The game is a mix of cinematic platformer, pixel art, free-flow action combat and deep engaging dystopian story set in an alternative 1980’s. 

In and around Phoenix-City, Outlaws are rife in society. Everything is ruled by corruption and greed and the ones in power see humans and their organs as nothing more than just currency.

A Dark Alternative to the '80s We Know and Love

Most of us think of the '80s as a time of questionable hairstyles, boom boxes, glam rock and the birth of iconic games like Pac-Man and Tetris; a simpler time (albeit with more glitter). But what would the '80s have looked like in a past where the Trinity nuclear test in the '40s went wrong, causing a bomb to explode and resulting in national devastation? In Replaced, you get a glimpse into that world, where "Sweet Dreams" are for the sleeping and you "Stopped Believin'" a long time ago.

Bioengineering is Just the Beginning

Replaced is set almost 40 years after the nuclear explosion, in a walled fortress known as Phoenix-City ruled by the corrupt Phoenix Corp, a company founded on "matching" voluntary donors with greedy clients looking to upgrade their body parts. As time went on, they found that voluntary supply was falling behind demand and soon the richest clients could get their hands on anything while citizens started to go missing at an alarming rate. Vocal cords, legs, eyes, livers? No problem for the wealthy.

Originally planned for 2022, then delayed until 2023 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, pushed until 2024, moved into 2025, and now planned for Spring 2026.

Sad Cat Studios and Thunderful have today unveiled a new release window for their highly-anticipated sci-fi retro-futuristic action platformer, REPLACED. The game will be coming to PC and Xbox Series X|S in Spring 2026. The new release window has been revealed as part of a new development update video, where Sad Cat Studios talk through the game’s progress and give fans a look at behind-the-scenes footage showing the game’s evolution over the years.

“We know that our community is incredibly excited to play REPLACED and it’s no secret that it’s taken longer than we initially thought to deliver that to you all - we apologise for that,” said Game Director Yura Zhdanovich. “We’ve always been trying to do what’s right for the project, which in turn, means delivering to you a truly special experience. The good news is that we now are very close to finishing production and REPLACED will be coming to PC and Xbox Series X|S in Spring 2026.”

By the time people realized what was happening it was too late, Phoenix Corp was running the whole country, throwing the leftover and unwilling donors into the "disposal" areas outside the city walls to live as outlaws (the ones that survived that is). In the early days, the corporation started looking into AI and how this could help run their system more efficiently — and that's how the first prototypes for R.E.A.C.H, the main AI, were created.

Replaced is inspired by cyberpunk stylized films like Blade Runner 2049, Alien, and Upgrade. The pixel art style complements the '80s aesthetic while the free-flow action-inspired combat creates an exciting and immersive gaming experience with some unexpected twists in the storyline to keep players hooked.

Replaced is scheduled for release in 2024 on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam/Epic Games Store), while also being available through Xbox/PC Game Pass.