A new take on Robert E. Howard's barbarian hero is heading to PC. On November 11, 2026, publisher Grindstone and developer Games Farm announced Conan: The Black Pyramid, a roguelite action RPG that blends sword-and-sorcery combat with cosmic horror. It supports two-player online co-op and is due on Steam in 2027, with no exact date yet.
The announcement came with a trailer, a store page and a remote gameplay demo shown to the press. Here is a clear guide to what is known about the game, how its combat and run structure work, which heroes are involved and what questions remain open.
Key Takeaways
- Release: 2027 on PC through Steam. No console versions have been announced.
- Genre: Roguelite action RPG, built around short runs through a shifting pyramid.
- Co-op: Two-player online co-op, with individual rewards and progression kept per player. A playtest is planned.
- Heroes: Conan at launch, with other characters from Howard's universe, such as Solomon Kane and Dark Agnes, to follow.
- Standout mechanic: A dice system that lets players push loot rarity higher during a run.
Conan: The Black Pyramid at a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Announced | November 11, 2026 |
| Developer | Games Farm (Košice, Slovakia) |
| Publisher | Grindstone |
| Genre | Roguelite action RPG |
| Platform | PC (Steam) |
| Release | 2027 |
| Players | Single player or two-player online co-op |
| Setting | The Black Pyramid, a structure that exists across eras and defies space and time |
The Story: An Older Conan and a Pyramid Outside Time
The game follows an older Conan who has stepped down from the throne of Aquilonia and follows eerie whispers into what may be his final adventure. Those whispers lead him to the Black Pyramid, a structure that the developers describe as existing across the ages and shifting beyond space and time. The central question the game poses is who summoned the warriors there.
Because the pyramid shifts time, each section drops Conan into a different era. A demo moved from swamps to the Pictish wilderness to a medieval village overrun by cultists and rats, and the team says difficulty climbs from era to era. An entity called Stan, a longtime resident of the pyramid, taunts Conan throughout.
How Combat Works
| Element | What it does |
|---|---|
| Three-hit combos | Two slashes and a finisher on a primary melee weapon |
| Secondary weapon | A ranged weapon that works the same way, with its own combos |
| Charged attacks | Both weapons can be charged for an area-of-effect strike |
| Parry | Staggers enemies, though tougher foes need repeated parries; projectiles, including magic bolts, can be parried and reflected |
| Dash | For dodging out of danger |
| Execution | Driven by a bar that fills as you fight |
| Dismemberment | A system the team says underlines the brutality of combat |
| Status effects | Used to wear enemies down |
The developers say the game plays faster and more intense than many roguelikes, and they want the combat to feel dynamic and fluid, in a "combat dance" that suits how Conan would be expected to fight.
How a Run Is Structured
- The Nexus. Each run starts from a hub where permanent upgrades, skill trees and lore sit between attempts.
- Room by room. Players clear rooms one at a time and pick the next destination from the rewards on offer, such as gold for a merchant, combat mastery totems that upgrade parries, combos and charged attacks, or artifact rooms.
- Bosses. Each floor has two mini-bosses and a final boss.
- Artifacts. These grant unique powers or new combat mechanics, and they reset every run.
- Permanent upgrades. Wakestones and character levels unlock lasting improvements, so every attempt makes the next one stronger.
The dice mechanic
The randomisation has a twist. Players collect dice during a run and can add them to a pool to push the rarity of a reward upward, or save them for later when the stakes are higher. In the demo, three or four dice were enough to land a legendary item.
Heroes and Loadouts
The store page promises five distinct characters from Howard's shared universe, naming Conan, Solomon Kane and Dark Agnes among them. In the developers' presentation, Conan is playable at launch, while other heroes arrive later, including Solomon Kane, Kull of Atlantis and Dark Agnes de Chastillon. It is not yet clear whether all five characters will be available on day one.
