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Frame Interactive Reveals The Free Shepherd for PC and PS5 in 2027
A Cinematic Sheepdog Adventure Announced at TGA Pre-Show
During The Game Awards 2025, Frame Interactive unveiled The Free Shepherd. In this atmospheric adventure game, players take on the role of a loyal border collie navigating a vast and mysterious world.
Creative Lead Ben Throop introduced the project as a deeply personal exploration of nature, companionship, and survival, with a planned 2027 release for PC and PlayStation 5.
The reveal trailer showcased sweeping vistas, dynamic weather, and quiet narrative moments that emphasise the dog’s instincts and emotional perspective. With an approach centred on immersion rather than traditional dialogue, the game leans heavily into environmental storytelling and cinematic movement.
The Free Shepherd aims to fuse natural beauty with a sense of responsibility, as the border collie searches for scattered flocks of sheep across a land shaped by tranquillity and looming threat. The team also announced that renowned Vermont-based cellist Zoë Keating will compose the soundtrack, adding a distinct musical identity to the project’s emotional tone.
Inspired by Iceland, Driven by Mystery and Nature
The Free Shepherd draws heavily from landscapes inspired by Throop’s travels to Iceland, incorporating wide open grasslands, cliffside trails, ancient stone structures, and soft fantasy elements. The setting blends realism with light supernatural motifs, including portals and remnants of a calamity that the dog must gradually uncover.
Players will embody a border collie with complete freedom to sprint, leap, and traverse the terrain. The central loop revolves around locating lost sheep, herding them to safe refuge zones, and understanding the mystery that threatens the island. The narrative unfolds without human characters, placing the sheepdog at the emotional centre of the world and allowing canine behaviour and instinct to guide the storytelling.
Frame Interactive describes the game as an atmospheric adventure with quiet intensity. The goal is to create a meditative but purposeful experience where exploration, discovery, and the relationship between player and environment are the primary drivers of progression.
A New Direction for Frame Interactive
Based in Vermont and founded in 2015 by industry veteran Ben Throop, Frame Interactive is known for creating finely crafted atmospheric games. The Free Shepherd represents the studio’s most ambitious project to date, combining cinematic presentation with an unusual protagonist and a focus on emotional worldbuilding.
The developer has launched an official website where players can follow updates on the project’s development. Additional details are expected as the game approaches its 2027 release.
