Terrifying New Online Social-Deduction Horror Game Mimic Launches on Windows PC on October 27

Independent developer Ryan Laley Games has announced an October 27, 2026, Steam Early Access release date for Mimic — an online social-deduction game that turns (twists, and contorts) the asymmetrical multiplayer horror genre on its head. Capturing the fear, vulnerability, and atmosphere of classic single-player horror experiences in a role-based multiplayer setting, players must escape a doomed spacecraft where danger wears many faces… including their own.

The Icarus is failing. Oxygen is low … one of you isn’t what they seem. Will you survive the Mimic, or will you become its next meal?

Watch the Mimic Early Access Release Date Trailer Here:
YouTube

Trust is a luxury in the cold, claustrophobic corridors of the Icarus. In Mimic, players must escape the crumbling Icarus spacecraft while rooting out who amongst them is secretly a mimic — a malicious alien creature that can disguise itself as a fellow human survivor. Players must solve various objectives to create their escape route, survive against not one but two sinister threats pursuing them, and, as the terrifying titular Mimic, hunt from the shadows — and beneath the flesh of a friend.  With five players in online matchmaking and up to ten in customizable private lobbies, Mimic blends tense survival, social deduction, and dynamic mechanics into a highly replayable multiplayer experience.

Unlike other asymmetrical multiplayer horror games that merely pit survivors against a sole antagonist, players in Mimic are assigned secret roles that dictate their win conditions. Crew members must repair the ship’s vital systems and identify the alien threat before it’s too late. Meanwhile, the agent has a private corporate agenda unknown to the rest of the crew that does not prioritize their well-being. The sole purpose of the mimic, the insidious alien entity masquerading as a human, is to blend in, gain trust, and strike when survivors are most vulnerable. But the mimic isn’t the only threat at play: an NPC android roams the halls of the Icarus, indiscriminately hunting all organic lifeforms who could be the mimic in disguise.

In this game of strategic deceit, players do not have weapons and must rely on their wits and survival instincts. Whether with pure intent or selfish gain in mind, players have the power to influence the android’s pursuit, sabotage escape efforts, and sow chaos amongst the ranks. Deceit and collaboration become bedfellows in the heart-pounding depths of the Icarus.

Mimic Key Features:

• True Multiplayer Survival Horror: Every player is vulnerable. With no weapons to rely on, survival depends on teamwork, quick thinking, and knowing when not to trust those around you. Complete objectives to repair the escape shuttle and get the hell off of the Icarus!
   
• Vote to Survive: At any time, you can cast your vote to send commands to the AI android roaming the halls to target a specific player. Don’t trust someone? Send the android to do your dirty work.
   
• Social Deduction with Purpose: Lurking among your ranks is a corporate agent and the Mimic. Every encounter raises the tension and makes you question who you can trust. Use in-game proximity chat to coordinate… or lie. Suspicion isn’t a party game mechanic; it’s a survival mechanic. 
   
• Highly Customisable Matches: In public matchmaking the rules are set, but in a private lobby anything goes. Create unique experiences with game modifiers that affect objectives, environmental hazards, enemy behaviour, and gameplay rules, dramatically increasing replayability
   
• Interactive Streaming: Twitch viewers become active participants, influencing gameplay by directing the relentless Android’s hunt and creating unforgettable moments for both streamers and audiences.
   
• Become an Omen: When you die, continue playing as an Omen — an invisible ghost-like character that can interact with and sabotage the environment for those who remain.

Mimic will launch into Early Access as a feature-rich multiplayer gameplay experience, to be further enhanced with new maps, player roles & progression, gameplay mechanics, narrative content, and improvements based on player-feedback.

Mimic will be released in Early Access on Steam and the Epic Games Store on October 27, 2026. Survivors and skinwalkers alike can wishlist the game today. Mimic will also launch on PlayStation 5 and XBOX Series X|S in 2027 after Early Access.

About Ryan Laley Games:

Ryan Laley Games was founded in 2023 with the mission to craft genre-spanning experiences with a shared vision of cultivating community and encouraging creativity. Ryan Laley is a respected and influential educator in the game development field, dedicated to empowering others through knowledge sharing and community engagement. He has gained recognition for his comprehensive tutorials and educational content, which he shares on various platforms such as YouTube and Twitch.

Ryan Laley’s upcoming online social-deduction horror game Mimic, is self published and will first release on Windows PC in Early Access in October 2026 and later on consoles.

For more information about Ryan Laley Games, please visit https://ryanlaley.com.

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Ben

I am the owner of Cerebral-overload.com and the Verizon Wireless Reviewer for Techburgh.com. My love of gadgets came from his lack of a Nintendo Game Boy when he was a child . I vowed from that day on to get his hands on as many tech products as possible. My approach to a review is to make it informative for the technofile while still making it understandable to everyone. Ben is a new voice in the tech industry and is looking to make a mark wherever he goes. When not reviewing products, I is also a 911 Telecommunicator just outside of Pittsburgh PA.

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