From Press Release:
September 20th, 2026 – Montpellier, France – The Game Bakers announced today that On the Trail – Deep Water, the first free DLC for their award-winning survival climber Cairn, will release on October 29th, 2026.
Cairn launched earlier this year to widespread acclaim, landing on many GOTY candidate lists. Since then, the developer has kept busy with the just-announced Nintendo Switch 2 version and putting the finishing touches to the new DLC.
On the Trail – Deep Water takes climbers to a time before the ascent of Kami, to climbing spots where Aava and Marco trained for it. Three new locations bring fresh problems and discoveries: a climbing gym filled with technical routes, a tropical piton standing tall in the middle of the ocean, and a rugged island with overhangs over the sea.
“I’ve always loved in sports movie when the hero trains before the big challenge. On the Trail is exactly like that, it’s a series of very unique challenges that you need to raise to if you consider climbing Kami.” said Emeric Thoa, Creative Director.
Marco is now playable, and while he’s not as experienced or flexible as Aava, he compensates with his reach, strong arms and a newer climbot model. His climbing style makes for a new challenge that will stump even some of the more experienced alpinists.
Launching alongside the DLC, the Free Roam mode comes in a free update and lets players return to Kami as Aava or Marco to explore every path the mountain has to offer, as they will be able to return to all their bivouacs along the mountain.
The free DLC is launching on PC and PS5 on October 29th, 2026.
ABOUT THE GAME BAKERS
The Game Bakers is an independent game studio dedicated to crafting memorable games. Their award-winning portfolio include breathtaking survival climber Cairn, frenzied bossfight game Furi, romantic space RPG Haven, underwater tactical RPG Squids Odyssey and the mobile brawler Combo Crew. Founded in 2010, the studio self-publishes all of its original creations and operates as a fully remote team spread across France and beyond. thegamebakers.com
ABOUT CAIRN
Reach a summit never climbed before in this survival-climber from the creators of Furi and Haven. Climb anywhere and plan your route carefully, managing pitons and resources to survive unforgiving Mount Kami. Discover what Aava is willing to sacrifice to achieve the ascent of a lifetime. Find the game on Steam, PS5, GOG and EGS. Read more about Cairn awards and critical reception here.
For more information on Cairn, join The Game Bakers Discord and follow the studio on Instagram, Tiktok. Bluesky or X.
