- A hand-drawn mystery adventure with a unique structure where memories and space change every time a question is asked.
- First gameplay reveal at the Indie Arena booth at Gamescom 2026, available to add to wishlist
ROTxBLAU, an indie developer based in Leipzig, Germany, announced that it will release the mystery thriller adventure game ‘Grandma (88)’ on Steam in the second half of this year.
Grandma (88) is a hand-drawn style mystery thriller adventure in which a granddaughter visits her grandmother who is on her deathbed and tracks down a long-hidden family secret. The game is characterized by a unique structure in which the player and the narrator confront each other, rather than simply following the story.
A narrator who deceives the player, and a grandmother who manipulates the world within memories.
In the game, the grandmother is not merely a narrator telling the past. She appears as a figure who actively hinders the player by directly creating the world they explore, manipulating memories, and concealing dark family secrets dating back to the Nazi era.
The player must explore the grandmother’s memories to find the truth, solve puzzles, and constantly doubt whether her words are true. The core of the game lies in the process of choosing when to refute and when to believe.
In particular, whenever questions are raised about the grandmother’s testimony, the structure of the room, the passageways, and the locations of clues change; instead of new facts being revealed, another truth is concealed. As one delves deeper into the memories, contradictions within the grandmother’s story gradually come to light, revealing that the family’s secret is connected to the history of the Nazi era.
Fear stemming from silence and intimacy, atmospheric pixel art
Grandma (88) maximizes psychological tension through hand-drawn pixel art and delicate sound design.
Horror stems not from sudden dramatic sequences, but from the intimacy and silence within the family, as well as from stories created to hide or distort the past. By weaving repressed memories, family myths, and generational trauma into the gameplay, it creates a unique atmosphere where warm graphics contrast with heavy themes.
‘Trust’ is the key to unlocking the truth
The core system of the game is ‘trust’. If the player pushes the grandmother too hard, she will get angry or shut down completely. Conversely, if the player approaches her too cautiously, the relationship can be maintained, but the player ends up in a situation where they cannot get closer to the truth.
As such, the grandmother is a figure who leads the player while simultaneously deceiving them and sometimes leading them away from the truth. She acts as both a narrator and an enemy, and depending on the situation, becomes an ally, displaying various reactions based on the player’s choices.
Historical verification in collaboration with the Holocaust Memory Foundation
Alexander Chenker, co-founder and creative director of ROTxBLAU, stated, “Grandma (88) started from questions about our own families and long-unspoken gaps, contradictions, and hidden stories.”
He also explained, “I wanted to explore the moment of gradually realizing that something is wrong while listening to the story of a loved one,” adding, “During the development process, to avoid remaining confined to our own perspective, we also investigated the stories of various people who have experienced family secrets, silence, and repressed memories.”
The development team added that they collaborated with a historical advisory board, including the Memorial for Victims of ‘Euthanasia’ in Brandenburg an der Havel, to carefully and authentically capture the historical background and context of the work.
Leipzig-Filled Indie Studio Unveils First Demo at Gamescom 2026
ROTxBLAU is an indie studio in Leipzig, Germany, co-founded in 2020 by Richard Minkus, Michael Zöller, and Alexander Chenker.
We have been producing emotionally-driven works that combine experimental game design and hand-drawn visuals, and ‘Grandma (88)’ is the studio’s first original narrative project.
Although the game is still in the pre-release stage with no sales metrics or user reviews available, a playable demo will be showcased for the first time at the Indie Arena booth at Gamescom 2026. During the event, developer interviews and hands-on sessions for media and creators will also be held.
Information related to ‘Grandma(88)’
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | ROTxBLAU (Leipzig, Germany) |
| Publisher | ROTxBLAU (Self-publishing) |
| Genre | Mystery Thriller Adventure / Psychological Horror |
| Release platform | PC (Steam) |
| Scheduled for release | second half of 2026 |
| First reveal | Gamescom 2026 Indie Arena Booth (Play Demo) |
| core system | Player vs. Narrator mechanics, trust resource management, a non-linear world that changes based on memory |
| establishment | 2020 (Richard Minkus, Michael Söller, Alexander Chenker) |
| Steam Page | Shortcut |
