Hypnohead, the studio behind the strategy game The King Is Watching, has announced its next project: The Crab Is Walking. This new title is described as an "apocalypsecpunk" roguelite city-builder that blends strategic district arrangement with combat expeditions.
In The Crab Is Walking, players will build city districts, shaped like tetrominoes, on the back of a massive crab. The gameplay alternates between managing this mobile metropolis and leading armies of units, referred to as "Mad Maxalots," to battle wasteland insects. Unlike its predecessor, The King Is Watching, players will not need to maintain direct focus on their crab city for it to function.
The developers have indicated that each roguelite run will feature a different Ride to establish a settlement on and a different Rider to lead expeditions. These combinations are intended to foster diverse playstyles, with the developers advising players to "work with your weaknesses, and find the pair that works for you." Combat appears to function as an autobattler, based on the game's trailer.
Hypnohead explained their decision to pursue The Crab Is Walking instead of a direct sequel to The King Is Watching, stating that they are still working on new content for the latter and that a sequel is not currently planned. However, they noted that they have a significant collection of ideas for The King Is Watching's future development and may revisit a sequel at some point. The Crab Is Walking allows the team to explore new technical possibilities, including more detailed pixel art and complex animations due to a different resolution, alongside more sophisticated unit behavior and combat statistics.
The Crab Is Walking does not yet have a release date, but playtests are scheduled to begin in 2027. More information is available on Steam.