Grab the Horror Classic from the Inscryption Developer for Free on Steam!

One of the earlier creations from Inscryption developer Daniel Mullins is currently available for free on Steam for a limited time. Pony Island can be snagged at no cost until October 12, 2026. The timing of this giveaway is fitting, especially with a sequel set to launch early next year and October being the ideal month for all things eerie and unusual.

Pony Island, released in 2016, is a meta horror game that begins as a 2D endless runner featuring unicorns but quickly veers into unexpected territory. Players navigate through various genres while attempting to escape a cursed arcade cabinet. The game garnered praise for its innovative design and postmodern narrative. Mullins followed up with The Hex in 2018, which explores six characters, each linked to a distinct gameplay genre.

In 2021, Mullins unveiled his most acclaimed title, Inscryption. This meta horror experience centers around card game mechanics, escape room puzzles, and roguelike elements, earning accolades for its deckbuilding features, visuals, and immersive atmosphere.

Pony Island 2: Panda Circus was revealed at The Game Awards 2023 with a striking trailer. Like its predecessor, this sequel appears to follow a lost soul trying to break free from a video game world. The Steam description teases, “Pony Island 2: Panda Circus is a phantasmagorical voyage through time, myth, divinity, and video games. You were a young nomad destined to conquer the world… until an early death trapped you in The Earth Prison. Now you must escape the powerful deities of the underworld with your soul and sanity intact. This is not a game about ponies.” The latest trailer hints that the soul in question is none other than Temujin, famously known as Genghis Khan.

Given the track record of Daniel Mullins Games, Pony Island 2 is likely to be a strange and unforgettable journey. Mullins has mentioned that the game will blend various genres, and the trailers have already showcased real-time strategy, first-person exploration, command prompts, and 2D action sequences. There’s a lot to anticipate. We’ll discover all that Pony Island 2: Panda Circus has to offer when it launches on April 27, 2027. In the meantime, an ongoing Steam playtest is still open for applications.