Little Nightmares III: A Haunting New Chapter Awaits in the Nowhere

Prepare to step back into the eerie, unsettling world of Little Nightmares with the highly anticipated Little Nightmares III, set to release on October 10, 2025. Developed by Supermassive Games and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, this third installment in the critically acclaimed puzzle-platform horror series promises to deliver a spine-chilling experience that builds on the franchise’s signature atmosphere while introducing bold new features. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer to the series, Little Nightmares III is shaping up to be a must-play title for horror enthusiasts and puzzle-platformer fans alike.

A New Journey in the Twisted Spiral

Little Nightmares III introduces two new protagonists, Low and Alone, best friends who find themselves trapped in the nightmarish realm known as the Nowhere. This mysterious dimension, accessible only through dreams, is a fractured world filled with unsettling locales that amplify childhood fears. The game unfolds within The Spiral, a new setting comprising five distinct hubs, each with its own haunting aesthetic:

• Necropolis: A sand-whipped catacomb city where sarcophagi serve as elevators, and a monstrous baby lurks, turning the area into a terrifying game of hide-and-seek.

• The Wonderpark: A derelict carnival haunted by animatronic jesters and a towering 80-foot Ferris wheel that doubles as a boss encounter.

• Sugarworks: A candy factory with molten taffy vats that conceal deadly platforming challenges.

• The Doldrums: Flooded tenements patrolled by a serpentine schoolmistress wielding a megaphone.

• The Maw’s Echo: A bruised-sky remix of the original game’s cruise liner, tying the trilogy together with nostalgic yet unsettling familiarity.

Low, a rain-soaked archer wielding a bow, and Alone, a flashlight-wielding tinkerer with a wrench, must work together to navigate these perilous environments. The game’s environmental storytelling, sparse dialogue, and collectible memory reels hint at the lingering influence of Six, the protagonist from the first game, weaving a narrative that explores themes of childhood resilience and systemic cruelty.

Groundbreaking Co-Op Gameplay

For the first time in the series, Little Nightmares III introduces online co-op, allowing players to control either Low or Alone and tackle the game’s challenges together. This drop-in/drop-out feature lets friends join forces to solve puzzles, navigate platforming sections, and outwit monstrous residents, with progress carrying over for both players. For solo players, an adaptive AI companion controls the second character, ensuring a seamless experience that balances narrative depth with cooperative fun. Producer Coralie Feniello emphasized that the AI is designed to complement the player’s actions without overshadowing them, maintaining the series’ immersive feel whether played solo or with a friend.

The co-op mechanic elevates the sense of risk and reward, as players rely on each other’s unique abilities—Low’s bow for ranged interactions and Alone’s wrench for close-up puzzle-solving—to progress. Puzzles are more complex, with some solutions requiring specific skills from each character, adding a layer of strategy to the familiar hide-and-seek gameplay. Dynamic fracture events, where the environment distorts in real-time, and reactive puzzles that change upon replay further enhance the cooperative experience, encouraging creative problem-solving and community engagement.

A Visual and Technical Evolution

Little Nightmares III marks a significant technical leap, built on Unreal Engine 5.4 to deliver stunning visuals with hardware-accelerated ray-traced lighting on current-gen consoles and PC. The game retains a scalable renderer for last-gen platforms, ensuring accessibility across a wide range of systems. It will launch on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store), Nintendo Switch, and the newly confirmed Nintendo Switch 2, with cross-play support for seamless multiplayer across platforms.

The game’s unsettling atmosphere is amplified by its enhanced visuals, including volumetric lighting and ray tracing, which bring the creepy environments of The Spiral to life. From the rain-soaked Carnevale funfair, with its disturbing attractions and lumbering inhabitants, to the sandy ruins of the Necropolis, every location is designed to evoke a sense of dread and wonder. The series’ signature oversized environments and uncanny valley aesthetics remain, making players feel small and vulnerable in a world “not made for children.”

Pre-Order Editions and Bonuses

Little Nightmares III offers a range of pre-order editions to suit every fan’s preferences, each packed with exclusive content:

• Standard Edition ($39.99): The base game, including the Dark Six Costumes Set as a pre-order bonus.

