- Solo developer Alp Arslan’s new game scheduled for official release on September 28
- A cyberpunk hacking RPG set in an abandoned communication network of the 90s
- A unique cyberpunk world encountered through retro communication networks and typed conversations
Indie developer Alp Arslan has unveiled key characters and design notes for his new cyberpunk hacking RPG , ‘Radiotext,’ to celebrate his participation in Steam Programming Fest.
‘Radiotext’ begins with a scene where a stranger hands you a USB drive. The USB contains ‘Radiotext,’ a long-abandoned 90s-style communication network, and the player travels between these forgotten channels to converse with the beings left behind within.
As the player interacts with a diverse range of characters, from friendly to broken and even dead, they become entangled in an uprising of cyber activists fighting against corporate power, and the story branches in multiple directions as they choose whether to side with them.
‘Radiotext’ is characterized as a text-based game centered on a retro terminal interface and a typing-based dialogue system. Rather than flashy graphics or sound effects, it emphasizes an immersive experience that allows players to focus on conversations and an atmosphere reminiscent of exploring an old communication network.
Stories and characters within the forgotten communication network
The game begins with receiving a USB memory stick from a stranger in a quiet alley. Inside is a long-abandoned 90s-style communication network called ‘Radiotext,’ and the player takes on the role of a rookie hacker exploring the forgotten channels.
Throughout the channels, there remain beings, each with their own story. In the process of conversing with them and uncovering the tales hidden within the communication network, you also come to join the uprising of ‘The Syndicate,’ a group of cyber activists fighting against corporate power.
This reveal introduced five key characters, including Sky, the leader of the Syndicate; Chrome, an independent hacker with legendary skills; RumoR, an information broker who buys and sells rumors; Radioman, a deceased scientist living as a consciousness inside a hard drive; and the Syndicate’s technical right-hand man.
Each character possesses a distinct narrative and purpose, and relationships evolve based on the player’s dialogue and choices. While trust can be built, situations can also lead to betrayal, so the story is expected to unfold in multiple branches centered around conversations with the characters.
Lightweight design and visuals/sound capturing retro vibes
‘Radiotext’ looks like 3D graphics on the surface, but it was actually built on a 2D engine. The developers explained that this allowed them to maintain 4K resolution and realistic environment rendering while reducing the game size and RAM/VRAM usage to about 200MB.
The retro terminal interface, typing-based gameplay, and matching sound effects also form the core atmosphere of the game. Screen colors and node placement can be freely changed, allowing players to customize the interface to their liking.
A Modding-Supported RPG Completed by a Solo Developer
Developer Alf Arslan has a history of winning the Silver ENNIE Award for ‘Best Adventure – Long Form’ with the tabletop RPG sourcebook ‘Historica Arcanum: Serenade for the Damned’.
‘Radiotext’ is the first major project developed by a single person over the past nine months. According to the Steam page, Alf Arslan is personally handling both development and publishing.
In particular, modding has been highlighted as one of the game’s key elements. Both the demo and the full version will provide modding guides and will support players in creating their own stories, NPCs, puzzles, and more.
An asynchronous multiplayer system that connects indirectly with other players has also been implemented. Inspired by the asynchronous elements of ‘Dark Souls’ or ‘Death Stranding’, this system features an in-game social media platform similar to X (formerly Twitter) where messages from other players and NPCs appear together.
Preparing for the official launch in late September while continuing demo updates
‘Radiotext’ has been undergoing continuous updates since its initial Steam demo was released in February 2026. Last May, asynchronous multiplayer and modding support were added.
Along with participating in the Steam Programming Fest, they announced that the official release date has been adjusted to September 28, two days earlier than originally planned. However, as of the time of writing, the Steam store page still displays September 30, so the actual release date needs to be confirmed through a future page update.
‘Radiotext’ is a text-based cyberpunk RPG set in the unique space of an old communication network, depicting trust and betrayal through branching dialogues and choices.
It offers a dense, self-contained story lasting about 3 to 4 hours with multiple endings, and is structured to allow for the addition of new content through in-game social media and modding after the official release.
Attention is focused on how much the short playtime can be extended through modding and asynchronous content, along with its unique retro cyberpunk atmosphere, and its trajectory after the official release.
Information related to ‘Radiotext’
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Alp Arslan |
| Publisher | Alp Arslan |
| Genre | Adventure, Indie, RPG (Text-based Cyberpunk Hacking RPG) |
| platform | PC (Steam) |
| Release date | September 28, 2026 / Listed as September 30 on the Steam store page, verification needed) |
| language | Supports English (interface, voice, subtitles) and Turkish (interface, subtitles). |
| Reactions/Evaluations | Steam user reviews not yet compiled as it is prior to the official release |
| Steam Page | Shortcut |
