Calvin and Hobbes Meets It Takes Two In This Handcrafted Co-Op Adventure

Published Sep 12, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT

Chris is a Gaming Editor at ScreenRant. He has been a professional writer since 2009, and has written for top TV, comics, movie, and video game outlets like Engadget, Polygon, Destructoid, and more. He brings with him an expertise in every game genre, no matter how niche or mainstream.

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It Takes Two and Orbitals have become two of the most prominent co-op games of the past five years. While the former comes from Hazelight Studios (the same developer behind A Way Out and Split Fiction), the latter comes from Shapefarm, proving that anyone can come out of nowhere and deliver a solid cooperative experience. It's not just a genre relegated to AAA studios.

Another contender is coming, too, and it draws on a lot of classic animation inspiration, including Calvin and Hobbes and prominent filmmaker Laika Studios. The result looks truly special, and it's coming sooner than expected on most of the major platforms.

Couch Co-Op Is Alive And Well

Developed by Kong Orange/WiredFly and published by Epic Games, Out of Words is coming in "early 2027" on PC, PS5, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X. It's important to note that the PC edition is naturally relegated to the Epic Games Store given the publishing situation, and will not be coming to Steam. No price has been set, and there's no exact release date to pin down yet. In addition to couch co-op, it also supports online play.

Billed as a co-op platformer adventure from the ground up, you'll play as Kurt and Karla, who have held hands for the first time, and play out their journey through the realm of Vokabulantis. You'll take on puzzles and travel through areas with skyscrapers and catacombs as you go through the game with another player.

The team consists of puppeteers, programmers, and poets, which really rolls off the tongue. This unique band of creators makes Out of Words a compelling experiment, and the stop-motion process helps create a more personal story. The official site offers a behind-the-scenes look at the stop-motion figures, and the level of detail is seriously impressive.

Out of Words Has An Impressive Art Style

Here's a brief overview of what the narrative will look like: "The world is at stake – and so is your relationship. Kurt and Karla become entangled in a battle for the future of Vokabulantis and their friendship itself. Traverse the wonders and dangers of the world of Vokabulantis and falling in love. Kurt and Karla may save this wonderland — but at what cost?"

Out of Words was initially teased at The Game Awards 2025, and was present for hands-on play at Summer Game Fest (SGF) 2026. I had the chance to briefly try it out with a walk-up appointment while meeting with Fumito Ueda, and it's coming along great. It looks even better in person.