Haunted Heist is an asymmetrical, round-based horror party game developed and published by independent studio autotroph games on Steam. Designed for 3 to 8 players, the game pits a squad of gem-thieving Heisters against supernatural Tricksters who haunt a procedurally generated mansion.
Built in the Godot engine without generative AI, the title delivers fast-paced matches driven by proximity voice chat, psychological warfare, and dark comedy.
What Is Haunted Heist on Steam?
Haunted Heist is a multiplayer PvP action game where rounds last approximately 10 minutes. The development team, autotroph games, consists of a core duo who developed the project alongside veteran art direction from Micah Holland (former lead animator and character modeler on Sable).
The game tasks players with navigating shifting mansion layouts where one side attempts to pull off an escape while the other uses deceptive powers to eliminate the crew.
The game is scheduled for release on Steam on October 12, 2026, offering localization in 14 languages, including English, Simplified Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Spanish (Spain and Latin America), Turkish, and Ukrainian.
Core Gameplay: Heisters vs. Tricksters
Each match divides players into two asymmetric teams with opposing win conditions and distinct toolkits:
The Heisters
Heisters enter the mansion with a straightforward mission: locate three scattered gems, return them to the designated safe room, and extract before the countdown reaches zero. To survive, Heisters must rely heavily on proximity voice chat and resource management:
- Tools and Weapons: Players carry a handgun with limited ammunition, a rapidly draining flashlight, flares, and defibrillators to revive fallen teammates.
- Powerups: Resource pickups scattered throughout the house can recharge gear, enhance mobility, or replenish ammo.
- Vulnerabilities: Straying too far from the group cuts off communication, leaving isolated players susceptible to ambush.
The Tricksters
Tricksters haunt the mansion halls, using supernatural tools to disorient and wipe out the invading Heisters:
- Cooldown-Based Abilities: Tricksters possess invisibility, night vision, the ability to mute players, and sudden ambush attacks from the shadows.
- Psychological Deception: Tricksters can use voice modulation, voice swapping, and 1:1 physical disguises that play back past voice recordings of players to deceive survivors.
- Objective: Prevent the heist by depleting the match timer or eliminating every Heister before they escape.
Platforms, Steam Deck, and Controller Support
Haunted Heist is available on Steam for both Windows and macOS. The developers have also optimized the game for Linux and Steam Deck play.
Input and platform accessibility features include:
- Controller Support: Full controller support with native mappings for Xbox controllers, PlayStation DualShock, and PlayStation DualSense controllers.
- Steam Features: Steam Cloud saves, Steam Achievements, Steam Leaderboards, HDR display support, and Steam Family Sharing.
- Accessibility Settings: Color alternatives, camera comfort options, volume sliders, stereo sound, and gameplay options without timed quick-time events.
System Requirements for PC and Mac
Haunted Heist requires modest hardware and DirectX 12 or Vulkan support. Below are the official hardware specifications listed on the Steam store page.
Windows System Requirements
| Specification | Minimum Requirement | Recommended Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 (64-bit) | Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-4460 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200 (4 cores) | Intel Core i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600 (6 cores) |
| Memory (RAM) | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti (4 GB) / AMD RX 570 (4 GB) / Intel Arc A380 | NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super / RTX 2060 / AMD RX 5600 XT (6 GB VRAM) |
| DirectX Version | Version 12 | Version 12 |
| Storage | 2 GB available space | 2 GB available space |
| Network | Broadband Internet connection | Broadband Internet connection |
| Additional Notes | Requires GPU with DX12 or Vulkan. Microphone recommended. | 1440p/4K Ultra requires an 8 GB+ GPU (e.g., RTX 3060 Ti / RX 6700 XT). |
macOS System Requirements
| Specification | Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating System | macOS 12 Monterey |
| Processor | Apple Silicon M1 (or 64-bit Intel Core i5 / i7) |
| Memory (RAM) | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics Card | Apple M1 7-core / 8-core integrated GPU |
| Storage | 2 GB available space |
| Network | Broadband Internet connection |
Troubleshooting Common Steam Issues
During demo playtests and release updates, the developers outlined specific workarounds for common technical issues on Steam:
Audio and Microphone Detection
Because proximity voice chat is central to gameplay, a functioning microphone is recommended. If your microphone fails to register:
- Open Windows Sound Settings and set your preferred microphone as the default input device.
- After Demo Update v1.1.0, you can select your input device directly inside the game's audio options menu.
Visual Glitches and Black Screens
If you encounter visual artifacting, light anomalies, or black screens upon launch:
- Update your graphics drivers to the latest release (particularly for AMD GPUs).
- Switch the launch API. Haunted Heist launches in Vulkan by default, but players can select DirectX upon startup to bypass engine-level rendering errors.
Joining Lobbies and Friends
If public lobbies do not appear in the server browser:
- Invite friends directly through your Steam Friends List or have them use the "Join" option in the main menu.
- Share a direct invite link generated via Steam. While in the lobby, go to your Steam profile, right-click the green "Join Game" button, copy the link format (
steam://joinlobby/AppID/LobbyID/SteamID), and share it with friends to paste directly into their web browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players can play Haunted Heist on Steam?
The official Steam listing supports 3 to 8 players in round-based asymmetric multiplayer.
Does Haunted Heist have a single-player mode?
No. Haunted Heist is an online multiplayer-only title designed for co-op and PvP party sessions.
