Your goal is to lift an unnatural shroud of darkness that plagues the world. As you bound acrobatically through dense forests, you will hunt prey, discover ancient ruins, and form a deep bond with your eagle. But beware: dangerous spirits also lurk in the woods. If you aren’t careful, you may become the hunted yourself. Explore misty forests full of secrets, solve puzzles in ancient ruins, and test your skill in epic battles. The bond with your eagle and the fate of the world hang in the balance.

The Hunter is graceful and moves smoothly through the forest with the eagle flying close beside her. To let you truly feel the Hunter’s skill and agility, we took a unique approach to the design of our archery mechanics. We wanted to make cool trick shots effortless while you run, jump, and even glide with the help of your eagle. In many games, it’s difficult to run while also lining up shots, so they often turn on slow-motion while you are moving quickly and aiming. All I’ll say for now is that we found a different, simple solution that allows you to keep moving at full speed while shooting targets, pulling off cool chains of bullseyes as you navigate. It’s feeling really great to play.

The Pathless is now available for digital pre-order as a launch title for PlayStation 5, as well as PlayStation 4 via the PlayStation Store, for PC via the Epic Game Store and for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV via Apple Arcade.

Annapurna Interactive and Giant Squid Studios are teaming up with iam8bit to release two physical editions of The Pathless for PlayStation 5 on December 8. The Day One Edition will be available for pre-order at retailers around the world starting today, and the iam8bit Exclusive Edition is available for pre-order at iam8bit.com.

In early 2021, Annapurna Interactive, Giant Squid Studios, and iam8bit will also release a vinyl soundtrack for The Pathless, with music by Grammy-nominated composer Austin Wintory. With The Pathless, Wintory brings another wholly unique aural experience — encompassing both the wandering serenity of the game’s hunter hero and the epic encounters with the cursed island’s inhabitants. It’s a nuanced and dynamic career achievement for Wintory, encased in a beautifully illustrated jacket by Emmy-winning artist, Elaine Lee. It’s a symbolic album, too — harkening in the next generation of consoles with absolute grace.

“We love physical games and vinyl. They’re not just cherished collectibles, but also cultural and archival artifacts,” said Amanda White and Jon M. Gibson, co-owners and co-creative directors of iam8bit. “We’re thrilled to produce Annapurna Interactive and Giant Squid’s first PlayStation 5 Physical Edition.”

See details below for more information on The Pathless digital pre-orders, PS5 Physical Editions and vinyl soundtrack: 

The Pathless Digital Editions: 

• PS5 and PS4 available for pre-order via the PlayStation Store
  • Download the PS5 version of this game at no extra cost when you buy the digital PS4 version from PlayStation Store, and get a free download of the PS4 version when you buy the digital PS5 version.
• PC available for pre-order via the Epic Game Store
• iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV available on Apple Arcade
  • Apple Arcade subscribers can sign up to auto-download the game at launch.
  • Start a free 1-month trial of Arcade to play the full version of The Pathless at launch by visiting the Arcade tab on the App Store.

The Pathless PS5 Physical Editions: 

• iam8bit Exclusive Edition
  • PS5 ESRB physical edition
  • Includes 6 art cards, a poster and exclusive reversible cover art
  • Ships globally December 8
  • Available for pre-order at iam8bit.com
• Day One Edition
  • PS5 physical edition
  • Includes 6 art cards
  • Ships via retailers December 8 
  • Available for pre-order starting today at global retailers via Skybound Games

The Pathless Vinyl Soundtrack:

• 2xLP Gatefold Jacket 
• Cleansed Blue and Cursed Red Vinyl 
• Music by Grammy-Nominated Composer, Austin Wintory
• Album Art by Emmy Winner, Elaine Lee
• Mastered for Vinyl by Townsend Mastering
• Expected to ship globally early 2021
• Available for pre-order at iam8bit.com

Giant Squid games are defined by their powerful atmosphere, and by the emotional connection that it creates between the player and the world. When we were starting this project, I traveled to the pine and redwood forests of Oregon and Washington to feel that connection for myself. Those dense woods evoke the sense of being in an ancient world, lost in time. We are evolving the technology we used to make Abzû to recreate that mystical feeling in The Pathless, with an even bigger world full of history, secrets and beautiful spaces.

The Pathless is built on fluid movement, majestic environments and a connection with the natural world.

The Pathless is in development for PS4, PS5 and PC (Epic Game Store) and Apple Arcade, scheduled for November 12, 2020 (Nov. 19 in Europe).