Alientrap is officially bringing its open-world action-adventure game DuneCrawl to both the Nintendo Switch and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 by the end of 2026. Players will take on the roles of desert-faring privateers navigating dust seas atop a massive, heavily armed walking crustacean known as a Dune Crawler. The title emphasizes cooperative gameplay, allowing up to four players to team up locally or online to battle the jar-headed Vassals and survive hordes of wild bugs.
The game tasks players with helping the Polloi pilgrims win a war against a Ceramicist invasion by exploring oasis islands and delving into devious dungeons. Key features include:
- Cooperative and Solo Play: Adventure in local or online cooperative with up to four players, or take to the wastelands by yourself with a bit of help from a ghostly companion.
- Open-World Exploration: Navigate your Dune Crawler through the desert and visit dozens of islands to complete quests, explore secret dungeons, and collect piles of loot.
- Upgrade Your Arsenal: Gain powerful new player abilities by collecting Masks, Tunics, and Talismans. Unlock weapons like the Buzzooka and Acid Harpoon, and deck out your Dune Crawler with upgrades like Spike Armored legs and Guided Torpedoes.
- Crustacean Combat: Man the cannons and take the helm with your crew to fight against other crawlers, gigantic bosses, and island fortresses. Load cannonballs, repair damaged legs, and even launch yourself through the air for daring boarding actions.
- Bug Riding: Giant crabs aren’t your only form of arthropodic locomotion. Team up with friends to ride multi-saddle Beetles, zip around on skittering Nymphs, or smash through any opposition with armored Scorpions and Ball Bugs.
- Swashbuckling Action: Help your fellow Polloi fight off the Vassal invaders with a wide array of hand weapons and items, or make use of the deadly local wildlife with Bomb Flowers, Beehives, and Spider Eggs.
Bridging the Console Generation Gap
The late 2026 release window for DuneCrawl highlights a growing trend among indie developers to target both the aging Switch and the highly anticipated Switch 2 simultaneously. By ensuring cross-generation availability, Alientrap is maximizing the potential player base for a title heavily reliant on four-player co-op mechanics.
Launching a multiplayer-focused game exclusively on a new platform often risks a limited initial audience. Supporting the massive install base of the original Switch while offering presumed performance bumps on the Switch 2 is a calculated move to ensure the dust seas remain populated on day one.
