From Press Release:
SEATTLE – Nov. 2, 2026 – Independent developer and publisher Octopus Panic has launched GRAVHOUNDS, its co-op action-builder, into Early Access on PC via Steam, Game Preview on Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox PC for $19.99, with a 25% launch discount on Steam. GRAVHOUNDS is also available on Xbox Game Pass from day one, giving players the opportunity to assemble their pack and jump into the fight together.
Designed for 1-4 players, GRAVHOUNDS puts players in the paws of a team of bio-engineered canine workers tasked with exploring hostile alien worlds, gathering resources, constructing defensive infrastructure, and surviving increasingly dangerous enemy assaults. With five playable Gravhounds, seven solar systems and 25 planets to explore, 21 defensive systems, and 60 unlockable mods, Early Access delivers a substantial cooperative experience built around experimentation, teamwork and unpredictable physics-driven action.
“Reaching Early Access is a huge milestone for our team, but we see it as the beginning of the next chapter,” said Josh Holmes, Co-Founder of Octopus Panic. “We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who’s played, shared feedback, or helped spread the word about GRAVHOUNDS. We’re excited to get the game into more players’ hands, hear what they think, and keep making it better together.”
GRAVHOUNDS Features:
- 1-4 Player Co-Op: Intense alone, chaotic with a crew. Pick from five playable Gravhounds, each with unique special abilities, and combine their strengths to improvise your way through the swarm. Go lone wolf to expand the operation or stick with the pack to stand your ground. From Dozer’s explosive bone bombs to Zane’s physics-driven shockwave bark, every Gravhound brings something different to the fight.
- Bend Gravity to Your Will: Use the powerful Grav Beam to fling objects across the battlefield, send enemies flying, and turn the environment into a weapon. Disclaimer: transporting volatile materials may result in unforeseen loss of Gravhounds.
- Build to Survive: Deploy and upgrade 21 different turret designs and defensive systems to expand your operation. From devastating weapons platforms like the MLRS and Electrocoil, to tactical tools like Cryo Rockets and the Ballistic Shield, build a defense that can withstand the swarm. Extend pipelines across hostile terrain to power your base, move critical resources, and keep your escape route alive.
- No Two Shifts Play the Same: Unlock 60 mods, including 12 powerful Showstopper mods, and customize your Mod Deck to shape the upgrades available on future expeditions. Stack bonuses and discover powerful combinations that reshape your build to meet the challenge. Pull enemies closer together with Gravity Bomb, chain electricity through crowds with Live Wire, or keep your pack fighting with Life Sap. Adapt to a swarm that grows deadlier by the second…but so do you.
- Move Fast, Die Last: High-speed mobility allows players to boost in any direction, hover, and reposition under heavy fire to race to a teammate’s aid or make a last-second dash for materials. Combine mobility with each Gravhound’s unique abilities to find unexpected solutions when a shift goes sideways.
- High-Risk Extraction: Explore seven solar systems and 25 planets, each featuring different biomes, time of day, and atmospheric conditions. Seek out treacherous worlds for valuable materials, discover points of interest, and expand your operations. Push further to uncover greater opportunities, but stay alert…escalating alien assaults demand smarter tactics, stronger defenses, and a pack that knows when to stand its ground.
- Face the Swarm: Battle hordes of alien creatures and adapt as the threat intensifies. Early Access also introduces the Juggernaut, a formidable new boss encounter that will test your pack’s coordination, firepower and defensive preparations.
GRAVHOUNDS is developed by Octopus Panic, founded by veterans of 343 Industries and DICE, with development led by Halo 4 Creative Director and former Halo Studios Head, Josh Holmes.
GRAVHOUNDS is available now on PC via Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox PC for $19.99, with a 25% launch discount on Steam. The game is also available on Xbox Game Pass from day one. To learn more, visit the official website at GRAVHOUNDS.com and join the community on Discord and X for the latest news and updates.
About Octopus Panic
Octopus Panic is a small independent game studio that creates games with enough freedom for players to surprise us. Its close-knit team of industry veterans builds cooperative adventures around experimentation, improvisation, and memorable stories shared between players. Its first game, GRAVHOUNDS, is a 1-4 player co-op action-builder about blue collar dogs stranded on the far side of the galaxy.
