Styx: Shards of Darkness News

[p][/p][p]Hey folks,
[/p][p]Cyanide here, we’re thrilled to finally let you sneak your way into Styx: Blades of Greed with a brand-new playable demo on Steam! This is a limited-time demo (yep, it won’t be around forever), so if you’re itching to sharpen your knives and your wits, now is the perfect moment to jump in.[/p][p][/p][p]Oh, and one more thing before we get into the details:[/p][h3]The demo is available… right now![/h3][p][/p][p]TRAILER[/p][h2]
What's in the demo?[/h2][p]This demo gives you access to the very beginning of the game![/p][p]From there, Styx goes back to doing what he does best: slipping through shadows, breaking into places he shouldn’t, and stealing things that definitely don’t belong to him.[/p][p][/p][p]You’ll get to experience:[/p]

• [p]The infiltration inside a massive golem attacking Styx to destroy it from the inside, a perfect introduction and tutorial to Styx’s new tricks[/p]
• [p]Styx’s first real mission, a high-risk zeppelin theft under the ever-watchful eye of the Inquisition in the first open environment of the game, The Wall[/p]

[p][/p][p]It’s a focused taste of the tone, systems, and level of freedom we’re building into the full experience, just enough to get you into trouble, and hopefully out of it.[/p][h2]
Keep your progress in the full game
[/h2][p]Good news! Your save from the demo will be fully compatible with the base game on February 19th!
[/p][p]So if you fall in love with the smell of fresh loot and lurking in the shadows, you’ll be able to pick up your adventure right where you left off when the game launches, no need to start over.
[/p][h2] What will be in the full game beyond the demo?
[/h2][p]The demo is just the opening chapter of Styx’s new adventure, roughly an hour of gameplay but if you want to poke around, and test every shadow you’ll spend way more time in the demo. Naturally, this slice doesn’t contain everything the full experience has to offer.
[/p][p]Since it’s the very beginning of the game, some tools and systems are still out of reach here. You won’t, for example, get your hands on the glider or the grappling hook yet… and that’s on purpose. We’d rather let you discover the full extent of Styx’s tricks, powers, and playgrounds in the final game instead of spoiling them in the demo.
[/p][p]Consider this demo a taste of what’s to come, just enough to whet your appetite, and get you hungry for the full menu.
[/p][p]The full game will include:[/p]

• [p]Three large, open environments to explore and infiltrate in your own way. You'll discover brand new areas of The Wall as you unlock your new tools. You'll be sneaking through the vile orc nest of Turquoise Dawn and the rotting Ruins of Akenash, a twisted version of Styx: Master of Shadows world.[/p]
• [p]Movement tools to unlock new routes and unreachable areas, such as the grappling hook and glider[/p]
• [p]Unlock more upgrades for your tools and powers[/p]
• [p]New Quartz powers, including mind control and time shifting[/p]
• [p]New enemy factions with their own gameplay specificities, including Inquisitors, Orcs, or Elves[/p]
• [p]And above all: fresh infiltration challenges, a full liberty to design your own approaches, and situations to outsmart with Styx’s trademark creativity (and bad attitude)[/p]

[h2]Pre-order now![/h2][p][/p][p]You can pre-order the game right now and secure exclusive content to be ready for the next Styx's adventure![/p][p][/p][p]https://www.nacongaming.com/en-US/styx-blades-of-greed[/p][p][/p][p]Pre-order the standard edition and unlock the Master of Shadow skin, inspired by Styx: Master of Shadows.
[/p][p][/p][p]You can also pre-order the Quartz Edition (Deluxe Edition). It gives you even more to start your adventure in style:[/p]

• [p]Additional outfits including several skins based on Styx greed for Quartz, Amber and Gold and iconic outfits from Styx: Shards of Darkness[/p]
• [p]Exclusive dagger skins[/p]
• [p]Additional taunts to lure enemies[/p]
• [p]A starter pack with 2 skill points and crafting materials[/p]
• [p]48 hours early unlock to the game when pre-ordered[/p]

[p]https://www.nacongaming.com/en-US/styx-blades-of-greed[/p][p]Sharpen your blades, plan your infiltration, and get ready to steal everything in your path.[/p][p][/p][h2]A word from the team[/h2][p][/p][p]We’re extremely proud to finally share with you a first glimpse of the final game, coming in a little over a month. This demo is a real milestone for the whole team: the result of years of work on the project, and the long-awaited return of a flagship franchise after almost nine years.[/p][p][/p][p]To everyone who decides to give the demo a try: thank you. Your time, your feedback, and simply your curiosity mean a lot to the team. Seeing players back in Styx’s world after all this time is incredibly rewarding.[/p][p]
That said… our work isn’t completely over yet. The final game is coming very soon, and we’re giving it its last finishing touches. In the meantime, it’s still the perfect moment to pre-order the game!

