- Canadian Two-Person Development Studio Fenix Digital Opens Steam Wishlist Along with New Game Announcement
- The rich who left for Mars, a survival drama unfolding in a future New York dominated by criminal organizations
- A demo is scheduled to be released on Steam in early August… Its unique banknote identification system is attracting attention from international media.
Fenyx Digital, a two-person developer from Ontario, Canada, has unveiled a new pixel art narrative game called ‘The Money Man’ .
“The Money Man,” currently under development by Sava Beric and Ahmed Inhaam, is a dystopian strategy simulation where the story changes depending on your choices.
Players work as a money detector for a criminal organization in a closed-off future New York, finding counterfeit money and making repeated choices to survive. A playable demo is scheduled to be released on Steam in early August.
Future New York, which became a crime city after the wealthy left.
The setting of ‘The Money Man’ is New York, 100 years after the wealthy have all left for the Martian colony. The abandoned city has fallen into decline while under lockdown, and each borough has turned into a lawless zone dominated by brutal criminal organizations.
The player finds themselves in a situation where they suddenly need a large sum of money for a loved one and makes a deal with a criminal organization. Afterwards, they work as the organization’s banknote detector in the back room of a speakeasy until they pay off all their debts.
However, just 11 days after starting work, as exchanges with Mars resume, a new, unidentified currency flows into the city. If the counterfeit money is not properly identified, it could be the player themselves or someone they cherish who ends up in danger.
The tension of detecting counterfeit money with scanners and UV lights
The core of the game is to identify the money brought by debtors who visit every day. Real money must be stored in a safe, and counterfeit bills must be filtered out; the player must bear full responsibility for any mistakes.
To do this, one must utilize the various identification tools placed on the desk. One can check serial numbers and portraits with a scanner and examine hidden elements by alternating between UV and standard lighting. A process has also been established to determine the authenticity of suspicious banknotes by comparing them with notebooks and ledgers.
Between shifts, you can freely roam the inside of the speakeasy, conversing with guests or gathering rumors. The information obtained in this way serves as an important clue to identify lying guests or suspicious individuals.
The player is given 31 days. Every day, you must choose who to let go and who to drive to ruin, and these decisions accumulate to lead to one of nine different endings. Even a small choice—such as whether to remain loyal to the organization to the end, become a police informant, or attempt to escape to Mars—changes the conclusion of the story.
Dystopian noir completed with pixel art
‘The Money Man’ utilized the unique atmosphere of pixel art to express the gloomy noir sensibility of a fallen future New York.
The dark speakeasy back room, the scanner illuminating the desk, and the UV lighting combine with the unique subject matter of counterfeit money detection to maximize the game’s tension. Another feature is that the narrative depth is added as the backstories of various characters—including police officers, drug addicts, and families trying to pay off debts—intertwine beyond simply inspecting banknotes.
The demo, set to be released in early August, is structured as a prequel covering the story prior to the main game. It will feature independent branching storylines and moral dilemmas, allowing players to familiarize themselves with the banknote identification system while also experiencing the tension of facing desperate debtors.
A studio created by two longtime friends with 5 years of experience.
Fenix Digital is an indie studio founded by two longtime friends with over five years of development experience.
The development team aims to create a world and narrative that will be remembered long after the game ends, and ‘The Money Man’ also aims for a narrative experience centered on choices and human dilemmas.
‘The Money Man’ was introduced through various overseas gaming media, including Italy and Brazil, immediately after its release on July 23.
The media focused on the unique subject matter of counterfeit money detection, the investigation system utilizing various tools, and the choice-based narrative featuring nine branching endings.
The developer is currently operating a community through the official Discord, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok, along with registration on the Steam Wishlist. They are also accepting applications for a pre-playtest from interested users, and the demo set to be released in early August is expected to serve as an important stage to gauge user reactions.
Information regarding ‘The Money Man’
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Fenyx Digital (Ontario, Canada) |
| Genre | Dystopian Noir Adventure / Choice-based Strategy Simulation |
| Release platform | PC (Steam) |
| Announcement date | July 23, 2026 |
| Demo scheduled for release | Early August 2026 |
| Official release date | Undecided |
| Number of endings | 9 types |
| Play period (in-game) | 31st |
| Official Channel | Discord, X, TikTok |
| Steam Page | Shortcut |
