Carnival Hunt Release Date

Steam Early Access — July 23, 2026

Carnival Hunt enters Steam Early Access on July 23, 2026, marking the first public release window for Beer Night Studio's asymmetric horror title published by Crytivo. The launch positions the game as a premium Steam purchase rather than a free demo, with ongoing updates expected throughout the Early Access period as the studio tunes balance between one Monster and four Bunnies. Players who wishlist ahead of launch can follow the store page for regional pricing, controller support notes, and patch notes as the date approaches.

The July 2026 build is designed to be a complete playable loop rather than a vertical slice. You can queue into full matches on the launch procedural carnival map, experiment with both Early Access Monsters, spend candy at Jack's slot machine, and push through all four floors as a Bunny squad. This wiki tracks confirmed launch content so you know exactly what is in version 1.0 of Early Access versus what the developers have teased for later milestones.

If you are planning a launch-day session, check our system requirements page and confirm your microphone setup. Carnival Hunt strongly benefits from voice coordination, and Early Access lobbies on day one are typically chaotic in the best way—Bunnies over-winding in open areas while Magicians practice Hat Trick reads. Review Steam pricing and the EA roadmap so your squad knows what content is guaranteed at launch versus coming later.

Price and Launch Discount

Carnival Hunt launches on Steam Early Access at a $19.99 USD base price. Beer Night Studio and Crytivo have advertised a limited-time 10% launch discount for early buyers—check the official Steam store page for the exact end date and regional equivalents. This wiki tracks confirmed USD pricing; Steam automatically converts to local currency at checkout.

The purchase includes the full July 23, 2026 Early Access build: two Monsters, the four-floor procedural carnival, wind-up and play dead systems, eight items, and Jack's slot machine economy. There is no separate season pass at launch; post-launch cosmetics and hunters will be detailed on our roadmap page as they are announced.

If you participated in the July 3–6, 2026 final open playtest, you may have earned an exclusive permanent cosmetic tied to that event—see our beta page for eligibility notes. Wishlist reminders and launch-week bundles sometimes appear on Steam; always verify offers on the official store rather than third-party key sites.

Launch Time — July 23, 2026

Carnival Hunt unlocks on Steam Early Access July 23, 2026. Publisher communications around IGN Live 2026 cited a morning Pacific release window—check the Steam store countdown in your region for the exact unlock hour, as Valve converts release times to local clocks automatically.

Plan downloads the night before: preload if Steam offers it, verify 16 GB RAM and SSD space per system requirements, and confirm squad voice channels. Launch morning CDN traffic spikes are common for asymmetric horror debuts with streamer coverage.

The June 7, 2026 IGN Live trailer premiere announced the date globally—re-watch it on our review page or below on the release-date embed for Puppetmaster lore teases including the Marco line.

What Ships at Early Access Launch

Confirmed Early Access content includes two playable Monsters, one procedural carnival map spanning four floors, the wind-up key survival system, play dead mechanics, eight interactive items, Jack's slot machine, and lobby gear customization with active, passive, and skill puppet upgrades—see our gears page. The Magician arrives with Hat Trick, Imposters, Invisibility, Teleport, and playing card abilities; our Magician guide breaks down each tool.

Bunny-side progression follows a floor-by-floor escape structure inside the Puppetmaster's carnival. Early floors teach winding discipline and item scarcity; later floors compress routes and force risky slot machine spins. The economy is intentionally swingy—teams that hoard candy for guaranteed items face slower power spikes, while teams that gamble early can snowball with Fireworks or Radar but risk entering floor three empty-handed. Understanding that tension is central to launch-week strategy.

The second EA Monster offers an alternate hunting style documented on the second monster page. Steam store copy confirms the EA build is fully playable with core systems complete—future work focuses on content variety, balance, and polish per our roadmap.

Post-launch, Beer Night Studio and Crytivo have signaled additional Monsters, cosmetics, and map variants as Early Access matures. Treat July 23 as the foundation: two hunters, one map seed family, core items, and the full vertical climb. Our walkthrough and Early Access review will update as patches land, so bookmark this wiki if you plan to ride the EA roadmap.

How to Prepare Before July 23

Use the weeks before launch to watch verified gameplay guides and internalize role basics. Bunny players should study wind-up keys and play dead; Monster players should rehearse Magician combos on the Magician guide page. Even if you only plan to play one role at launch, knowing both sides improves reads— you will predict Monster rotations faster if you understand Teleport cooldown pacing from the hunter's perspective.

Hardware preparation matters too. Minimum specs target Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel i5-8400 processors, 16 GB RAM, and GTX 1060-class graphics. Install on SSD if possible; procedural carnival streaming and four-player VFX can stutter on older drives. A stable microphone is highly recommended: callouts for winding, Imposter callouts, and floor transitions win more rounds than mechanical aim ever will in this genre.

Finally, align your squad or solo queue expectations. Early Access lobbies mix experienced asymmetric horror fans with brand-new Bunnies. Be patient with teammates, ping items clearly, and use our guides hub to share links instead of typing essays mid-match. Launch week is a learning curve for everyone; players who study the map landmarks on our carnival map page will consistently reach floor four while others still get lost in mirror maze loops.