Dead Take: Surgent Studios’ Psychological Horror Game Set for 2025 Release

Surgent Studios, known for their game “Tales of Kenzera: Zau,” has announced “Dead Take,” a narrative-driven psychological horror game scheduled for release on PC via Steam in 2025. Pocketpair Publishing will publish the title. “Dead Take” explores themes of power and corruption within the entertainment industry, promising players a gripping and immersive experience.

In “Dead Take,” players take on the role of an actor searching for a missing friend while navigating a dark and opulent mansion filled with mysterious figures. The game includes object-based puzzles and video clip editing to help unravel a haunting story inspired by real experiences in the industry. A 20-second teaser trailer features an eerie mansion, while an impressive cast of actors, to be revealed soon, adds depth to the narrative.

REVEALING: DEAD TAKE

A psychological horror from @surgentstudios and Pocketpair Publishing. Coming ██████, 2025.

Find your missing friend. Uncover the secrets within.

Wishlist on Steam:https://t.co/wvaK2CvKqF pic.twitter.com/sd7LLSvis6

— Pocketpair Publishing (@PocketpairPBLSH) June 3, 2025

Surgent Studios’ CEO Abubakar Salim, an actor in Assassin’s Creed Origins and House of the Dragon, emphasised the game’s delicate subject matter, stating, “I want players to think, ‘I can’t believe they did this,’” per Gematsu. Salim’s industry background informs us of the corruption theme in the entertainment industry, per Game Informer.

Pocketpair, behind Palworld’s 32 million players, launched its publishing arm in January 2025, with Dead Take as its first project, supporting indie developers like Surgent, per Newsweek. The Pocketpair Publishing partnership follows Surgent’s layoffs and funding struggles post-Tales of Kenzera: Zau, per PC Gamer. The game’s Steam wishlist is now open, per KitGuru.

Dead Take 2025 signifies Surgent Studios’ ambitious transition to psychological horror on Steam. It addresses corruption issues within the entertainment industry and features a star-studded cast. The game promises an innovative narrative that could redefine indie horror.