PAPERHEAD release date
Steam still lists October 9, 2026. The September 18 date is dead. EP.0 can no longer be claimed.
PAPERHEAD launches on Steam on October 9, 2026. That date is on the store right now. It is not September 18. The developer moved the window on purpose.
The date on the store
Steam appdetails for 2680280 still returns coming_soon: true and date: Oct 9, 2026. Time zones can shift the calendar day by one on some storefronts, so treat "October 9" as the Steam US listing, not a local midnight countdown.
The previous public date was September 18, 2026. A news post titled "PAPERHEAD is moving to October 9" explained the slip: the game was close, they wanted a window where a small paper creature with a pencil could actually be seen. They took three extra weeks. Do not plan around the September trailer posts — those are stale.
| What you saw | What is current (1 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|
| Trailer / news: "out on September 18th" | Superseded |
| Steam store date | October 9, 2026 |
| Coming soon flag | Yes |
| Price | Not listed |
| Pre-order button | Not listed |
Why the date moved
The official note is about launch visibility, not a feature dump. They did not publish a new content list with the delay. What is documented separately, in Devlog 4, is that 1.0 adds shops and a second clip type that the prologue never had. Those systems are why an EP.0 save will not be a 1.0 tutorial.
If you are tracking wishlists, this is a "be on the page on the 9th" game, not a "it already shipped and we missed it" game.
EP.0 is not a substitute for launch day
On September 24, 2026 the Steam page for the free prologue PAPERHEAD EP.0 closed. Developer post: you could claim it until that day and keep it forever; after the page went away there is no new claim path. Copies already in a library remain downloadable.
That matters for October 9:
- EP.0 owners can keep warming up on movement and the pencil.
- Anyone who did not claim it cannot grab a free prologue now.
- EP.0 is not the 1.0 campaign. Shops, golden clips and the upgrade tree were announced as release features.
Details live on demo vs EP.0.
Demo, price, platforms
A Next Fest demo shipped as "a playable slice of the full game" with a new exclusive level, narrative horror beats, the kick/stomp/shotgun loop, and full controller support. The current store HTML does not expose a steam://install demo button. If a demo returns, it will reappear on that same app page — do not hunt third-party mirrors.
Price is unpublished. Steam discussions asking "how much" and "let me preorder" are still unanswered. Family Sharing is listed. Languages on the store: English, French, German, Spanish (Spain), Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese-Brazil, Turkish.
PC minimum is a 9800GT-class card and 2 GB RAM. Recommended is GTX 460-class and 4 GB. No Mac line. Players have asked for macOS in discussions; there is no official yes.
What to do between now and the 9th
- Wishlist 2680280 so the Steam launch notice hits you.
- If EP.0 is in the library, run getting started against that build — knowing the pencil now is free practice.
- Ignore September 18 calendars, influencer countdowns, and any page that still says "this week" from the old trailer.
- After the 9th, re-check this page: coming_soon flipping to a live build is the signal to rewrite combat numbers.
FAQ
Did it already ship? No. Store flag is coming soon, date October 9, 2026.
Can I pre-order? Not on the current Steam page.
Will EP.0 progress carry over? Not documented. Assume no. 1.0 adds shops the prologue never had.
Is the delay a content cut? The delay note talks about the release window. Separately, Devlog 4 adds systems. Neither post lists cuts.
