BitBorne Studio’s co-op mining survival game Goblin Company launches on Steam on June 12, 2026. With up to 4-player online co-op, destructible biomes, rail-building mechanics, and a darkness system that will consume your sanity, it brings a comedic goblin twist to the Deep Rock Galactic formula.
Goblin Company is a co-op mining survival game developed and published by BitBorne Studio, set to release on June 12, 2026 on Steam for PC. The game has already surpassed 75,000 Steam wishlist additions and offers a free demo. Players take on the role of goblin miners employed by the dubiously managed WHAAG MINING INC, descending into destructible underground biomes with laser drills to hunt for the legendary Giant Nugget.
What Is Goblin Company About?
Goblin Company drops you and up to three friends into the depths of a dangerous mine system. Armed with laser drills, your goblin squad works for a greedy mining corporation with one objective: reach the Giant Nugget buried in the deepest darkness. The catch is that the underground is filled with ravenous creatures and a creeping darkness that devours sanity. Every meter you dig could be your last.
The developers describe it as a more relaxed yet still chaotic mining adventure, positioning it as an appealing option for players who enjoy games like Deep Rock Galactic but prefer a slightly less frantic pace. The combination of physics-based digging, rail construction, resource management, and comedic goblin chaos gives the game its own distinct identity within the co-op survival genre.
Core Gameplay Mechanics
The gameplay loop revolves around digging, building, surviving, and extracting resources. According to the Steam store page, Goblin Company features these core systems:
- Fully destructible biomes: Carve your own paths and shape the environment to suit your exploration strategy
- Rail network building: Construct mining cart railways to optimize your transport routes
- Combat and survival: Fight underground creatures guarding the most precious crystals
- Dynamic torch system: Carry, throw, or plant torches strategically to hold back the darkness
- Progression and upgrades: Upgrade your laser to destroy and create terrain, expand with Autominers
- Goblin customization: Personalize your character’s appearance and gear
- 3 different biomes: Each with unique environmental challenges to discover
The game supports both online co-op for up to 4 players and offline single-player mode. While solo play is available, the co-op experience appears to be the primary design focus, with teamwork mechanics built around torch sharing, coordinated digging, and combined resource extraction efforts.
Fear of the Dark: The Light Management System
One of Goblin Company’s most distinctive mechanics is its darkness management system. Staying in the light is not optional: if your goblin wanders into darkness, anxiety builds until it consumes you entirely. The dynamic torch system provides multiple approaches to light management. You can carry torches, throw them ahead to illuminate new areas, or plant them strategically to create safe zones.
In co-op sessions, this mechanic forces genuine teamwork. Players need to share torches, coordinate their light coverage, and watch each other’s backs while pushing deeper into the mines. It creates a natural tension between the urge to explore further and the need to maintain a safe, lit path back to the surface.
How Does It Compare to Deep Rock Galactic?
The Deep Rock Galactic comparison is inevitable and intentional. Both games feature 4-player co-op underground mining, hostile creature encounters, resource gathering, and a corporate employer that treats its workers as expendable. However, Goblin Company differentiates itself in several key ways.
Where Deep Rock Galactic is a first-person shooter with class-based combat, Goblin Company leans harder into construction and transport logistics. The rail-building system, mining cart networks, and terrain creation tools give it a stronger base-building dimension. The tone is also distinct: instead of tough space dwarves, you play as small goblins working for a shady corporation, and the game embraces the comedic chaos that results from physics-based digging and cooperative cart rides gone wrong.
BitBorne Studio has explicitly positioned the game as a more relaxed alternative for players who find Deep Rock Galactic too fast-paced, though “relaxed” clearly comes with the caveat that things can and will go hilariously wrong in the depths.
Release Date, Platform, and Demo
Goblin Company officially launches on June 12, 2026 on Steam for PC. The game’s price has not yet been announced. A free demo has been available on Steam since February 6, 2026, offering the first stretch of the game with one biome, limited technology unlocks, and co-op support. The demo gives a solid taste of the core loop: digging, building rails, managing light, and seeing how deep you can go before the darkness gets you.
The game supports 9 languages for its interface, including English, Italian, German, Spanish (Spain), Simplified Chinese, and Turkish among others. There is currently no confirmed console release, with the game targeting PC exclusively at launch.
System Requirements
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 (64-bit) | Windows 11 (64-bit) |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 @ 2.5 GHz | Intel Core i5 @ 3.0 GHz / AMD Ryzen 5 |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | GTX 1060 / RX 6600 XT | RTX 2060 / RX 7600 XT |
| DirectX | Version 11 | Version 11 |
| Storage | 4 GB | 6 GB |
The hardware requirements are notably modest. A mid-range gaming PC from several years ago can comfortably meet the minimum specs, and the recommended tier stays well within reach of most current setups. The small storage footprint of 4 to 6 GB also makes it a lightweight install.
The Developer: BitBorne Studio
BitBorne Studio is an independent developer handling both development and publishing for Goblin Company. The studio ran a public playtest in late January 2026 to gather feedback and catch bugs ahead of the demo launch, and the demo itself has been updated since its initial February 2026 release. This community-driven development approach, combined with the game’s growing wishlist numbers, suggests strong early engagement with the player base.
Things Players Usually Ask
Can you play Goblin Company solo?
Yes. The game supports both offline single-player and online co-op for up to 4 players. You can tackle the mines alone, though the game is designed with cooperative play as its primary experience.
Is Goblin Company free to play?
The full game will be a paid release, though the price has not been announced yet. A free demo is currently available on Steam that lets you experience the opening section of the game with co-op support included.
What platforms will Goblin Company be on?
Only PC via Steam has been confirmed for the June 12, 2026 launch. No console versions have been announced at this time.
Is there a story or is it purely gameplay-driven?
The game has a narrative framing: you are a goblin miner employed by WHAAG MINING INC, sent into the mines to find the legendary Giant Nugget. If you die, the company simply sends another goblin. The core experience is gameplay-driven with this darkly comedic corporate survival premise as the backdrop.
How does it differ from Deep Rock Galactic?
While both are co-op underground mining games, Goblin Company focuses more on rail construction, mining cart logistics, and terrain manipulation rather than class-based FPS combat. It is also designed to be slightly more relaxed in pace, with a comedic goblin theme instead of space dwarves.
Goblin Company is shaping up to be one of the more interesting indie co-op releases of summer 2026. You can add it to your Steam wishlist now or try the free demo to see if the goblin mining life is for you.