[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]We’ve had a lot of fun crafting this slice of the game, and we’re excited to finally put it in your sneaky hands. Now go make a mess of carefully guarded places. Quietly… or not. You are choosing your path!
[/p][p]See you in the shadows,[/p][p]The Cyanide Team[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]https://discord.gg/ctqYDp3kzP[/p][h2]Styx's socials:[/h2][p]X (Twitter) Facebook BlueSky Reddit Discord[/p][h2]Cyanide socials:[/h2][p]X (Twitter) Facebook BlueSky TikTok Instagram
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[p]Oi, oi, oi!

Happy New Year… or whatever disaster you’ve stumbled into so far. Don’t panic, I’m here to make it worse and better at the same time!

To mark the occasion, a brand-new 10-minute gameplay trailer of Styx: Blades of Greed is out! Yes, TEN minutes of me being amazing. As usual.[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]
Come watch how a real professional works in the shadows. Take notes, not that it’ll help. You’ll still be loud, clumsy, and bad at it… but hey, at least you’ll fail with style.[/p][p][/p][p]Oh, and before you scurry off:[/p][p]Add Styx: Blades of Greed to your wishlist.
It makes numbers go up and humans happy. For some reason that helps me too.[/p][p]
[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]https://discord.gg/ctqYDp3kzP[/p][h2]Styx's socials:[/h2][p]X (Twitter) Facebook BlueSky Reddit Discord[/p][h2]Cyanide socials:[/h2][p]X (Twitter) Facebook BlueSky TikTok Instagram
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[p][/p][p][/p][p]Hey everyone, Cyanide here!

A few days ago, we hosted a Q&A session on Discord (join us), giving you the opportunity to ask us anything about Styx: Blades of Greed. From development workflow to gameplay choices and narrative direction, here’s our answers to some of your questions.