Each hero has several loadouts that change the playstyle. The developers call them Veils, while the store page calls them Warrior Memories. Each one combines a weapon set and skills. The demo showed a two-handed primary weapon and later a one-handed sword and shield with blocking and shield charges, and the team mentioned two-handed maces and throwing weapons. Veils unlock as the player explores, and completing a run unlocks a new Veil family.
Co-op and Playtest
- Two-player online co-op: Players share the journey, earn individual rewards and keep their own progression.
- Resource sharing: The team has no firm answer yet on whether gold and dice are shared. The current intention is that each player has their own, subject to testing.
- Playtest: A playtest is being prepared, and the developers say feedback may change some features.
Visual Style and Inspirations
Games Farm is deliberately aiming for higher visual fidelity than is typical for the genre. The team cites Hades and Curse of the Dead Gods as inspirations, but notes that such games are usually low-poly or hand-drawn. It says it wants to bring the production values of big action RPGs to the roguelite space, as it did in the survivor-style genre with an earlier game. The developers are also aiming for charismatic characters and voice acting, which they cite as a strength of Hades.
PC Minimum Requirements
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 (64-bit) |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-6700 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or Intel Arc A380 |
| DirectX | Version 11 |
| Storage | 20 GB |
About the Developer
Games Farm is based in Košice, has more than 50 staff and has released more than 20 titles, including Vikings: Wolves of Midgard, Shadows: Awakening and Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel. Grindstone was spun off from the studio in 2017. The studio describes the new game as a hybrid between its narrative-driven action RPGs and its more survival-style releases, leaning toward roguelite action. The team also argues that short runs with a compact story suit players who have less time for 100-hour games.
What Is Still Unknown
- Release date and price. Only the year, 2027, is confirmed.
- Other platforms. Only PC has been announced.
- Launch roster. How many playable characters will be ready on day one.
- Boss design. Whether mini-bosses will be randomised or fixed. The team says the structure is under discussion and will stay fixed for the playtest.
- Co-op details. Shared or separate resources between players.
Why It Matters for the Games Industry
This section is ASOWorld's editorial analysis, not a statement from the developers.
- Roguelites keep expanding. The genre's short sessions fit busy players, and developers are now pushing it into licensed worlds and higher production values.
- Licensed IP as a hook. A well-known fantasy franchise gives a new roguelite instant recognition in a crowded Steam market.
- Playtests build momentum. A planned playtest and an early announcement give the team time to gather wishlists and feedback before launch.
- Mobile parallels. Short runs, permanent upgrades and loot randomisation are the same loops that drive many mobile action RPGs, so the genre's popularity on PC often signals demand on phones too.
For more gaming coverage, browse the Gaming section on Marketing Trending.
📱 App Marketing Angle
Big announcements in the roguelite and action RPG space raise search interest in the whole genre, including on mobile. Studios with similar games can use these moments to refresh store listings, screenshots and keywords around terms like roguelite, dungeon crawler and action RPG. See how ASOWorld's gaming app marketing solutions help games turn genre interest into rankings, installs and revenue.
What to Watch Next
- The playtest. Dates and sign-up details, and how much the combat changes after feedback.
- A release date. Whether the game lands early or late in 2027.
- Additional heroes. Which characters launch first and how the later ones are delivered.
- Platform expansion. Any announcement of console versions.
Quick Answers: Conan: The Black Pyramid
When does Conan: The Black Pyramid come out?
In 2027 on PC via Steam. No exact date has been announced.
What kind of game is it?
A roguelite action RPG with room-by-room runs, permanent upgrades and a dice-based loot mechanic.
Does it have co-op?
Yes. It supports two-player online co-op, and a playtest is planned.
Who can you play as?
Conan at launch, with other heroes such as Solomon Kane, Kull of Atlantis and Dark Agnes de Chastillon to follow.
Is it coming to consoles?
Not announced. Only PC has been confirmed.
Who is making it?
Slovakian studio Games Farm, published by Grindstone.
Follow Us on VK
