If you searched for the Zoopunk game after seeing that Gamescom trailer, you probably have three questions: what is it, when can you play it, and is it actually co-op? Here are the answers, in that order.
Zoopunk is an upcoming third-person action RPG from Chinese studio TiGames, set in the same Animal Punk universe as F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch. It swaps that game’s 2D Metroidvania structure for full 3D combat arenas, three (possibly four) playable animal heroes, and an online cooperative PvE mode. It is confirmed for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC and it does not have a locked release date yet.
Everything below reflects what was shown and confirmed as of August 2026, including the Gamescom Opening Night Live reveal and the extended gameplay trailer that followed.
What Is the Zoopunk Game?
Zoopunk is a dieselpunk action RPG built around anthropomorphic animal protagonists fighting sentient machines. The official site frames it as “a Zoopunk journey of metal, wilds, and will,” which is atmospheric but light on specifics. The store listings are clearer.
The Xbox Store describes Zoopunk as a team-based co-op PVE game that blends diesel-punk with an Eastern aesthetic. Meanwhile, PCGamingWiki lists it as an upcoming singleplayer and multiplayer third-person action and RPG game in the Animal Punk series so both solo and squad play appear to be on the table.
The tonal pitch is bleak: a world of rusted steel and tar where instinct and machinery have blurred into each other. Think NieR: Automata‘s existential framing wearing Devil May Cry‘s combat clothes.
Zoopunk Release Date: What’s Actually Confirmed
This is where most articles overstate things, so let’s be precise.
- No official release date has been announced. TiGames confirmed the game for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store, without a release date.
- A 2027 window has been widely reported but not formally locked by the studio. TechTimes noted that as of August 27, 2026, a 2027 window has been reported though TiGames has not confirmed a specific year or date.
- More news is coming soon. TiGames stated that additional details will be announced in the near future.
Bottom line: treat 2027 as a realistic expectation, not a promise. Wishlist it and wait for a dated trailer.
Zoopunk Platforms
| Platform | Status |
|---|---|
| PlayStation 5 | Confirmed (with PS5 Pro support) |
| Xbox Series X|S | Confirmed |
| PC Steam | Confirmed |
| PC Epic Games Store | Confirmed |
| PC Microsoft Store | Confirmed |
| PS4 / Xbox One / Switch | Not planned |
Note that console play requires an online multiplayer subscription such as Game Pass Core or Ultimate, sold separately which tells you how central the multiplayer component is. You can track the listing on the Xbox Store page.
Zoopunk Gameplay: How It Actually Plays
The headline change is structural, not cosmetic. F.I.S.T. organized space as a 2D map you learned to re-read; Zoopunk organizes space as a sequence of combat arenas each character navigates differently.
TiGames rebuilt the game on Unreal Engine 5, using Nanite virtualized geometry and Lumen dynamic lighting to support the fur rendering and environmental detail seen in the trailer across forests, airships, volcanic fortresses, and crumbling citadels.
Combat sits at the heart of Zoopunk, with fighting styles built around distinct animal traits so players can craft their own combat identity. Practically, that means combo chains, character-specific traversal, and no shared moveset.
Zoopunk Co-Op Mode
The multiplayer hook is a four-player online cooperative PvE mode. Reporting from the Gamescom reveal describes arena-based squad tactics rather than exploration a bruiser holding the frontline while mobile characters flank priority targets and control the perimeter, with resource management and elemental combinations required to break armored enemies.
That asymmetry is the design bet: your role in a four-stack is determined by which animal you pick, not by a class menu.
Zoopunk Characters: The Playable Heroes
Three heroes are confirmed, each with a genuinely different combat loop:
- Rayton the Rabbit agile and fast-paced, specializing in melee combat and using aerial combos to build energy before releasing electrically charged attacks. Returning F.I.S.T. players will recognize the name.
- Braton the Rhino a powerhouse brawler wielding a massive chainsaw with strong defensive abilities, acting as the team’s frontline anchor.
- Trixie the Chipmunk nimble and precise, relying on acrobatics and hit-and-run tactics while combining stylish gun-fu with ammo management.
And one unconfirmed: the Gamescom trailer offered a first glimpse of a mysterious fourth protagonist, a serval whose identity is still open to speculation. Given a four-player co-op mode and exactly three announced heroes, the math is not subtle.
Story and Setting: The First Torch War
Zoopunk takes place decades before F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch, chronicling the turbulent origins of Torch City a metropolis of animals on the brink of revolution.
The catalyst is a mysterious energy source (referred to in different materials as the Spark or the fire seed) that accelerated technological progress and then triggered self-awareness inside industrial machinery. The resulting Machine Legion rejected its biological creators, arguing that consciousness can be copied and learned a claim the animal factions reject outright.
Crucially, the animals are not fighting on a single side either; rival factions and internal conflicts complicate the war. The trailer’s first animal bosses mark a real departure from the straightforward animal-versus-machine conflict of the previous game.
How Zoopunk Connects to F.I.S.T.
You do not need to have played F.I.S.T. to follow Zoopunk it’s a prequel, so it’s a legitimate entry point. But playing it first pays off in recognition rather than plot comprehension, since Rayton is the shared thread. F.I.S.T. remains available on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
FAQ
When is the Zoopunk release date?
There is no confirmed date. TiGames has announced platforms but not timing; a 2027 window has been widely reported without official confirmation. Expect a dated announcement before the end of 2026 based on the studio’s own statements.
Is Zoopunk co-op or single-player?
Both. It supports online cooperative PvE for up to four players, and store listings also describe single-player. Console co-op requires an online subscription.
Is Zoopunk on Game Pass?
Not announced. The game appears on the Xbox Store, but no Game Pass day-one inclusion has been confirmed.
Do I need to play F.I.S.T. before Zoopunk?
No. Zoopunk is a prequel set decades earlier, so it works as a standalone starting point in the Animal Punk universe.
How many playable characters does Zoopunk have?
Three are confirmed Rayton, Braton, and Trixie with a fourth serval character teased but unnamed.
What platforms is Zoopunk on?
PS5 (with PS5 Pro support), Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store. No last-gen or Switch version is planned.
The Bottom Line
Zoopunk is TiGames making a deliberate leap: from a well-liked 2D Metroidvania to a 3D character-action RPG with squad play, Tencent backing, and Unreal Engine 5 under it. The character-distinct combat and the animal-versus-animal conflict are the two things that could make it stand apart from a crowded genre and both looked convincing at Gamescom.
The honest caveat is timing. Nothing is dated, and a 2027 window on a project this ambitious deserves patience.
