Team17 and Wych Elm have confirmed that Silver Pines, the studio’s “eerie, indie survival horror” project, will release digitally on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch worldwide on 8 October 2026.
The announcement accompanies a developer diary in which Wych Elm designer and co-founder Linus Larsson walks viewers through the game’s opening hours and sets expectations for tone and mechanics.
Set-up and narrative
Silver Pines places players in the role of private investigator Red Walker, who regains consciousness in the oddly abandoned American town of Silver Pines.
Early scenes unfold as fragments of memory and mounting dread, with Larsson explaining that a cryptic phone call propels the investigation forward — Walker is instructed to locate missing musician Eddie Velvet, a disappearance that unravels deeper, darker secrets about the town and triggers a nightmarish descent beyond Walker’s control.
Larsson frames the experience as an atmospheric, haunting journey that leans into psychological dread and slow-burn mystery.
The team also describes Silver Pines as a homage to classic survival-horror, presented from a distinctive 2.5D perspective that combines tense encounters with exploration and puzzle-solving.
Gameplay and features
Publisher Team17 has outlined the key gameplay pillars players can expect on Nintendo Switch:
- Mystery and dread: A narrative-driven journey where the town’s past and its shadows reveal clues and escalating threats.
- Survival-horror mechanics: Combat and evasion are both options as players scavenge for scarce resources and solve environmental puzzles.
- Metroidvania-style navigation: Locked doors, hidden paths and interconnected areas encourage backtracking and discovery.
- Grounded, visceral encounters: Close-quarters threats that emphasize tension and careful resource use.
- Inventory management: Limited carry space makes every bullet, medicine bottle and upgrade meaningful.
- Dreamlike visuals: Hand-painted backgrounds and rotoscoped character animations combine with a neo-noir aesthetic to create a visually distinct atmosphere.
- Suspicious townsfolk: Interactions with Silver Pines’ residents are intended to deepen the mystery and complicate the investigation.
Developer diary context
In the developer diary, Larsson narrates the initial hours and the design intentions behind the opening sequence, focusing on pacing, environmental storytelling and how limited resources shape player choices.
The diary gives players an early look at the game’s tone and how exploration and survival interplay.
Release details
Silver Pines will be available digitally on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch worldwide on 8 October 2026.
Wych Elm develops the title, with Team17 serving as publisher.
For readers tracking upcoming horror releases on Nintendo Switch, Silver Pines presents a blend of classic survival-horror influences, Metroidvania exploration and an art-forward presentation that aims to stand out in the indie lineup this fall.
The announcement accompanies a developer diary in which Wych Elm designer and co-founder Linus Larsson walks viewers through the game’s opening hours and sets expectations for tone and mechanics.
Set-up and narrative
Silver Pines places players in the role of private investigator Red Walker, who regains consciousness in the oddly abandoned American town of Silver Pines.
Early scenes unfold as fragments of memory and mounting dread, with Larsson explaining that a cryptic phone call propels the investigation forward — Walker is instructed to locate missing musician Eddie Velvet, a disappearance that unravels deeper, darker secrets about the town and triggers a nightmarish descent beyond Walker’s control.
Larsson frames the experience as an atmospheric, haunting journey that leans into psychological dread and slow-burn mystery.
The team also describes Silver Pines as a homage to classic survival-horror, presented from a distinctive 2.5D perspective that combines tense encounters with exploration and puzzle-solving.
Gameplay and features
Publisher Team17 has outlined the key gameplay pillars players can expect on Nintendo Switch:
- Mystery and dread: A narrative-driven journey where the town’s past and its shadows reveal clues and escalating threats.
- Survival-horror mechanics: Combat and evasion are both options as players scavenge for scarce resources and solve environmental puzzles.
- Metroidvania-style navigation: Locked doors, hidden paths and interconnected areas encourage backtracking and discovery.
- Grounded, visceral encounters: Close-quarters threats that emphasize tension and careful resource use.
- Inventory management: Limited carry space makes every bullet, medicine bottle and upgrade meaningful.
- Dreamlike visuals: Hand-painted backgrounds and rotoscoped character animations combine with a neo-noir aesthetic to create a visually distinct atmosphere.
- Suspicious townsfolk: Interactions with Silver Pines’ residents are intended to deepen the mystery and complicate the investigation.
Developer diary context
In the developer diary, Larsson narrates the initial hours and the design intentions behind the opening sequence, focusing on pacing, environmental storytelling and how limited resources shape player choices.
The diary gives players an early look at the game’s tone and how exploration and survival interplay.
Release details
Silver Pines will be available digitally on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch worldwide on 8 October 2026.
Wych Elm develops the title, with Team17 serving as publisher.
For readers tracking upcoming horror releases on Nintendo Switch, Silver Pines presents a blend of classic survival-horror influences, Metroidvania exploration and an art-forward presentation that aims to stand out in the indie lineup this fall.
