Izanagi Games and Good Smile Company have officially announced Dark Auction’s Western release, scheduled for January 29, 2026. A free demo including the game’s prologue and a snippet of its mystery-solving gameplay was released ahead of Steam Next Fest.
Dark Auction is a narrative-driven, mystery adventure game that blends 2D graphics with 3D maps. As protagonist Noah, you set foot into a mysterious, 1980s European castle in search of your father, who went missing after attending a secret auction. There, you witness a shocking sight, and quickly realize you’re trapped in the castle along with other guests. A mysterious auctioneer invites you to take part in the event yourself.
Gameplay revolves around exploring the castle’s 3D maps for clues, interacting with auction participants, and uncovering information through dialogue choices. Through Dark Auction’s “Word Cloud” system, you’ll organize collected items and keywords to work out the auction’s secrets. Finally, you’ll participate in the auction offering not money – but memories as bid, and if successful, reveal the true story behind the items you win.
Dark Auction was penned by Rika Suzuki, the author of Hotel Dusk: Room 215, and Another Code: Two Memories, and directed by Shinsuke Umeda (Death Come True, World’s End Club). The game also boasts music by Monster Hunter series composer Yuko Komiyama and character designs by GANGSTA author Kohske.
Dark Auction launches January 29, 2026 for PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch and PS5.
