Team17 and Sonka Partner Up for Holstin Release

December 8th, 2025 | Wakefield, UK and Warsaw, Poland | Team17 and Sonka are excited to announce they have signed a worldwide publishing agreement for Holstin, the innovative and highly anticipated indie psychological survival horror.

Announced by Sonka back in early 2023, Holstin has steadily grown in recognition and attention thanks to its innovative visual style and technology, its unique 90’s Poland setting, and the team’s constant release of concept-proving demos. Team17 and Sonka will now be partnering up to amplify and expand on this momentum together to reach new heights.

We have been big fans of Holstin for some time, and are delighted to be able to partner with Sonka to help realise their vision and bring the game to market.

We are proud to partner with such a talented team that have created a game that embodies unique atmospheric storytelling, with innovative gameplay mechanics in a spine-chilling survival horror. We can’t wait to reveal more of the game to new and existing fans in the coming months. - Harley Homewood, General Manager, Team17

We’re beyond excited and proud to partner with Team17, a publisher with a prestigious track record and the foresight to bring some truly innovative horror games to the world - with DREDGE being one of my favourite games ever! 

We’ve always had ambitious goals for Holstin, and now we’re confident that together we can meet and maybe even exceed them. Whether it’s expanding and refining gameplay mechanics, securing higher-quality voice acting or just having that extra space to add even more bizarre but poignant Polish Easter eggs into our 90s-drenched horror world, things are lining up nicely for us to release something truly special together. - Rafał Sankowski, CEO at Sonka, Holstin Game Director

Holstin is a psychological survival horror game set in an eerie, isolated 90’s Polish town consumed by an ominous presence. You’ve come looking for answers, but everyone seems possessed by something foul. Explore the festering town, interrogate locals and fight ungodly manifestations to get to the truth.

The game is inspired by the classic Resident Evil and Silent Hill series, while the narrative team is aiming for a darker Twin Peaks feel. Holstin will be coming to PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.

GAME FEATURES

Explore a Possessed Town 

Something is very wrong in the town of Jeziorne-Kolonia. The streets are overrun by some kind of filthy slime. The people, the buildings, and the wildlife all seem to be slowly deteriorating from the inside.

Fight and Survive Against Unfathomable Monstrosities 

Scavenge for scarce supplies and weapons to fight off the twisted monstrosities now roaming the darkest corners of the town.

Speak to Locals Slowly Losing Their Minds 

Sanity among the locals seems to be slowly slipping away, but they are the only ones who can get you the answers you need. You will have to play along with their unnerving delusions and try to understand their festering world to get anywhere.

Playing All Sorts of Tricks on Your Eyes

Holstin uses Sonka’s custom 2XD Rendering technology to deliver real-time lighting in detailed hand-drawn pixel art to uniquely combine multiple camera perspectives, including isometric 3D, third-person shooting, first-person driving, top-down exploration, and side-scrolling platforming.

Full Voice Acting in Polish and English 

Chillingly manic performances in both English and Polish bring every character in Holstin to life.

The game is inspired by the classic Resident Evil and Silent Hill series, while the narrative team is aiming for a darker Twin Peaks feel. Holstin will be coming to PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.

About Sonka

Sonka is a game developer and publisher based in Warsaw, Poland, previously focused on the console market as a publisher and work-for-hire porting company. Worked on over 20 games for Nintendo Switch, best known for Astro Bears development, The Way Remastered release, and Duke Nukem 3D port, now focused solely on Holstin development.

About Team17 Digital    

Founded in 1990, Team17 is a leading developer, video games label, and creative partner for developers around the world. Part of the everplay Group plc with an extensive portfolio of over 140 titles, and fully encapsulates the spirit of independent games. Team17’s portfolio of multi-award-winning and award-nominated in-house brands include Hell Let Loose, Golf With Your Friends, The Escapists, and the iconic Worms franchise, alongside its games label partner titles, including the award-winning games Date Everything, Dredge, and Overcooked! franchise. Visit www.team17.com for more information.

Article by: Susan N.

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Play the Highly Anticipated Psychological Horror Title Holstin Demo on Steam Right Now!

