one hunts by sound, another by sight. The lighting reacts to what you do, so the house itself is part of the scare. And a sound designer is making the noises the entities make when they move.
How a job goes
Every round is a case. Somebody went into the house and didn't come back. You're going in to find out why.
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Take the case
Each job starts with a case file: who went missing, where they were last seen, and what they were doing there.
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Work the scene
Follow the leads they left behind and piece together what happened. The leads change every round, and some of them take two of you.
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Wake the house
Every lead you close gets you closer to leaving, and makes more of the house take notice of you.
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Get out
Reach the way out with what you've found, and hope the rest of your team is still behind you.
Your team keeps you alive
This isn't co-op where you happen to share a building. Your teammate is the one who turns and sees the thing behind you, watches the door while you work, and gets you out when it goes wrong.
Your voice carries
Proximity voice chat means you hear whoever is near you, fading through walls and down corridors. Split up and you lose touch.
Light is borrowed
Your flashlight overheats if you lean on it, and the house's own lights won't stay on for long. Knowing when to use light is half the game.
No two rounds alike
Your leads, what's hunting you and how it behaves all shift between rounds, and the house reacts to how you're doing. Last round's plan is a place to start, not a promise.
What's in the house
Each entity in Absentia hunts in its own way, and what keeps you safe from one can get you killed by another. All of them make a sound when they move. Listen, and you'll usually hear them before you see them.
The Shade
Hunts by sight
Break its line of sight, stay unseen, and hope it doesn't turn around.
The Witness
Hunts whoever is alone
It appears behind a lone player and walks them down. The only way to banish it is for a teammate to turn and see it too.
The Gloom
Hunts in the dark
Your flashlight is all that keeps it back. Hold the switch too long and it overheats, and the dark comes rushing in.
The Warden
Guards one room
What you came for is in its room. Every second inside is borrowed, and it remembers how long you stayed.
Name withheld
Hunts by withheld
…and they aren't the only things in the house.
Full-size screenshots, logos and key art are in the press kit.
Absentia dev log
The latest updates we've posted on Steam.
For streamers and video creators
You're welcome to stream Absentia, make videos of it and monetise them on any platform. You don't need to ask first.
We'd love to see what you make, so tag us when you post and we'll share it: @swanstreetstudios on TikTok and YouTube, @swanstreetstudiosofficial on Instagram, and @SwanStreetGames on X.
Before you go live
- Absentia is at its best with a full group of four and everyone on voice.
- Expect horror themes and jump scares.
- Some moments use flickering and flashing light. Photosensitive mode in Settings tones these down.
- Logos, key art and screenshots for thumbnails and overlays are in the press kit.
For your stream description
Absentia is a co-op survival horror game for up to four players. Wishlist it on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4841600/?utm_source=creator&utm_medium=stream_description
Questions about Absentia
How many people can play Absentia?
Up to four, in online multiplayer. Absentia is built around playing together: some leads take two of you, and one of the things in the house can only be banished by two players looking at it at once.
When is Absentia coming out?
Absentia is planned for release on Steam in the first quarter of 2027 (January to March). We haven't announced an exact date yet. Wishlisting on Steam is the best way to hear first.
How much will Absentia cost?
We haven't announced a price yet. If you wishlist Absentia on Steam, Steam will email you when it comes out.
What platforms is Absentia on?
Windows PC, through Steam.
Does Absentia have voice chat?
Yes. Proximity voice chat means you hear teammates based on where they are in the house, so staying close matters.
How scary is Absentia?
It's a horror game with jump scares. Some moments use flickering and flashing light, and photosensitive mode in Settings tones these down.
Can I stream Absentia or make videos of it?
Yes, and you can monetise them. Keys, assets and a ready-made stream description are in the creators section.
Who is making Absentia?
Swan Street Studios: that's us, Zachary and Sophie Holt, two parents in Manchester, UK. We make it in the evenings, once our son's asleep, and it's our first game.
Where can I find people to play with?
Our Discord is the place to find a group.
Two parents, one game, a lot of evenings.
We're Zachary and Sophie Holt, a husband and wife in Manchester, between the Northern Quarter and Ancoats. Swan Street Studios is the two of us.
We make Absentia once our son's asleep. It's our first game, and it isn't our full-time job yet. One day we'd like it to be.
It's the co-op horror we wanted to play with our own friends, so we'd rather redo a room than leave one we're not happy with.
- Zachary Holt
- Code, design and level building
- Sophie Holt
- Audio, animation and environment art
What we care about
- Atmosphere
- A house that feels wrong before anything has happened in it.
- Fairness
- Every entity has rules you can learn. If it gets you, you'll know why.
- Co-op moments
- The teammate who turned round just in time, and the one who didn't.
- Polish
- The finish you'd expect from a much bigger team, from the menus to the sound of something crossing the floor above you.
For press, partnerships or anything else, email hello@swanstreetstudios.com.
Find people to play with
Join the Discord to find a group, hear news first and tell us what you think.
Join the Discord