Haunted Paws launches May 2027, with a free demo on Switch and Switch 2

The heroes of Haunted Paws do not carry legendary swords or enchanted armor.

They have four paws, a good sense of smell and hopefully enough courage to explore a mansion filled with supernatural dangers.

Developer LazyFlock announced during the October 28, 2026 Nintendo Indie World Showcase that Haunted Paws will launch on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 in May 2027.

The developer has also confirmed the same launch window for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

An exact release date and final price have not yet been announced.

Two puppies on a rescue mission

The story begins when the puppies' human companion is kidnapped by evil creatures and imprisoned inside a haunted mansion.

The two animals must investigate the disappearance, explore dangerous locations and discover the secrets surrounding the building.

Haunted Paws combines puzzle-solving, exploration, minigames and encounters with cartoon-style monsters.

The protagonists use abilities associated with real dogs, including sniffing, barking and digging.

These actions provide ways to uncover clues and interact with the environment.

The game also features an investigation system in which discovered evidence contributes to a clue board.

Players must piece together information about the kidnapping while overcoming obstacles throughout the mansion.

Designed around cooperation

Haunted Paws is specifically designed for two players.

According to Nintendo, both puppies must cooperate to solve puzzles and progress through the adventure.

The game supports local two-player sessions and online cooperation.

On Nintendo consoles, local players can use one Joy-Con controller each.

The Nintendo Switch 2 edition also supports local GameShare on compatible systems.

Online play requires Nintendo Switch Online under the applicable terms of the service.

LazyFlock has separately announced a Friend's Pass that will allow one player to invite a friend without requiring a second purchase.

The complete platform-specific availability and conditions of that feature have not yet been detailed.

Creating a unique puppy

Players can customize their characters before setting off on the rescue mission.

Options include dog breeds, fur colors, coat patterns and accessories.

The developer has continued adding customization content during production.

An October 19 PC demo update introduced several more dog breeds, including German Shepherd, Great Dane, Jack Russell, Mastiff, Retriever, Rottweiler and Shiba Inu.

Additional hats and accessories were also included.

Players can create a puppy inspired by their real-life pet or choose a more imaginative appearance.

The studio has even revealed a kitten character disguised as a puppy among its customization-related surprises.

A mansion with multiple chapters

The adventure extends beyond a single collection of corridors.

LazyFlock has announced four chapters for the complete game, each introducing different locations, characters, enemies and bosses.

Previous development updates have shown environments associated with the mansion, a circus and mysterious portals.

The developer also wants some creatures to have their own backstories.

Players may uncover more about these monsters as they defeat or overcome them during the journey.

Previously introduced enemies include the Bull Monster and Bird Monster.

The structure is intended to alternate exploration, cooperative puzzles and more intense encounters where the puppies must evade danger.

The final pacing and variety of those chapters will become clearer when the complete game is released.

Free demos are available

A free Nintendo demo was announced as part of the October 28 Indie World presentation.

Players can try Haunted Paws on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 before its commercial launch.

The PC demo was released earlier, on October 8, through Steam.

LazyFlock says it has introduced improvements since previous playtests, including revised graphics, smoother movement, camera adjustments and additional content.

The developer also added customization options to the PC demonstration in October.

The exact content of the different platform demos may vary, so the availability of a feature on PC does not automatically confirm its presence in the Nintendo build.

Nintendo features and supported languages

Nintendo's official listings confirm French among the supported languages.

The Switch and Switch 2 versions support TV, tabletop and handheld modes.

The estimated download size is approximately 2GB on both Nintendo systems.

The Switch 2 listing also mentions touch-screen support and cloud saves under Nintendo Switch Online's applicable conditions.

No official resolution or frame-rate targets have been established for the console versions.

More than one million Steam wishlists

LazyFlock announced on October 19 that Haunted Paws had surpassed one million Steam wishlists.

This is a developer-reported expression of interest, not a count of preorders or game sales.

The studio has also reported receiving a community-selected independent game award at Gamescom 2026.

Haunted Paws is currently scheduled for May 2027 across Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PlayStation and Xbox.

Until then, the free demos offer an opportunity to experience its unusual combination of puppy customization, cooperative mystery-solving and lighthearted horror.