Paper Cult

Paper Cult is an independent game developer and self-publisher founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 2014. The studio creates original action games for PC and home consoles, emphasizing fast-paced play, immediate mechanics and expressive environmental interaction. Its work spans competitive local multiplayer, single-player action and cooperative roguelikes, supported by stylized art direction and fluid animation.

The studio develops and publishes its own games, with capabilities covering game design, programming, art, sound integration and multiplatform distribution. Its portfolio reflects a continuing interest in arcade action while exploring different approaches to competition, combat and cooperation.

From arcade competition to improvised combat

Its debut, Fat Mask, released on Steam on May 15, 2017. Combining puzzle-platforming with competitive arcade brawling, it supports one to four players and introduced the studio's focus on frantic, mechanically driven experiences.

Bloodroots followed on February 28, 2020, launching on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and the Epic Games Store. Steam and Xbox releases followed in 2021. The top-down action game builds combat around objects found throughout its environments: carrots, wooden oars, wagon wheels and ladders can become destructible weapons. Its approach draws inspiration from Jackie Chan films, Western revenge cinema and Quentin Tarantino's stylized violence, connecting improvised action with an exaggerated visual identity.

Cooperative action and ongoing development

Paper Cult revealed its third major production, Tears of Metal, during Summer Game Fest 2024. Set in the Scottish Highlands, the medieval cooperative hack-and-slash roguelike follows a Scottish battalion fighting to reclaim an invaded island while harnessing powers associated with the Dragon Stone Meteor.

The game entered Early Access on July 22, 2026, through Steam and Xbox Game Pass for PC. As of November 2026, Paper Cult continues developing content additions, balance patches and other updates, with community support and Early Access iteration forming part of its ongoing work.