- New release from Vipin Beats, developers of Dom Keeper: A unique survival game where you fight with melodies instead of guns
- A highly anticipated indie game that seamlessly combines open-world exploration, auto-combat, and music arrangements.
Bippinbits, an indie developer based in Dresden, Germany, has launched an open playtest for its new music-based horde survival game, Bandwagon. The test will run from July 21 to August 3, and anyone can apply to participate via the Steam page.
Bandwagon is a work that depicts the journey of a band leader named Drumbo as he travels the world, recruiting animal musicians and changing the world through music. It is set in an animal kingdom afflicted with “Grumpiness” due to the influence of the Grumpy King.
The player explores the open world, discovers unique characters to join the band, and adds new instruments to complete their own distinctive sound. The core objective of the game is to use this music to move even the most stubborn beings in the world.
A survival game filled with musical notes instead of guns… No repetition of the same combinations
The most distinctive feature of Bandwagon is that it follows the conventions of the familiar ‘Survivors’ genre but replaces the means of attack with music. Players must discover new band members hidden throughout the forests, hills, and villages, and combine them to build their own unique ‘signature sound’.
In particular, a procedural generation system was brought to the forefront to ensure sound diversity. Completely different music is realized in real-time depending on the combination of characters and instruments, characterized by providing virtually infinite variations in gameplay.
The combat is also unique. Without any separate input, battles unfold automatically based on the members and upgrades selected by the player. In this process, the battle composition becomes the musical arrangement, and consequently, the gameplay itself is embodied in music. The structure is such that even when playing the same stage, you will hear a completely different song depending on the build.
A charming open world and a ‘healing’-like atmosphere catch the eye
Bandwagon was first unveiled at the ‘Convergence Game Showcase’ on July 20 and was also introduced at the ‘Games Made in Germany’ showcase. The world, featuring warm-colored forests and villages blended with unique animal characters, focuses on exploration, interaction, and the joy of music rather than combat-centered tension.
Overseas media outlet GamingOnLinux evaluated Bandwagon as fresh for breaking away from the conventional formula of simply defeating enemies and providing an open-world vibe where players run around with characters and create music.
Meanwhile, the game underwent several changes to arrive at its current name, ‘Bandwagon’. It was initially unveiled as ‘Making Friends’, then went through ‘Band Together’, and finally settled on its current name.
The developer emphasized that while the term “bandwagon” could be misunderstood as meaning “riding the wave,” the actual game is a work with its own rhythm and direction.
A German studio that started at a game jam and established itself as ‘Dome Keeper’
Vipin Witz, the developer, is a talented German indie studio that grew based on the game jam culture. They have garnered attention in the indie scene by consistently showcasing original works that combine experimental ideas with high-quality gameplay.
Their flagship title, ‘Dome Keeper,’ originated from ‘Dome Romantik,’ an entry in the 2021 Ludum der Game Jam, and was officially released in 2022. It has solidified its position in the indie market by recording over 20,000 user reviews on Steam and receiving stable ratings, including a Metacritic score of 76 and a PC Gamer score of 80.
Vipin Witz is also reportedly developing another new sci-fi simulation game, ‘PVKK’, in collaboration with Bandwagon.
Release date still TBD… Reactions from the playtest first
The official release date for Bandwagon has not yet been announced. Currently, you can add it to your wishlist and apply to participate in the playtest via the Steam page.
Although there are no official reviews or sales data yet, the overall reaction from overseas indie game communities and media has been generally positive since the trailer was released. In particular, expectations for the developer’s next move are also growing, given that the game attempts a genre and atmosphere completely different from ‘The Dome Keeper’.
Information regarding ‘Bandwagon’
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Bippinbits (Dresden, Germany) |
| Publisher | Bippinbits (Self-publishing) |
| Genre | Musical Survivors Light / Open World Adventure |
| Release platform | PC (Steam) |
| Release date | Undetermined (Can be added to wishlist) |
| Playtest period | July 21, 2026 – August 3 |
| Previous game name | Making Friends → Band Together → Bandwagon |
| Developer’s previous work | Dome Keeper (2022, Published by Raw Fury, Metacritic 76) |
| core system | Recruiting animal band members, procedural music generation, open world exploration, purifying grumpy monsters |
| Steam Page | Shortcut |
