Simone Publisher Kepler Interactive and Tokyo-based developer Shapefarm have officially announced that Orbitals, their highly anticipated asymmetric cooperative puzzle-adventure game, will launch globally on September 3, 2026.
Revealed as a platform exclusive for the Nintendo Switch 2, the game centers on a hand-drawn art direction that acts as an explicit love letter to classic late 1980s and early 1990s Japanese anime. Alongside the release date confirmation, digital pre-orders have officially opened via the Nintendo eShop, accompanied by options for a physical retail package containing the complete game on a single cartridge.
The narrative drops players into a bright yet desperate space exploration saga tracking two inexperienced but highly determined childhood friends, Maki and Omura. When a massive, supernatural cosmic storm physically traps their deteriorating space station home, the duo is forced to pilot their vessel directly beyond the dangerous perimeter known as the Storm Wall to scout uncharted territory for rescue materials. Built strictly as a mandatory, two-player cooperative experience, the gameplay requires constant communication as players navigate treacherous asteroid fields, bypass active defense machinery, and decipher environmental puzzles within abandoned galactic structures.
To maintain maximum accessibility for a co-op only title, Orbitals fully implements the Nintendo Switch 2 GameShare system and includes an integrated Global Friend’s Pass. This digital pipeline allows an individual game owner to invite a second partner to download and join their game session completely free of charge, supporting both local split-screen layouts and online multiplayer matchmaking. Visually, the title relies on custom hand-crafted cinematic sequences created in direct partnership with Studio Massket, pairing authentic dual-audio English and Japanese vocal dubbing with an era-appropriate orchestral soundtrack.
Kepler Interactive confirmed the game will launch with a standard digital version priced at $39.99 and a standard physical edition at $49.99. A premium Digital Deluxe Edition is also available for $49.99, which bundles the digital soundtrack and a retro concept art book directly into the main game menu, alongside two exclusive character costumes and a pair of custom cosmetic ship hulls.
