First Public Demo for Mandated Fate Arrives August 17th for Steam!

France, August 2026 | As Steam Cyberpunk Fest shines a spotlight on futuristic worlds and dystopian adventures, Tetrarchy Studios is giving players something new to look forward to. The developer has officially announced that the first public demo for Mandated Fate will launch on August 17th, offering players their first hands-on look at the upcoming narrative-driven social thriller.

Set in an alternate 1985 under the rule of a powerful technocratic empire, Mandated Fate puts players in the role of an Imperial Inspector investigating a murder that threatens to unravel far more than a single crime. Blending investigation, exploration, and meaningful player choice, the game challenges players to decide who to trust, and how far they’re willing to go in service of the Empire.  

The upcoming demo will introduce players to the opening chapter of the game, allowing them to explore its richly detailed world, question suspects, gather evidence, and experience the consequences of their decisions firsthand. Every conversation, discovery, and choice can shape the story in unexpected ways.

While visitors to Steam Cyberpunk Fest can wishlist Mandated Fate today, the playable demo arrives on August 17th, marking the first opportunity for players to experience its unique blend of detective work, political intrigue, and immersive storytelling.

Key Features

• Averaged between 30 to 60 minutes of gameplay for a typical gamer
• Find your way through a mission that leads into a far-reaching political conspiracy
• Shape the narrative through meaningful choices with lasting consequences and uncover hidden truths
• Explore a seamless retro-futuristic city inspired by cyberpunk and neo-noir
• Experience the story in both first- and third-person perspectives

Players can wishlist Mandated Fate on Steam now and prepare to dive into the demo when it launches on August 17th.

About Mandated Fate

Mandated Fate is a narrative-driven social thriller developed by Tetrarchy Studios. Set in a dystopian alternate 1985, players investigate crimes within an authoritarian empire where surveillance is constant, loyalty is tested, and every decision can alter the course of the story. Combining detective gameplay, immersive exploration, and branching narrative paths, Mandated Fate delivers a fresh take on the cyberpunk genre.

Article by: Susan N.

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Robots Replace Humans in Satirical Dystopian Time Management Life-Sim

July 1st, 2026, Cartagena, Spain | The Spanish independent studio Palitroque is happy to announce that their satirical dystopian time management life-sim Dystopicon will release on Steam this July 27 at a price of 7.99 USD with a 15% off during the first 2 weeks. The game is set in a retro futuristic world where robots replaced humans at work. You are a Class-2 citizen who gets a new home from the government and assigned to do a simple job: watch TV to earn your salary, and with it, buy the services you find convenient to survive and stay entertained. Would you choose to be a loyal citizen or a rebel against the system as you progress in different scenarios uncovering more about how the world works? Keep in mind that your actions will have consequences, and they will lead you to 14 possible endings.

FEATURES 

6 Different Scenarios:

• Start the story mode as a Second-Class Citizen, living in a room provided by the government. Progress until you become a Party Citizen or end up in the re-education camp, across 5 different scenarios and an additional secret one.
• Each scenario reveals new information about this dystopian world and forces the player to rethink their strategy by introducing new mechanics and situations.
• Will you be able to discover what lies beyond the four walls of your home?

Challenge Mode:

• Your objective is to save enough money to leave that room. Do you dare to try?
• No daily news, no distractions—just you against yourself.

14 Possible Endings:

• You may survive however you choose:
• Remain an obedient citizen or rebel, but keep in mind that your actions will have consequences.
• Become a state bureaucrat or get involved in a terrorist attack. Follow the instructions to the letter or hack the system to deceive it.
• Anything can happen—who knows? You might even win the lottery… [insert canned Laughter]

About the Developer:

The motivations and story behind Dystopicon

The project started in 2018 in a very modest way by Juan Felipe Molina, with a prototype on Itch.io and third party assets from the Unity Asset Store. Over the course of about 12 months, he expanded the story and gameplay loop, testing what worked and what didn’t. That first version achieved the mark of 12.000 downloads.

For many years he received very positive feedback about the game, and it seemed that people enjoyed it, but he didn’t have the time to dedicate to it professionally. In November 2025, Juan Felipe left his job and decided to professionally release Dystopicon on Steam.

