NightRunner

NightRunner is a co-operative PvE horde shooter by 314 Arts for one to four players. The game combines horde survival with extraction mechanics, dungeon exploration and tower defense. Instead of competing against each other, the group works exclusively against the game world and its enemies.

At the center is the namesake NightRunner train. Teams transport cargo through a hostile world, leave the train for risky loot raids and must return in time while new enemy waves and scarce resources increase the pressure.

The first public Steam playtest of NightRunner starts on Oct 3, 2026. Interested players can request access via the Steam playtest feature.

The Steam store does not yet list a fixed date for the full version. The playtest is therefore explicitly to be understood as an early test phase and not as the release of the finished game.

NightRunner is currently confirmed for PC via Steam. The store page lists solo and online co-op as supported modes and offers sign-up for the Steam playtest.

Other platforms are currently not officially announced. Accordingly, only PC is confirmed as the native target platform.

NightRunner combines fast first-person shooter combat with a risk loop of transport, defense and loot raids. The group must bring cargo through dangerous areas, protect the train against hordes and leave it for exploration and loot phases. Whoever stays outside too long risks the way back and the resources they have collected.

The developer explicitly describes the game as a PvE experience. The extraction idea is therefore not a framework for PvP duels, but raises the stakes for co-operative outings. Tower defense and dungeon elements complement the horde survival structure.

NightRunner can be played solo or in online co-op with up to four players. The basic idea stays the same in both cases: missions lead the group from the relative safety of the train into dangerous zones, where loot, resources and enemies await.

The current gameplay overview shows the project still in an early pre-alpha phase. Individual sequences, values and content may therefore change before the full release.

NightRunner is being developed and published by the German studio 314 Arts. The studio describes its focus as first-person action and co-operative survival games. The project is also supported by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW.