Kinetic Games posted Development Preview #21 outlining major work planned for Phasmophobia in 2026. The studio confirmed a delayed but expanded Player Character Update, a rework of 6 Tanglewood Drive, and that Phasmophobia 1.0 will launch for all players across available platforms in 2026.
Player Character Update, arriving Q1 2026
The Player Character Update was originally planned for 2025 but is now scheduled for Q1 2026. Kinetic Games says the update will add free cosmetic customization for Ghost Hunters and replace the current player models with new ones. The team also reworked animations and basic movement so characters behave and look more natural during investigations.
Highlighted interaction upgrades include opening and closing doors with hands, swapping and placing equipment, and the animation for using Tier 3 Sanity Medication. Kinetic Games frames these changes as part of the build toward 1.0 and says the new systems should make the game feel more immersive during play.
Tanglewood rework
The update will also ship a reworked version of 6 Tanglewood Drive. The layout will remain familiar but get several small layout changes, additional interactive elements, and environmental storytelling that hints at a mystery tied to the house.
Kinetic Games said the studio approached the Tanglewood rework with the same goals it used on previous map overhauls like Bleasdale and Grafton Farmhouse: keep the core experience players expect while adding fresh content and interactions.
Phasmophobia 1.0 and the Horror 2.0 work
The studio described the 1.0 release as the culmination of years of updates. The biggest piece of 1.0 will be what was previously called Horror 2.0, a larger set of changes and new scares the team says will form the heart of the full launch. Kinetic Games did not share a precise date beyond confirming a 2026 release window for 1.0 across platforms, and it asked players to watch for more details during the year.
For players who want to report bugs or give feedback, Kinetic Games directs Ghost Hunters to the official Phasmophobia Discord.
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Phasmophobia
Developed by Kinetic Games
Phasmophobia is a cooperative horror investigation game played from a first-person perspective, supporting one to four players. Players take on the role of ghost hunters who must identify the type of ghost haunting a designated location by gathering evidence using various paranormal investigation equipment. The game features speech recognition, allowing ghosts and certain equipment to respond to words spoken by players. As investigators spend time at the site, their sanity decreases, eventually triggering hunts during which the ghost actively pursues and can kill players. The game includes multiple location types of varying size, twenty-nine ghost types each with unique behaviors and evidence, and a progression system where players earn money to unlock and upgrade equipment. Virtual reality is optionally supported.
- Genre: Puzzle, Tactical, Indie
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation VR2, Windows Mixed Reality, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows), SteamVR, PlayStation 5, Oculus Rift
- Perspective: First person, Auditory, Virtual Reality
- Modes: Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative
- Release: 2020-09-18
- Publisher: Kinetic Games
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Age Rating:
- IGDB Rating: 68.0/100
