PikPok Announces Into the Dead: Crimson Heights
PikPok, the publisher and developer of the Into the Dead franchise, announced Into the Dead: Crimson Heights during IGN Live, a video games and entertainment event held in Los Angeles during the weekend.
The company described Into the Dead: Crimson Heights as a hyper-reality survival horror game that uses technology developed to extend the capabilities of room-scale Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality experiences. According to PikPok, the project is intended to create a new type of player experience by combining digital gameplay with elements drawn from a player’s physical surroundings.
PikPok stated that the game allows players to scan their play spaces using Hyper Reality technology. The company said the system converts furniture and other objects within those spaces into in-game architecture and cover. As a result, physical surroundings become part of the game world, modifying how players move and interact with the environment.
According to the announcement, the game uses real-world layouts to create reactive gameplay spaces. PikPok stated that scanned rooms form part of the game’s design, with objects within those rooms becoming integrated into the survival horror experience.
Into the Dead: Crimson Heights is set within the wider Into the Dead franchise and builds upon the zombie outbreak in Walton City. PikPok stated that Walton City was previously depicted in the PC title Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days. The new game is set during the outbreak’s opening hours and serves as a separate entry in the franchise.
The company said the title combines stealth-focused gameplay, tactical exploration and combat. PikPok also stated that the game has been designed as a body-driven experience, with player movement forming a key part of interaction within the game world.
The announcement signifies the latest addition to the Into the Dead series, which has been released across multiple platforms. In the new title, PikPok said it is investigating the use of Hyper Reality technology in a survival horror setting, incorporating physical environments directly into gameplay.
PikPok provided details about the project’s technological approach as part of the announcement. The company announced that Into the Dead: Crimson Heights has been developed to move beyond existing room-scale Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality experiences by integrating real-world surroundings into the game through Hyper Reality systems.
According to the information released by the company, players will encounter gameplay environments formed by their own rooms and furnishings. PikPok stated that these physical elements become part of the game’s architecture and can be used as cover within the experience. The company described this approach as a way to connect real-world spaces to virtual gameplay.
The announcement also linked the new title to events previously depicted within the Into the Dead universe. Walton City, which serves as the setting for the outbreak featured in the game, was first introduced in Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days. PikPok stated that Crimson Heights takes place in the earliest stages of the outbreak and explores events within those initial hours.
Into the Dead: Crimson Heights is currently in development for Hyper Reality on Meta devices and for Virtual Reality on Steam. PikPok stated that the game is planned for release in 2027.
The company also announced plans to provide additional information about the title during Gamescom, which is scheduled to take place in Cologne in August. PikPok stated that further details about Into the Dead: Crimson Heights will be revealed at the event.
PikPok develops and publishes games for PC, console and mobile platforms. The company said that it employs approximately 200 people across New Zealand and Colombia.
According to company information, its portfolio includes the Into the Dead series and the Rival Stars franchise. PikPok also listed Super Monsters Ate My Condo among its titles and noted that the game received a BAFTA nomination. The company additionally identified Shatter and Shatter Remastered Deluxe as part of its catalogue, alongside other releases.
The announcement of Into the Dead: Crimson Heights launches a new title within the Into the Dead franchise and outlines PikPok’s use of Hyper Reality technology as a core element of the project. Information released by the company indicates that the game integrates scanned physical environments inside gameplay and places players in the early stages of the Walton City zombie outbreak.
PikPok stated that development of the game is continuing for Meta and Steam platforms ahead of its planned 2027 release window. The company also confirmed that more information about the project will be presented during Gamescom in Cologne in August.
