Quarantine Zone: The Last Check, a survival simulation game developed by Brigada Games from Ukraine and published by Devolver Digital, was officially released on Steam on January 12th. The game has been a hot topic, with over 1.3 million Steam wishlists even before its release, over 2 million downloads since the demo version was released in May of last year, and over 200 million cumulative views on YouTube and TikTok combined, establishing itself as the most notable indie game of the first half of 2026.
A moral test combining brutal choices and black comedy.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check is set in a zombie apocalypse, where players assume the role of a checkpoint officer heading to humanity’s final safe haven, determining the fate of survivors. Their primary mission is to screen survivors, manage limited resources, and make moral decisions about who can and cannot enter the safe zone.
Key gameplay features
Scanning System : Gamers will use advanced scanning tools to detect signs of infection in survivors. A new portable X-ray machine can be used to examine internal organs or check for contraband, while the Metiascope can be used to examine eyes for signs of the virus. A new feature has also been added: a medical reflex hammer to test healthy reflexes.
Base Management : As your survivor population grows, you’ll need to provide essentials like power, food, and medicine. A new bird’s-eye view interface lets you manage all your resources at a glance.
Defense System : When the alarm sounds, you must pilot an armed drone to prevent the infected from entering the facility. As the game progresses, more tense situations arise, such as zombies falling from the roof.
Laboratory System : Survivors with unclear symptoms can be tested in the laboratory to discover new dangerous signs of the virus.
Zombie Exploitation : After trapping survivors who have been turned into zombies in the quarantine, harvest and prepare their samples to receive new tools, staff experience, and organ upgrades as rewards.
Brigada Games: Transitioning from Outsourcing to In-House Game Development
Founded in Ukraine in 2017, Brigada Games initially specialized in outsourcing the porting and optimization of other developers’ games to mobile platforms (iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch), leveraging its deep technical expertise in Unreal Engine 4 and 5. Their technical expertise has been recognized through collaborations with major game companies like Wargaming.
However, with contracts slashed by 40% in 2023 due to a wave of cost-cutting across the gaming industry, the studio decided on a strategic shift. Under the leadership of CEO and co-founder Stas Starykh, Brigada Games ventured into in-house game development for the first time, resulting in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check.
Starykh, drawing on his experience as a sales champion at IBM, applied his unique business acumen to game development. He told PC Gamer that this project marked a turning point for the studio. Despite an initial marketing budget of just $700, he successfully built a buzz by designing an open system that allowed streamers and viewers to participate.
The studio is currently headquartered in Yerevan, Armenia, with a team spread across several countries, including France, Cyprus, and Turkey. Quarantine Zone: The Last Check is Brigada Games’ first in-house developed game and its most ambitious project to date, aiming to provide players with an immersive experience that combines simulation, base management, and moral choice.
Also available on Xbox Game Pass, with no console plans, prioritizing the optimized PC version
The game was surprisingly announced on launch day that it would be available on Xbox Game Pass PC. The official Xbox Game Pass account announced the news late Friday, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be able to play the game at no additional cost. The game will be released exclusively on Steam for $19.99 (approximately 27,000 won), and there are currently no specific console versions planned, with the optimized PC version being the priority.
To celebrate the launch, the developers and Devolver Digital are hosting a special raffle on Discord. One winner will receive a master key granting access to all past, present, and future Devolver Digital games.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check, the debut title from Brigada Games, promises to deliver a unique experience combining tense decision-making, resource management, and moral dilemmas. A free demo is currently available for download on Steam.
What about Ukrainian developer Brigada Games?
Founded in 2017, this game development studio initially began as an outsourced production company specializing in technical support and porting based on the Unreal Engine (UE4/5). While originally a Russian-based development team, they have since expanded their operations to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Armenia, and Georgia. Their debut game, “Quarantine Zone: The Last Check,” is considered a candidate for the biggest indie hit of 2026, and their Steam page also reveals that they are preparing their next project, “Alchemist Historical Simulator.”
| division | Key Contents |
| Studio name | Brigada Games |
| Representative and Director | Stas Starykh |
| Year of establishment | 2017 |
| scale | About 10 people (as of 2025) |
| Key milestones | • 2017: Establishment of Brigada Games development studio • May 2025: ‘Quarantine Zone: The Last Check’ DEMO launch • January 2026: Quarantine Zone: The Last Check Officially Launches |
| Official website | https://brigada.games/ |
| Official Trailer | [Quarantine Zone: The Last Check] Official Gameplay Trailer |
| Steam Store Page | [Quarantine Zone: The Last Check] Steam Store |