“I have always loved dystopian stories and I am a huge fan of the great classics, especially the works of Philip K. Dick. In his novel Ubik, the protagonist has to insert a coin into different household devices in order to use them, and I really liked that idea.

I needed another mechanic to justify why the player would earn money, and I started thinking about TV and social media, and how they keep people glued to screens. What could be the next step? Getting paid for doing exactly that!

Once I had those two elements (being paid to watch TV and using that money to buy services), I started building the rest of the game.

I eventually finished the prototype with a 28-day gameplay loop where the player had to survive by watching TV and reading daily reports sent by the government.

Then the pandemic arrived, and people found themselves locked at home, watching screens, and in many cases receiving government support to help them deal with the situation.” - Juan Felipe Molina (Game Director and Lead Developer)

The mechanics had already been thoroughly tested, the story worked, but the 3D models lacked personality. That’s why Juan Felipe hired Xenia Almela, a 3D artist who gave the game the visual identity and personality it has today. In addition, Mario Alba, a 2D artist who had created a series of comics for the original game, agreed to create many more for the final version.

Thanks to all of that, Dystopicon was born and will be released as a commercial product.

Article by: Susan N.

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Mandated Fate by Indie Developer Tetrarchy Studios Launches Demo on Steam!

France, April 2026 | In a world where the truth is dangerous, and loyalty is mandatory, how far will you go to survive?

Indie developer Tetrarchy Studios has announced that Mandated Fate, an upcoming dystopian narrative thriller, will open playtesting ahead of its public demo launch in early May on Steam. To participate in the playtest, gamers can join the Official Discord server and request a Steam key, or request access via the Mandated Fate Steam page. Within the game itself, there will be an option to fill out a completely anonymous feedback form.

Blending investigation, political intrigue, and high-stakes decision making, Mandated Fate puts players in the role of an Imperial inspector navigating a towering technocratic regime where every action is monitored - and every choice has consequences.

A System Built on Control (and Merit Score)

Set in an alternate 1985, Mandated Fate drops players into a society obsessed with technological dominance and absolute unity. Tasked with investigating a mysterious murder in a resistant district, players quickly uncover a web of secrets, surveillance, and conflicting loyalties. 

Through deep dialogue systems, environmental exploration, and faction manipulation, players must decide whether to uphold the regime, or quietly dismantle it from within.

• Interrogate suspects and uncover hidden truths
• Navigate a dense, vertical city with seamless exploration
• Make morally complex decisions that shape multiple outcomes
• Balance personal survival against political consequences

Wear the Mask. Keep your Soul.

Balance your Merit Score - the Empire’s cold, official metric of your worth - against your Loyalty, the hidden fire of your true convictions, in a world that never stops watching. Every word is a gamble: Navigate the rigid protocols of bureaucratic NPCs who only see your file. Earn the trust of desperate Dissidents or evade the gaze of zealous Loyalists who smell your true intent.

Will you become a model citizen to survive, or maintain a flawless public image while secretly feeding the flames of rebellion? In the Empire, the most dangerous weapon is the one they can’t see on your record.

Playtesters Wanted - Help Shape the Investigation

Ahead of its public demo, Mandated Fate is actively seeking players to help refine the experience.

The team is specifically looking for:

• Steam Deck testers to evaluate performance and handheld playability
• Controller users to refine input feel and accessibility
• Narrative-driven RPG fans ready to stress test choices, dialogue, and outcomes

Player feedback will directly influence polish, balance, and overall immersion as the game moves toward release.

Step Into the System Before the World Does

With its blend of noir detective work, branching narrative, and oppressive dystopian atmosphere, Mandated Fate challenges players to operate inside a system where breaking the rules isn’t optional - it’s expected.

The public demo launches in Early May, but those who join the playtest will be the first to uncover its secrets and shape how the story unfolds.

About Mandated Fate

Mandated Fate explores a future where humanity’s grand technological dreams have collapsed into systems of control. Drawing inspiration from classic dystopian storytelling and noir science fiction, the game presents a bleak yet compelling world where gravity manipulation powers an authoritarian society. Built almost entirely by a solo developer, the project reflects a passion for sci-fi narratives in which humanity ultimately becomes crushed under the weight of its own ambitions.

If you’re interested in staying in the loop on all things Mandated Fate, you can join the Official Discord Server, where feedback and suggestions are always welcome!

Article by: Susan N.

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