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I Hate This Place Postponed to 2026 as New Trailer Teases Rutherford Ranch’s Nightmares
The twisted world of I Hate This Place will take a little longer to arrive. Developer Rock Square Thunder, in partnership with Broken Mirror Games and Skybound Entertainment, has announced that the survival horror title will now launch on January 29, 2026, instead of its previously planned November 2025 release.
The announcement came alongside a new story trailer, offering players a chilling new look at the nightmarish Rutherford Ranch, where monsters, madness, and survival collide.
A Short Delay to “Make a Strong First Impression”
According to Game Director Janusz Tarczykowski, the decision was driven by extensive community feedback gathered from events such as PAX, Gamescom, Tokyo Game Show, and the game’s recent Steam demo.
“The vision for the game stays the same, but this feedback highlighted a few tweaks or features that would really help the game feel just that much better,” Tarczykowski explained. “We feel the game deserves to make a good first impression, so we rethought things and, together with Broken Mirror Games, decided to move the date to January 2026.”
He added that the studio wants to ensure quality across all platforms — including PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch — before launch.
A Survival Horror Steeped in 1980s Fear
Inspired by the Eisner Award-nominated comic book by writer Kyle Starks and artist Artyom Topilin, I Hate This Place combines craft-based survival gameplay with a stylised comic book aesthetic and a heavy dose of 1980s horror energy.
Players step into the shoes of Elena, a survivor trapped in a supernatural wilderness after accidentally summoning a malevolent entity known as The Horned Man. Every day offers a fragile window to scavenge and fortify your shelter — because once night falls, the horrors of Rutherford Ranch emerge in full force.
The game emphasises stealth and sound-based combat, where many creatures hunt entirely by hearing. Players must use distraction tactics, traps, and clever planning to survive the night.
Features That Define the Nightmare
- Classic Craft-Based Survival Horror – Scavenge, craft, and upgrade to endure the haunted expanse of Rutherford Ranch.
- Dynamic Day-Night Cycle – Plan by day, hide by night as the world transforms into a hunting ground.
- Sound-Based Stealth Mechanics – Outsmart monsters that track you by sound, using their instincts against them.
- Bold Comic Book Art Style – Experience an unsettling yet vibrant 1980s aesthetic inspired by the I Hate This Place comic.
With its new release date, I Hate This Place joins a strong lineup of early 2026 horror releases. The game will launch across PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
