Release and Price
Discover the release date, available platforms, and gameplay mechanics for Order of the Sinking Star, the latest puzzle title from Jonathan Blow.
Order of the Sinking Star was officially released on October 8, 2026. The game is available on three primary platforms: Steam (PC), Nintendo Switch 2, and PlayStation 5.
For PC players, the game can be found on the Steam store under the App ID 499170. As a title developed by Thekla, Inc., led by Jonathan Blow, the release marks the studio's return to the puzzle genre following the success of The Witness and Braid.
Order of the Sinking Star is a narrative-driven puzzle adventure that centers on a "game design supercollider" concept. Rather than relying on a single, linear progression path, the game features four distinct worlds, each introducing unique mechanics.
The game is designed with a focus on high-quality puzzle experiences, featuring over 1,000 hand-crafted puzzles. Players explore these worlds, encountering different hero characters—such as a warrior, a thief, a wizard, and others—who each possess specific abilities related to puzzle-solving, such as pushing, pulling, or teleporting. A core design philosophy of the game is to ensure that while the mechanics start simple, they eventually merge and interact in complex ways, requiring players to apply what they have learned across different environments.
A demo version of Order of the Sinking Star was made available to the public during Steam Next Fest in June 2026. Following the conclusion of the festival, the demo remained accessible for a limited time to allow players to experience the early-game mechanics.
It is important to note that the demo is a separate entity from the full game. While it provides a crucial look at the basic mechanics—such as character movement, block manipulation, and puzzle structure—it does not represent the full scope or the entire narrative of the final release. The demo serves as an introduction to the "four worlds" structure, allowing players to test their problem-solving skills and get a feel for the game's unique approach to puzzle design before committing to the full experience.
The development of Order of the Sinking Star spanned nearly a decade. A significant aspect of this project was the creation of a custom game engine and a proprietary programming language (referred to as "Jai") by Thekla, Inc. This technical undertaking was driven by a desire to optimize the development process and gain greater control over the game's visual identity and performance.
The level design is collaborative, featuring contributions from various notable puzzle game designers, including Alan Hazelden, Sean Barrett, Jonah Ostroff, and others. The game’s structure—shifting from simple 2D grid-based puzzles to more complex, abstract 3D interactions—reflects the team's goal to push the boundaries of the puzzle genre. By blending mechanics from various inspirations, the developers aimed to create a puzzle landscape that feels vast and interconnected, often described as an expansive adventure rather than a standard level-select puzzle experience.