8 June 2025, Warsaw, Poland | Polish developer Sonka has just shadow dropped a new trailer and a massive demo for their highly anticipated psychological survival horror game, Holstin. The demo is available now on Steam.

While the two previous public demos showcased specific slices or mechanics, the new demo offers players a very meaty first look at the game's entire eerie 90’s Eastern Euro-fueled experience. It begins with the opening segment of Holstin's story, explaining what drew you into the decaying and possessed Polish lakeside town of Jeziorne-Kolonia. Get hands-on with the core gameplay, from engaging in intense combat and solving environmental puzzles to scavenging for survival, exploring ooze-infested streets and interiors, and interacting with the not-so-mentally-stable locals who still haven’t fully Turned. 

The demo also highlights Holstin's unique camera and lighting system, which seamlessly shifts between multiple perspectives in real-time lit, fully 3D pixel environments.

Steampage: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2235430/Holstin/

THE HOLSTIN KICKSTARTER SIGN-UP CONTINUES TO GROW

Alongside work on the full game and the new demo, Sonka has also been preparing for a major Kickstarter campaign, set to launch later in 2025. The campaign aims to raise funds to complete the final stages of the game and to crowdfund additional features and ideas the team is eager to implement. Players can learn more about what the game will offer and sign up to be notified once the full campaign goes live.

Holsitn Kickstarter Page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sonkagames/holstin

PLAYING ALL SORTS OF TRICKS ON YOUR EYES

Holstin uses Sonka's custom 2XD RENDERING technology, enabling the team to create real-time lighting in detailed pixel art environments, as well as multiple camera modes in a way that has never been seen before. The game features various perspectives, including isometric 3D, over-the-shoulder third-person shooting, first-person driving, top-down exploration, and side-scrolling platforming.

Heavily inspired by the Resident Evil and Silent Hill series, with the narrative team aiming for a darker Twin Peaks feel. 

Holstin will be coming to PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/S/X, and both Switch 1 and 2. 

Article by: Susan N.

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Try the New Holstin Demo on Steam Today!

31 August 2023, Warsaw, Poland | Polish developer Sonka has released the first combat gameplay trailer for their highly-anticipated upcoming psychological survival horror game, Holstin.

Steampage: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2235430/Holstin/

After a successful announcement back In January, the team has also released a Steam demo that lets players test out the game’s combat. Seamlessly switch to an over-the-shoulder perspective to get closer to the horrors, dismember bodies, and use quick thinking and movement to avoid getting swarmed.

The new demo is available on Steam now and showcases the game’s art, combat and character design, all using Sonka’s 2XD Rendering technology which allows the team to create real-time lighting and a 3D camera in pixel art environments.

Holstin is set in an eerie, isolated 90’s Polish lakeside town in which an ominous presence has slowly enveloped everything and everyone. A close colleague of yours came here, looking for answers to a newspaper story. But after a series of incoherent and troubling messages, all contact was lost. Now you need to venture into this psyche-shattering town to find out the truth and the fate of your friend.

The game is heavily inspired by the Resident Evil and Silent Hill series with the narrative team aiming for a darker Twin Peaks feel. Holstin will be coming to PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch. 

Article by: Susan N.

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Psychological Horror Survival Game Holstin Gets Steam Demo and Gameplay Video

31 January, 2023, Warsaw, Poland | Polish developer Sonka has released the first of a three part demo for Holstin, their recently announced psychological horror survival game.

The demo is available on Steam and showcases the game’s art, puzzles, character design as well as the first playable look at Sonka’s 2XD Rendering technology which allows the team to create real time lighting and a 3D camera in pixel-art environments.

A video with the first 15 minutes of demo gameplay has also been released.

Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2235430/Holstin/

Holstin is set in an eerie, isolated 90’s Polish lakeside town in which an ominous presence has slowly enveloped everything and everyone. A close colleague of yours came here, looking for answers to a newspaper story. But after a series of incoherent and troubling messages, all contact was lost. Now you need to venture into this psyche-shattering town to find out the truth and the fate of your friend.

The game is heavily inspired by the Resident Evil and Silent Hill series with the narrative team aiming for a darker Twin Peaks feel. Holstin will be coming to PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.

Article by: Susan N.

Read More