Octopus Panic Games has revealed Gravhounds, its debut title, set for release on 2 November 2026 on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC. The game will be available day one through Xbox Game Pass, integrating both early access and subscription availability.
Gravhounds is a cooperative action-survival game where players assume the roles of bio-engineered dogs tasked with hazardous industrial work on alien planets. Players must manage missions involving resource extraction, alien technology recovery, and base construction, while combating hostile wildlife and environmental threats to survive and escape.
Core Gameplay and Mechanics
Central to gameplay is the Grav Beam, an industrial tool integral for manipulating resources, constructing infrastructure, and engaging in combat by leveraging the environment and nearby objects as improvised weapons. The game emphasises cooperative problem-solving, requiring players to coordinate their efforts to defend bases, manage resources, and perform rescue operations during increasingly dangerous shifts.
Building and defending infrastructure is tightly woven into the action rather than treated as a separate phase. Players use in-game pipelines to distribute power and support structures across the planet, expanding operations while fending off escalating threats from native creatures.
Player Mobility and Progression
Each character is equipped with a propulsion rig enabling dynamic movement, including boosting, jumping, hovering, and high-speed traversal along pipelines. This mobility supports rapid responses to base breaches or team emergencies.
Progression is handled through Reward Pods unlocked during missions, offering randomized weapons and upgrades that can enhance firepower, mobility, or defensive capabilities. These upgrades shape player strategies as difficulty scales throughout each play session.
Release and Availability Details
Gravhounds will launch into Xbox Game Preview simultaneously on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC, providing players with early access alongside ongoing development updates. According to Octopus Panic, the studio views Game Preview as integral to refining systems, balance, and co-op interactions in collaboration with the community.
Attendees at gamescom 2026 have the opportunity to try Gravhounds at the ID@Xbox booth, showcasing the title ahead of its controlled launch in November.