• Digital Deluxe Edition ($59.99): Includes the base game, the Secrets of The Spiral Expansion Pass (featuring two additional story chapters and a Ferryman Costume Set), and the Residents Costumes Pack.

• Collector “Mirror Edition”: Adds a 12cm Low and Alone figurine, a metal case, a physical artbook, a digital and physical soundtrack, stickers, and a themed box.

• Premium Collector “Spiral Edition” (Bandai Namco Store exclusive): Includes everything from the Mirror Edition, plus a 22cm Nome-themed controller/phone holder, a double-sided Low and Alone coin, and a music box base that spins the figurine while playing a melody.

Pre-ordering a digital copy on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, or PC grants early access to Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition, a remastered version of the original game with upgraded visuals, volumetric lighting, ray tracing, and improved gameplay features like better checkpoint placement. This bonus is available immediately upon pre-order, offering fans a chance to revisit Six’s journey in the Maw before the new release.

Expanding the Little Nightmares Universe

The Little Nightmares franchise is growing beyond the game with a wave of transmedia projects. Fans can look forward to:

• The Sounds of Nightmares – Season 2: A podcast series debuting in August 2025, featuring long-form audio storytelling by composer Tobias Lilja.

• Little Nightmares: Descent to Nowhere: A six-issue comic series by Titan Comics, launching in October 2025, following Hush and Mono as they escape a dark dungeon.

• Little Nightmares: The Lonely Ones: A young adult novel by E.C. Myers, releasing in September 2025, exploring The Spiral through a new protagonist, Ruse.

• Little Nightmares VR: Altered Echoes: A standalone VR experience developed by Iconik Studio for PS VR2, Meta Quest 3, and Steam VR, built in Unreal Engine 5.2.

• Stop-Motion Anthology: A series of shorts in collaboration with Guillermo del Toro-backed Taller del Chucho, premiering on YouTube throughout October 2025.

These projects deepen the lore of the Nowhere, offering fans new ways to engage with the series’ haunting universe. The franchise has already sold 20 million units since its debut in 2017, and this expansion signals Bandai Namco’s commitment to building Little Nightmares into a transmedia powerhouse.

Why the Wait Was Worth It

Originally slated for 2024, Little Nightmares III was delayed to 2025 to address networking issues in its co-op mode and to allow Supermassive Games to refine the experience. The extra development time has resulted in a polished product that honors the series’ roots while pushing boundaries with new gameplay mechanics and technical enhancements. Supermassive, known for narrative-driven horror titles like Until Dawn and The Quarry, brings a fresh perspective while preserving the unsettling tone and visual identity established by Tarsier Studios.

Hands-on previews from Gamescom 2024 confirm that the game retains the series’ core elements—platforming puzzles, stealth, and atmospheric horror—while introducing a more interactive environment and cooperative gameplay that heightens both tension and fun. As reviewer Kate Harrold noted, “Little Nightmares III is exactly a step in the right direction for the franchise,” blending familiarity with innovation to create an experience that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly new.

Get Ready for the Nightmare

With its October 10, 2025 release date perfectly timed for the spooky season, Little Nightmares III invites players to brave the terrors of The Spiral alongside Low and Alone. Whether you’re sneaking through the Carnevale’s rain-soaked attractions or dodging the monstrous baby in the Necropolis, the game promises a heart-pounding adventure filled with puzzles, scares, and unforgettable moments. Pre-orders are live now for most platforms, with Switch and Switch 2 pre-orders to follow, so secure your copy to claim exclusive bonuses and early access to Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition.

Mark your calendars for the Bandai Namco Summer Showcase on July 2, 2025, for more gameplay reveals and developer insights, and keep an eye out for the public network test in August to experience the co-op mode firsthand. Little Nightmares III is poised to be a chilling evolution of the series, inviting players to face their fears in a world where every step could be their last. Don’t miss your chance to escape the Nowhere—or be consumed by it.

For more details, visit www.bandainamcoent.com/games/little-nightmares-3 and join the journey into the unknown.