Skunx Games has officially announced its debut title, Dark Pals: The 1st Floor, a first person mascot horror puzzle adventure set to launch in 2026 on Steam. The studio was founded by Winston van Graafeiland, creator of the Horror Skunx channel, which has amassed over 8.5 million subscribers. The announcement took place in Utrecht, in the Netherlands, on February 13.

Set inside an abandoned children’s mental health asylum left to decay since the 1980s, the game tasks players with exploring eerie hallways, solving environmental puzzles, and uncovering what truly happened within its walls. The facility, neglected for decades, is now inhabited by disturbing mascot like creatures that lurk just out of sight.

Blending exploration with narrative depth, the experience challenges players to unravel the mystery behind the asylum’s closure in the late 80s. As they progress, hidden clues gradually reveal the truth about the entities that roam the building and the dark events tied to its past.

Founder Winston van Graafeiland spoke about the inspiration behind turning the project into reality: "We've been itching for five years to make something that is truly our own. A project conceived and created entirely by us. Horror Skunx viewers have been asking for this for years, and we've finally managed to assemble a team of talented people to make this dream a reality!"

Throughout the campaign, players explore the asylum alongside Inky the Ink Blaster, a mysterious companion manifested through an ink shooting toy gun. By solving puzzles and unlocking new areas, the narrative expands and sheds light on the institution’s history and the origins of the creatures that inhabit it.

The project is also designed as a transmedia horror experience, with additional story elements and hidden lore revealed through a dedicated video series starring Winston on the Horror Skunx channel. YouTuber Chazington appears in game through projections scattered across the asylum, guiding players along their journey and deepening the overarching mystery.

Key features include creepy cartoonish mascots, the abandoned children’s mental health asylum filled with secrets, clever environmental puzzles that unlock new rooms, and the ink shooting mechanic that accompanies players in their search for answers within this dark universe.