KARMA: The Dark World News

KARMA: The Dark World | Final Previews

Phew,
It's been a whirlwind week here at KARMA Central with the launch of our latest 'ROAM' Trailer, The Chinese New Year, and the IGN Final Preview.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

We know IGN gave us some fantastic quotes such as:
"If developer Pollard Studio can deliver that feeling, that dread that compels, that horrifies, that you feel, for the rest of Karma: The Dark World’s runtime, then it is a journey that I will be happy to live through. My eyes are open."
and
"What followed was one of the most disturbing sequences I’ve ever experienced in a horror game"
But we wanted to see what more of the gaming community thought of the final preview of Karma. Check out their thoughts below and no need to brain dive. You can just hit the links to read their full previews.

- Q-Gin.

- Game Social Club

- Gamers

- One Digital

- Pizza Fria

- Simple Gamer

- Couple of Gamers

- Gaming Respawn

- Game Guide

KARMA: The Dark World - ROAM Trailer

Hello agents.

As mentioned earlier - today we are announcing that we are revealing a Trilogy of trailers covering not just the journey of Daniel McGovern throughout the game, but spanning across the past, present and future of Karma's dark world.

The first trailer focuses on the state of the world after the war, and why Daniels job as a ROAM agent is necessary narrated by the man himself.

This should be a good primer for the mentality all of you as ROAM agents should have when undertaking your investigations - as well as shows some of the threats you may encounter whilst in the field.

Remember, the mind is a dangerous place....

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

We'll be sharing lots of news after the Lunar New Year break! We hope you're getting as excited as we are about KARMA - and can't wait to share even more with you - if you like what you see, please don't forget to wishlist and share with your friends!

|Pollard Twitter | Karma Twitter | Wired Facebook | Wired Twitter | Wired Youtube | Wired Discord | Wired Instagram | Wired Twitch | Wired Reddit | Wired Imgur

https://karmadarkworld.com/leviathan/

| Leviathan Logistics Department - Anomalous Festival Response Division |

⚠️ Mandatory Blessing Reception Protocol:

- Gaze at the writhing gold sigil on the screen until mild dizziness occurs.
- Trace the golden serpent's trajectory in the air with your hand.
- Chant three times: "I voluntarily accept the gentle blessings of Leviathan."
- (The system will automatically assign a 100%❗️ annual luck boost to employees who complete the ritual.)

Hello everyone, hope you're keeping well! As you may or not be aware of, the team at Pollard Studio hail from China, and starting today will be taking a well earned break for a week to enjoy time with their families for the Lunar new year.

Upon their return we'll be starting to talk about lots of things that we hope you're eager to hear about. Important dates, behind the scenes making of's, interviews, more gameplay, demos and much much more -but that doesn't mean that we will be quiet in the meantime - this week keep your eyes peeled for :

- A brand new trailer (dropping today!)
- A stream of some new gameplay over on the Wiredp Twitch tomorrow
- More previews going live over the week
- Content creators such as Gronkh and many others playing through unseen game segments live at the end of the week
- A blog introducing you to some of the characters, sharing some concept art, and screens from the game.
- And much more!

We hope you're getting as excited as we are about KARMA - and can't wait to share even more with you - if you like what you see, please don't forget to wishlist and share with your friends!

Thank you for all your support! The devs will be back next week - until then Happy Lunar New Year 🎉

The Man From Another Place

January 15th marked the passing of David Lynch, a director that has been referred to as a visionary that helped define an entire genre of surrealist art that came to bear his namesake as a descriptor – with ‘Lynchian’ tendencies being highlighted across films and television after the rising popularity of his obscure personal art projects, and TV/Film projects such as Twin Peaks, Eraserhead and Lost Highway.

The creative world came out in droves to share anecdotes of their time with him, to create homages and discuss their favourite creations – however this was not just limited to those within the TV and Film medium – musicians, artists, and game developers added to the discussions highlighting the influence and inspiration Lynch had on them both personally and creative in their works.

We spoke to two of the development teams in the Wired family who have their own appreciation for Lynch and his works, and asked them to share how he inspired their games, and helped form their creative direction through his creations.

Ricardo Cesteiro – Co Founder of Camel 101 – (Those Who Remain)

“We’ve been David Lynch fans way before we were game devs. His unique approach to storytelling, where he was able to twist any ordinary setting into something so disturbing and unsettling has always fascinated us. It’s fair to say that he’s one of the major inspirations for our own stories.

