The creator behind narrative horror hits ‘Narcosis’ and ‘Decarnation’ is bending the rules of the deckbuilding genre. A free demo is available right now on Steam.
The roguelike deckbuilder genre has seen countless iterations over the last few years, but a new announcement from the 2026 Pégases ceremony is looking to shuffle the deck by removing cards entirely.
Independent developer Atelier QBD has officially revealed TOKENS, a strategic new take on the roguelike formula set against the glitz, glamour, and smoke-filled rooms of a fantasy universe inspired by the roaring twenties. Swapping standard paper cards for heavy, satisfying casino tokens, the game challenges players to outsmart an enigmatic dealer to earn their place among the elite.
Best of all? You don’t have to wait to try it. A playable demo is live on Steam right now.
Welcome to the Token Club
In TOKENS, players take on the role of a determined aspirant seeking entry into the mysterious “Token Club”—a highly secretive, prestigious circle reserved exclusively for exceptional artists and adventurers. But the bouncer at the door isn’t checking IDs; to gain entry, you must prove your worth at the table.
Your primary adversary is the enigmatic dealer known as Mister Mirage, who orchestrates a grueling gauntlet of tabletop challenges.
Instead of drawing a hand of cards, players must demonstrate their strategic prowess by building and manipulating a “deck” of Tokens. To advance to the next round, players must strategically line up these tokens on the table to beat a required score. Every three rounds, the stakes are raised as Mister Mirage introduces a boss encounter, forcing players to rapidly adapt their strategies or risk losing their seat at the table.
Arcanas, Effigies, and Endless Synergies
Just like the best games in the genre, your starting pool of tokens is only the beginning. Each run offers a completely new configuration of challenges and opportunities.
To overcome Mister Mirage’s trials, players will need to enhance their collection using:
- Arcanas: Special, game-changing abilities that can alter the board state or multiply scoring potential.
- Effigies: Powerful items that provide passive buffs and unique synergies to your token lineup.
A Radical Shift for Atelier QBD
For fans of Atelier QBD, TOKENS represents a massive shift in tone and mechanics. The studio is best known for its deeply unsettling narrative horror titles, Narcosis and the critically acclaimed pixel-art psychological thriller Decarnation.
Quentin De Beukelaer, founder of Atelier QBD and the sole developer behind TOKENS, spoke about this pivot during the Pégases announcement:
“After creating two narrative horror games, Narcosis and Decarnation, I wanted to place gameplay at the heart of the project. As a fan of roguelike deckbuilders, I aim to bend the rules and use tokens instead of cards. It’s an ideal starting point to explore the concept of randomness and how players can manipulate it to carve their path within the Token Club.”
Play the Demo Today
If you are ready to test your luck and skill against Mister Mirage, the doors to the Token Club are already partially open.
Watch the First Announcement Trailer: YouTube Link
Download the Free Demo on Steam: Store Page
TOKENS is slated for a full Q3 2026 launch on Steam. To ensure a global audience can join the club, the game will be fully localized in 10 languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
For more information about the prestigious Pégases awards, where the game was revealed, visit the official Académie des Arts et Techniques du Jeu Vidéo website here.
