Cairn

Cairn is a survival climbing game from The Game Bakers, the studio behind Furi and Haven. Players take on the role of professional alpinist Aava, who wants to be the first person to conquer Mount Kami.

The mountain is not a sequence of fixed climbing passages: walls can be approached freely, so grip choice, route planning and risk management shape your own path. At the same time, Cairn tells a story about Aava's ambition and how much she is willing to sacrifice for the ascent.

Cairn was released on Jan 29, 2026 for PC and PlayStation 5. Since then, the game has been expanded with free updates and additional climbing content.

On the Trail: Deep Water releases as the first part of a series of free DLCs on Oct 29, 2026. The Game Bakers had previously named Aug 13; the new date was confirmed on Sept 20.

Cairn is available for PC and PlayStation 5. On PC, the game is offered through Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store, among others.

A native Nintendo Switch 2 version is announced for early 2027. An exact date is still to come.

Cairn's core system is free climbing. Aava can place her hands and feet on the rock face, while players plan reach, body position and the next move. Instead of marked routes, the ascent comes from your own decisions.

Mount Kami can be explored in different ways. A difficult direct route can save time, while a detour offers better rest spots or resources. Bivouacs serve to recover and prepare for the next stage.

On the Trail: Deep Water is the first free DLC in a planned series of additional climbing adventures. It releases on Oct 29, 2026 for PC and PS5 and brings three new, more compact climbing areas with their own challenges.

New is Water Soloing: you can climb over water without the fatal consequences of a fall. The new areas also work with a limited energy supply, so mistakes and extra exertion feed directly into route decisions.

Marco becomes available as a second playable climber and, thanks to his build, reach and newer Climbot model, has his own climbing style. Alongside the DLC, a free update with Free Roam arrives, letting you explore Mount Kami freely with Aava or Marco.

On PC, Cairn requires at least Windows 10, an Intel Core i7-6700 or Ryzen 5 1500X, 8 GB RAM, a GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or Radeon RX 570, and 10 GB storage. An SSD is required; a controller is recommended.

Recommended are an Intel Core i7-10700 or Ryzen 7 3700X, plus an RTX 2060 Super or Radeon RX 5700.

The ascent is also a survival expedition. Pitons, chalk, finger tape, food, water and medicine are limited and must be rationed across the mountain. Poor decisions cost not only time but can drain Aava's reserves so far that a route has to be abandoned.

Physical strain is part of route planning: climbing efficiently saves resources, while slipping often or choosing poor holds uses up more strength and material.