Acclaim, the iconic publisher that helped define a generation, and developer Ridiculous Games announced that the first playable demo of GRIDbeat! is now available to download on Steam ahead of Steam Next Fest February 2026 Edition. In addition to the PC version, a Nintendo Switch demo will be released later this month via the eShop.

In the presented experience, players take on the role of a hacker who breaks into Knoss.OS, the planet’s most heavily fortified corporate network, and escapes with a valuable payload of data. Trapped inside the vast digital labyrinth of the Mainframe, every command becomes rhythm, and every movement turns into part of a tense dance for survival.

Throughout the journey, players must overcome relentless security protocols, face aggressive military simulations, and withstand corrupt viral code, all programmed with a single objective, to erase the intruder forever. The Steam demo allows players to feel the pulse of the rhythm based gameplay, offering a choice of nine hackers and challenges spread across 13 stages, including training areas, main campaign levels, and extra unlockable stages for those eager to test their limits.

With three difficulty modes available, the demo works as an ideal preparation to sharpen reflexes and strategies ahead of the full release planned for this spring. The core concept revolves around syncing with the system, where every action must follow the beat to ensure a real chance of escape.

"You just breached Knoss.OS, the planet's most fortified corporate network, and made off with a payload of priceless data. Now you're trapped inside, hunted by rogue security protocols and hostile malware. Your only way out? Sync with the system. Move to the beat. And escape before the grid locks you down for good."

Among the main highlights are dungeon crawling fully driven by rhythm, where movement, combat, and interaction happen precisely in time with the music. The design of the digital labyrinths features a variety of hazards, such as server formats capable of wiping entire areas, demanding constant attention and careful planning.

Progress also involves installing evolving abilities and software tools, as well as facing intense battles against AI controlled bosses. All of this is accompanied by an energetic soundtrack that guides every step, reinforcing the idea that, in this digital world, survival depends on feeling and following the right beat.