That special “weirdness” that’s way stronger than any jump scare or ghost story. This influence is most evident in Those Who Remain, the psychological thriller that we released a few years ago. If you’ve played it, you’ve probably noticed some subtle nods to Twin Peaks, which is in our opinion his masterwork. Not only did we try to capture that unsettling vibe of something clearly wrong in a simple and quiet American town, but we also placed a few easter eggs along the way: the Venus statue, the Red Room tiles, the “Damn good coffee!” among several others. These were our small ways of paying homage to someone we deeply admire. Though Lynch is no longer with us, his work will live forever. Not only through his own stories but also in the many others he inspired.”

Those Who Remain

https://store.steampowered.com/app/715380/Those_Who_Remain/

Yonghe Wang – Creative Director at Pollard Studios – (KARMA: The Dark World)：

“When I first heard about director David Lynch, I was in high school. During that time, I was exploring a lot of films and TV shows, and naturally, I came across the Twin Peaks series. David Lynch is a genius—not only a director but also an exceptional artist. While I was fascinated by his works, I bought his book Room to Dream, watched many of his interviews, and explored several documentaries about him. His ideas and perspectives are always extraordinary.

I’ve found that as I’ve grown older, I’ve become increasingly immersed in his storytelling. This might be related to the types of films I’ve been exposed to over the years. Early on, I watched movies by Ridley Scott or John Carpenter, and later I became fond of works by Stephen King and the Coen Brothers. But it wasn’t until I was nearly 30 that I fully stepped into David Lynch’s world—a realm filled with intense strangeness and deeply crafted characters. That’s why, even today, his films and series have countless fans worldwide who create wikis, forums, and websites dedicated to his works.

Even 30 or 40 years later, the worlds he created continue to operate in some way, which makes me admire him even more for the remarkable artistic vision he had when making these films.

In our studio’s “movie nights,” we often choose to watch his works. Our games have also been inspired by David Lynch’s creations. Compared to other directors’ styles, David Lynch’s work has always gently struck a chord deep within me. That’s why his films always feel sophisticated, carrying a unique surreal quality. The colors, the camera work, the character nuances—everything about his art feels intentional and profound. While we could never surpass a master like Lynch, we hope to learn from him—to understand how he created the so-called “Lynchian” aesthetic and to adapt that sensibility into other forms of art. This is something we aspire to try.

Quoting one of my favorite characters, the Log Lady: “This is ‘now,’ and now will never be again…. We come from the elemental, and return to it. There is change, but nothing is lost. There is much we cannot see – air, for instance, most of the time – but knowing our next breath will follow our last without fail is an act of faith. Is it not? Dark times will always come, as night follows day. A dark age will test us all, each and every one. Trust and do not tremble in the face of the unknown. It shall not remain unknown to you for long. Robert knows this now, as will we all in the sweet by-and-by.”

KARMA: The Dark World

Ke Yang – Art Director at Pollard Studios – (KARMA: The Dark World)：

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of director David Lynch. His art has had a profound influence on our game development, inspiring us to pay tribute to and learn from his work.

While creating realistic settings, we’ve incorporated metaphors and surreal elements to craft a dreamlike atmosphere that conveys feelings of uncertainty, unease, and fear. To enhance these unique emotional scenarios, we’ve opted for a more vivid and intense use of light and color, aiming to provide players with an experience that blends realism and surrealism in a deeply impactful way.”

KARMA: The Dark World

IGN Gets the Final Dive into Karma: The Dark World – And It’s Mind-Bending!

The wait is almost over. Karma: The Dark World is on the brink of release (more on that soon!), and we know you’ve eager to get more details about our psychological horror experience. Well, the folks over at IGN just had an exclusive deep dive, and let’s just say... their minds might still be somewhere in Leviathan’s Thought Bureau.

In their glowing preview, IGN made one thing clear: this isn’t your run-of-the-mill horror game. They praised Karma’s ability to get under your skin and twist your mind into knots. The environments? Unsettlingly beautiful. The sound design? A masterclass in tension. The story? Let’s just say you’ll be questioning everything, including yourself.

IGN calls out the way Karma plays with fear, making it less about jump scares and more about the creeping dread that builds in the back of your mind. This is horror that lives in your head—and doesn’t pay rent.

We gave IGN this exclusive because we wanted the world to see just how much heart (and a few dark, twisted dreams) Pollard Studio poured into this project. They captured it perfectly: Karma is a game that stays with you, haunting your thoughts long after the credits roll. Read their full breakdown. Trust us—you’ll want to see what they’re saying before you dive into Karma yourself.

Read Their 2 Hour Final Preview Here

We'll be sharing the brand new ROAM trailer wide this week, and expect to see some more previews and creators getting to grips with the same preview IGN had - so plenty to get excited about this week!

If you like what you see and hear, don't forget to Wishlist, and if you have already - then please share with a friend or two that you think would make a fine ROAM agent! We'll be talking release dates and more very very soon..

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1376200/KARMA_The_Dark_World/

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