Blue Ridge Hunting is an upcoming Steam game that combines the gameplay premise of Phasmophobia with the setting of the Appalachian Mountains. So, instead of Phasmophobia‘s many ghosts, players are tasked with hunting a wide variety of cryptids.
Blue Ridge Hunting started out as a solo endeavor by developer Jade Meadows in January 2023. Meadows found the concept of a multiplayer cryptid-hunting horror game promising enough to found an indie studio—Jade & Company—dedicated to turning it into reality.
Blue Ridge Hunting Launches Kickstarter Campaign
The developer is now one step closer to that goal following the launch of the Blue Ridge Hunting Kickstarter campaign. The crowdfunding effort aims to raise $15,000 by November 30. Though the campaign is structured as an all-or-nothing goal, the Phasmophobia-inspired game seems likely to release regardless of its crowdfunding success, as the project has already secured a publisher: Six One Publishing, described as a boutique label focused on indie game developers.
Blue Ridge Hunting Free Demo Now Available on Steam
Accompanying the crowdfunding campaign, Blue Ridge Hunting received a playable demo that is now available on Steam, where the game itself can also be wishlisted. Jade & Company plans to keep updating the demo with additional content and other improvements in the months ahead. Although designed as a co-op experience for two or three players, Blue Ridge Hunting will also be playable solo. It will feature an open-ended Freeplay mode, plus a story campaign starring a group of friends looking to kill the most elusive of Appalachian cryptids—the Mothman.
In terms of art direction, Blue Ridge Hunting draws inspiration from the PlayStation 1 era of early 3D survival horror, featuring a gritty retro style with visuals resembling found analog footage. Proximity chat will be included, but players will need to use it cautiously: while communication may help trap a cryptid, the Appalachian monsters are always listening. Overall, fans of Phasmophobia and Fallout 76‘s cryptids alike may find plenty to appreciate in this upcoming title.
Blue Ridge Hunting Launching in 2026 at an Affordable Price
Blue Ridge Hunting is currently targeting a 2026 early access launch, with the day-one version of the game expected to have approximately one-third of all planned content. Since the developer has yet to narrow down the 2026 release window and given that 2025 is nearly over, a release in the second half of next year appears more likely than the first. Blue Ridge Hunting will retail for $9.99, with that price promised to stay the same even after early access. The game has so far only been confirmed for PC, where it will launch exclusively via Steam. Blue Ridge Hunting is planned to be a Steam Deck Verified game and stay in early access for “about a year,” Jade & Company said.