Just a quick note before we dive in: if your question wasn’t selected, it’s simply because we didn’t have time to answer everyone. We picked the questions we felt were the most relevant to share with you, and for some topics, we also chose not to reveal everything just yet, no spoilers![/p][p]
Now, let’s get into your questions![/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][h2]Development & Workflow[/h2][p][/p][h3]Question: How was the development workflow? Was there any crunch at Cyanide?[/h3][p]Answer: Development on Styx: Blades of Greed started in early 2021 with a prototyping phase. At that point, we focused on defining the 3Cs (Character, Controls, Camera), along with Styx’s new movement tools and abilities. We also spent a lot of time testing our new open environments to make sure they were feasible within the project’s scope and technical constraints.
[/p][p]It took some time to find the right balance, both creatively and technically. But the team stayed highly motivated throughout the project, and by regularly refocusing and adjusting the scope, we managed to stay on track, without going through sustained crunch periods.[/p][p]
[/p][h2]Gameplay & Mechanics[/h2][p][/p][h3]Q: What part of the game are you most proud of?[/h3][p]A: We’re especially proud of how smooth Styx feels to control compared to previous games. His new traversal tools, like the grappling hook and the glider, give you much more freedom, whether you’re exploring the world or approaching stealth situations in creative ways. We really hope you’ll enjoy playing with all of that as much as we enjoyed building it.[/p][p][/p][h3]Q: Why move toward vast, open environments?[/h3][p]A: As soon as we prototyped the grappling hook and glider, it became clear that larger, more open environments were the best way to showcase these abilities. This approach also allowed us to push verticality even further than in previous Styx games.[/p][p][/p][h3]Q: Will there be co-op?[/h3][p]A: No. We made a deliberate choice to focus entirely on a solo experience, in line with Styx: Master of Shadows. This allowed us to fully concentrate on level design, pacing, and stealth systems built specifically for a single player.[/p][p][/p][h3]Q: Will the comedic death screens from Shards of Darkness return as an option?[/h3][p]A: While we know some players enjoyed them, we felt they became repetitive over time and a bit intrusive. Because of that, we decided not to bring them back for this new adventure.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Narrative & Writing[/h2][h3]
Q: Was generative AI used for the story or dialogues?[/h3][p]A: No, we didn’t use generative AI at any point during development. All of the narrative and dialogue were written by our writers, and everything in the game is handcrafted, from concept art and voice acting to code, animations, assets, and motion capture.[/p][p][/p][h3]Q: Why make a third Styx game?[/h3][p]A: After working on other projects and prototypes, we realized just how much we missed our favorite goblin. It felt like the right time to come back to Styx, pick up the story right after Shards of Darkness, and start building stronger connections with Of Orcs and Men.[/p][p][/p][h3]Q: Does the new crew influence Styx’s character growth?[/h3][p]A: Yes, definitely. Over the course of the game, Styx gradually starts to change, moving away from being purely selfish and getting closer to the version players might remember from Of Orcs and Men, when he becomes part of the Black Hand.
[/p][h3]Q: Will the story connect more directly to Of Orcs and Men?[/h3][p]A: Yes, that’s clearly the direction we’re heading in. Blades of Greed acts as the missing link between Shards of Darkness and Of Orcs and Men, and marks the beginning of the Great War. We don’t want to spoil too much, but this chapter plays a key role in tying everything together.[/p][p][/p][h3]Q: Will we learn more about Styx’s past?[/h3][p]A: Yes, that’s definitely the direction we’re heading in. We don’t want to spoil too much just yet, but you’ll start seeing those connections take shape as the story unfolds.[/p][p][/p][h3]Q: Does the game continue directly after Shards of Darkness?[/h3][p]A: Absolutely! The adventure begins right after the cliffhanger ending of Shards of Darkness. Quite literally.[/p][p][/p][h2]Content, Length & Release[/h2][p][/p][h3]Q: The game was postponed, what improvements were made?[/h3][p]A: We took the time to carefully read your feedback from the playtests, Discord, and our social media channels. Based on that, we decided to push the release back by a few months so we could improve several aspects of the game. The extra development time was mainly spent on polishing the experience, improving lighting, and optimizing the project to deliver a smoother and more refined adventure.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Q: How long is the game?[/h3][p]A: That really depends on how you play, but on average, you can expect around 20 hours of gameplay in traight line, but way more if you want to 100% the game.[/p][h3]
Q: Will there be a physical PC edition?[/h3][p]A: No. Physical PC releases have become quite rare, and many retailers no longer carry PC games. While Nacon still offers physical editions on consoles, PC physical versions just aren’t really relevant anymore.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]Thanks again to everyone who took part in the Q&A and shared their questions with us. Your curiosity and feedback mean a lot to the team, and we love seeing how engaged you are with Styx and his world.
[/p][p]On behalf of the entire team, we’d also like to wish you all wonderful winter holidays. Take care, enjoy the end of the year.

We’ll be answering more of your questions as we get closer to the launch of Styx: Blades of Greed, so stay tuned over the next couple of months, and, as always, keep an eye on the shadows.[/p][p][/p][p]OH, and before we leave, Styx has opened his own TikTok account!
Follow him here: https://www.tiktok.com/@styxvideogame[/p][p][/p][p]
Cyanide_[/p][hr][/hr][p]https://discord.gg/ctqYDp3kzP[/p][h2]Styx's socials:[/h2][p]X (Twitter) Facebook BlueSky Reddit Discord[/p][h2]Cyanide socials:[/h2][p]X (Twitter) Facebook BlueSky TikTok Instagram
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[p]The softskins at NACON and Cyanide told me I had to “announce” something, so here it is: Styx: Blades of Greed is now sneaking its way to you on February 19, 2026.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p] Yeah, yeah, I know, waiting isn’t your favorite thing. Mine either. (Unless I’m waiting in the dark to stab someone, of course)[/p][p][/p][p]The devs are taking a few extra months to polish everything up, tweak the bits that need tweaking, and make sure my grand return is as glorious (and chaotic) as it deserves to be.[/p][p]A much more sharper adventure. One worthy of slipping back into my slightly grimy, perfectly stylish boots.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Thanks for sticking around (I’ll only say it once)[/p][p]See you in the shadows, try not to trip over anything.

The One and only Styx_[/p][hr][/hr][p]https://discord.gg/ctqYDp3kzP[/p][h2]Styx's socials:[/h2][p]X (Twitter) Facebook BlueSky Reddit Discord[/p][h2]Cyanide socials:[/h2][p]X (Twitter) Facebook BlueSky TikTok Instagram
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[p][/p][p][/p][p]Cyanide here again! Last time, we introduced you to the “Intelligent” enemies, those who plan, coordinate, and work in teams.

Now we’re going deeper, into the wild and the weird. Down here, there’s no strategy, no logic, just hunger and instinct. Let’s just say… we’re not in Kansas anymore.

