Closed Beta Test #2 Announced! A Ceiling-Crawling Oni, New Map, New Look!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our first Closed Beta Test!

Thanks to the incredible amount of feedback we received, the development team has been hard at work, and KAKUREONI has evolved so much that it almost feels like a completely different game.

Now, we're excited to announce the return of the Closed Beta Test!

Closed Beta Test #2 is officially coming! 🎉

📅 Event Details

• Applications Open： June 10, 2026, 10:00 AM (JST) ※ Apply via the Steam Store page.

• Test Period： June 15–22, 2026 (scheduled)

• Supported Languages： Japanese / English (UI only)

👉 Wishlist KAKUREONI now so you don't miss the CBT!

⚔️ Major Gameplay Updates

Gameplay Updates

• The Oni can now run across ceilings

• Added “ Oni Draw ” system to randomly determine the Oni role

• More hiding spots added, including toilet stalls and other interactive environments

• Ghost behavior has been completely reworked: they start off quiet and subtle, then gradually become more active and unsettling as time passes

Visual Updates

• The first Closed Beta Test was conducted using placeholder assets for validation purposes, but this time, the final visual assets have finally been implemented.

• The abandoned school stage has been completely redesigned into an old wooden school building

• The child character models have been updated to their final versions, with significantly improved Randoseru (backpacks) and clothing details

• The Oni has been redesigned into an inhuman presence that feels like something you were never meant to encounter.

• Lighting has been reworked to include intentional bright areas, making the contrast with darkness even more frightening

💬 CBT #2 Highlights (Director’s Message)

The Dilemma of “Absolute Fear” and “The Fear of Being Found”

What if we could take the excitement of childhood hide-and-seek and tag—the thrill of hiding, running, and being chased—and turn it into a horror experience anyone could enjoy?

That was the starting point of this project.

In KAKUREONI, the rules are simple:

If you're caught as a Child, you're out.

If you're the Oni, catch all the Children to win the round.

A simple, high-stakes 3-minute match.

While hiding, players are completely alone. You hold your breath, listen for the Oni’s footsteps, and try to survive in silence.

You can communicate with your teammates, but your voice might also be heard by the Oni—creating a tense dilemma between silence and communication.

But this is KAKUREONI. Being found doesn’t mean the end. The moment the Oni spots you, the fear shifts into a full-speed escape.

At its core, the game’s appeal lies in the simple rules that simulate a life-or-death hunt—an experience that taps into something instinctive.

For CBT #2, we've significantly enhanced the overall experience to make that feeling even stronger.

While there are still areas we'd like to improve and ideas we haven't implemented yet, we believe this is the right time to ask for your help and feedback.

Features Added Based on CBT #1 Feedback

・Tutorial Introduction

We had always planned to include a proper introduction before launch, but for CBT #2 we've implemented a prologue tutorial so players can begin experiencing the world of KAKUREONI right away.

In addition to teaching the controls, it serves as an introduction to the game's setting and atmosphere.

・Oni Updates

In many childhood games, being “it” is often seen as the unlucky role—the one assigned to the player who lost.

In KAKUREONI, however, becoming the Oni is something special.

We wanted players to think, "I want to play as the Oni!"

To achieve that, we've enhanced the Oni's overwhelming presence and power. The Oni also has unique abilities available only to that role, so we hope you'll enjoy the thrill of becoming the hunter.

・Improved Usability

We've made significant usability improvements across many aspects of the game, both large and small.

While the game is still a work in progress, we hope you'll notice the countless refinements we've made to improve the overall feel and flow of the experience.

Many other features and adjustments have also been implemented based on feedback and ideas from CBT #1.

That said, rather than comparing CBT #2 to CBT #1, we encourage you to evaluate this version on its own and share your honest thoughts with us.

Your feedback is incredibly valuable to everyone involved in the development of KAKUREONI.

We would also greatly appreciate your continued support for Pixelade, the team working every day to develop and promote the game.

Thank you for your support.

📺 Play With Our Game Developer VTubers!

We will also be hosting a special livestream of “Pixelade’s CBT #2 Trial Play.”

During the stream, we’ll be explaining the latest updates, playtesting the game live with the development team, and collecting feedback and bug reports in real time.

▼Watch the previous stream here

View store page

We will continue to share development updates and stream schedules on Pixelade’s official X account🕊

• X（Twitter）： https://x.com/Pixelade_party

With CBT #2, we finally feel that we are getting closer to the version of KAKUREONI we originally set out to create.

A game that is scary, nostalgic, and endlessly replayable.

We hope you’ll experience it for yourself.

The entire development team is truly looking forward to playing with you.

▶ Steam Store Page：

KAKUREONI HideandSeek Horror