Welcome to the “Beast” archetypes of Styx: Blades of Greed, crawling horrors, deranged goblins, and corrupted elves. And as a certain guy who wrote about a sand planet and a lot of spice once said: “Fear is the mind-killer.”
[/p][p]Let’s dive in!
[/p][p]⚠️ Warning! ⚠️
If you want to keep the surprises intact, stop reading now and go back into hiding.
For everyone else: grab a coffee, sheath your daggers, and let us introduce the factions and creatures Styx will need to avoid, stab, or blow to pieces.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Now for the more… instinct-driven creatures.[/p][p][/p][p]Styx: Blades of Greed isn’t limited to well-equipped soldiers and armored fanatics. Beneath the citadels and in the darkest corners lurk far more primitive creatures. Blind, hungry, or driven mad by Amber, they act on instinct, and on the slightest scent of goblin.

Goblins, Amber-starved Elves, and the Roachs belong to the “Beast” archetype. They don’t think much, don’t really communicate, but they react instantly to the slightest noise or movement, and share their agitation among themselves.

No tactics here: just reflexes, rage, and raw aggression.
Pure, chaotic madness, the perfect playground for a trickster like Styx.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]The Roaches[/h2][p]Completely blind yet gifted with an uncanny sense of hearing, these creatures hunt by sound alone. In their world, the faintest step or breath can mean death.

Stealth isn’t optional, it’s survival.[/p]

• [p]The basic Roachs are fast and vicious, charging at anything that moves to sink their razor-sharp mandibles into flesh. When their prey is out of reach, they spit acid. Rude, but disturbingly effective.[/p]

• [p]Brood Females are slow but armored. Fortunately, there is a weak point, somewhere… not that they’ll let you get there easily. Don’t turn your back, or they’ll spit acid, or lay hatchlings to chase you down.[/p]
• [p]The armored Roaches? Almost indestructible. You’ll need brains, not brawn, to deal with them.[/p]
• [p]Even their eggs are a threat: dormant until disturbed, they hatch the moment an intruder approaches. We won’t spoil what happens next… let’s just say curiosity isn’t always a virtue down here.[/p]
• [p]And as for what lurks deeper…well, some secrets are best experienced firsthand.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Goblins[/h2][p]Ah, goblins… Styx’s so-called “relatives”, born of Amber after the fall of Akenash, but without his charm or wit.[/p]

• [p]The basic Goblins are weak and erratic, but surprisingly nimble. Their clumsy swipes may not do much damage, yet their instinct to dodge makes them annoyingly hard to hit.
  [/p]
• [p]The Unstable ones are worse, living time bombs that explode in a toxic cloud the moment they die. Get too close, and you’ll regret it.
  [/p]
• [p]And the stealth Goblins? They know the value of patience. Invisible until they strike, they’ve turned ambush into an art form.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][h2]Altered Elves[/h2][p]Once proud devotees of Amber, the altered Elves have long since fallen into decay.

Their obsession with the substance that once granted them power has twisted both body and mind, leaving only pale reflections of the noble beings they used to be.

The Altered Elves have lost their grace and sanity, but not their hunger.

Their bodies are frail, their minds shattered, but they can sense a goblin infused with Amber from afar, and when they do, they won’t stop hunting until one of them falls.
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Environmental Dangers[/h2][p]As if the beasts weren’t enough, nature itself seems determined to kill Styx.[/p][p]Spores release clouds of poison when disturbed, and swarms of insects will force you to run for your life, unless you find refuge near certain fungi that drive them away.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p]And there you have it! A tour of everything trying to kill Styx in Blades of Greed!

Overzealous guards, fanatics with magic toys, half-burnt goblin cousins… and those lovely beasts that explode or lay eggs everywhere. A true paradise for chaos lovers!

They all have one goal: Styx’s head. Spoiler: they won’t get it!

Well… that’s up to you.

If you know Styx, you know he never goes down without a fight. Whether it’s stabbing, trapping, poisoning, or mocking, he’ll always find a way to survive, and brag about it afterwards.

What’s next? Let’s just say we’ll have some news to share about Styx: Blades of Greed’s release date soon.

Stay sharp, and see you in the shadows!

Cyanide team_[/p][hr][/hr][p] https://discord.gg/ctqYDp3kzP[/p][h2]Styx's socials:[/h2][p]X (Twitter) Facebook BlueSky Reddit Discord[/p][h2]Cyanide socials:[/h2][p]X (Twitter) Facebook BlueSky TikTok Instagram
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