GRAVHOUNDS Steam Demo Launches With Co-Op Expeditions Across Seven Planets

GRAVHOUNDS, the co-op action-builder from independent developer and publisher Octopus Panic, has a new Steam demo available now. The limited PC demo runs from October 12 through October 18, 2026, giving players a chance to explore dangerous alien environments alone or in a group of up to four.

The demo arrives following an open playtest and incorporates feedback from that earlier period. Its headline addition is a new Mod Deck Builder, a system intended to offer players more influence over the upgrades and possibilities that can arise during an expedition without eliminating the unpredictable nature of each run.

Players can expect seven planets spread over two solar systems, four selectable Gravhounds, building and extraction systems, and a range of refinements covering technical stability and moment-to-moment presentation. Octopus Panic has also highlighted changes to multiplayer reliability, an especially important area for a game built around coordinated team expeditions.

A short Steam demo with a broad slice of the game

The GRAVHOUNDS demo is available on Steam beginning October 12 and is scheduled to remain playable until October 18. While it is a limited-time opportunity, the demo is not restricted to a single small arena or one character. It includes seven planets across two solar systems, offering a substantial selection of places to undertake expeditions during the event window.

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GRAVHOUNDS supports both solo play and co-op groups of one to four people. That flexibility matters for an action-builder format: a solo player can take responsibility for navigation, construction, combat, and extraction, while a full squad can divide attention between those duties. One teammate may be preparing infrastructure, for example, while another handles threats or searches for objectives.

The four playable characters in the demo are Selene, Zane, Dozer, and Finn. The announcement does not detail their individual specialties, but their presence gives players multiple Gravhounds to take into missions while testing the game's systems and cooperative pacing.

At its core, the game combines fast movement, alien-world survival pressure, construction tools, and escalating risk. Expeditions are structured around heading onto hostile planets, expanding an operation with equipment, gathering what is needed, and making the call to extract before the situation becomes overwhelming. The longer players push their luck, the greater the potential payoff can become, but the planets also grow more dangerous.

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The Mod Deck Builder responds to playtest feedback

The most notable feature in this demo is the Mod Deck Builder. Developed in response to comments from open-playtest participants, it is designed to make the game's random elements feel more player-directed. Rather than simply leaving every potential mod encounter entirely to chance, players can shape the pool of possibilities that may be encountered during a mission.

The system is not positioned as a way to remove uncertainty. GRAVHOUNDS still intends for expeditions to create unexpected situations and force improvisation. Instead, the deck gives players a way to define a preferred direction before setting out, making it more likely that the kinds of tools or effects they want to experiment with can enter the mix.

Players will be able to alter their deck between expeditions as their Mod library expands. That creates room for adaptation over time: a player who discovers new Mods can reconsider their setup before returning to a planet, potentially tuning their options for a different team composition, objective type, or personal playstyle.

In a co-op game, that degree of control could also encourage groups to discuss their approach before launching. A squad that wants to emphasize construction support, survivability, combat pressure, or mobility can potentially make deck decisions that complement its intended plan. The actual results will still depend on what an expedition presents, preserving a need to react when conditions change.

"The support from our playtesters has been pretty overwhelming," said Josh Holmes, Co-Founder of Octopus Panic. "We're a small team, and having so many people take the time to play, report bugs, and share ideas has been a huge help."

Build an operation, manipulate the battlefield, and get out

GRAVHOUNDS describes itself as an action-builder, and its feature set reflects that blend. Players have access to a Grav Beam that can be used to manipulate objects and enemies. The tool suggests an approach to combat and traversal that is not just about firing at threats, but about physically changing the situation around the team.

Construction is equally central. Expeditions can involve deploying turrets, generators, fabricators, and pipelines to build out an operation on a planet. These systems give the game a logistical layer beneath its action. Equipment needs to be placed, connected, and used effectively while a mission is ongoing, rather than being managed only from an abstract menu between levels.

That setup makes positioning valuable. A well-placed turret could help defend an important area, while generators and pipelines can support a growing base of operations. Fabricators point toward the ability to produce useful resources or equipment while on site. The exact interactions available in the demo will be for players to uncover, but the broader design is clearly interested in letting teams create their own functional foothold in a hostile space.

Players can also unlock mid-shift abilities and upgrades. These additions provide another source of progression during expeditions, allowing a run to develop rather than remaining static from touchdown to extraction. Combined with the Mod Deck Builder, they should make individual missions feel less like fixed scenarios and more like evolving challenges shaped by decisions, discoveries, and escalating threats.

High-speed mobility is another listed pillar. In games centered on extraction, speed can be more than a convenience: it can determine whether a team reaches an objective, escapes a collapsing defensive position, or makes it back out after deciding the reward is worth one more push into danger.

Extraction is where the risk pays off

The extraction structure gives GRAVHOUNDS its main tension curve. Players are encouraged to pursue stronger rewards as a planet becomes increasingly hazardous. That creates a familiar but compelling decision: leave while the mission is still manageable, or remain on the surface in hopes of collecting more valuable gains.

For solo players, the choice is entirely personal. They will have to balance their current resources, upgrades, health, route home, and the threats still active around them. In co-op, extraction becomes a group decision, which can introduce another layer of drama. A squad may agree that it has enough to leave, or decide that a little more risk is worthwhile. Either way, everyone must be ready when the pressure rises.

The builder elements could make those moments especially dynamic. A group that has invested in a strong operation may be better positioned to endure late-mission chaos, but it may also be farther from the fastest exit or reliant on systems that must be protected. Players who favor agility and rapid objective completion could make different choices from those who want to establish a more durable planetary setup.

Demo includes fixes across gameplay and technical systems

Alongside its new systems and playable locations, the Steam demo includes numerous fixes and improvements informed by the playtest. Octopus Panic has identified updates touching planets, resources, objectives, save functionality, crashes, animation, audio, effects, and multiplayer reliability.

That list covers both the visible and behind-the-scenes portions of the experience. Planet and objective work may improve how missions read and flow, while changes to resources can affect the pace of building and decision-making. Animation, audio, and effects improvements can make actions clearer and give the game more responsive feedback during hectic encounters.

Save stability and crash fixes are fundamental for any demo, particularly one where players may be investing time into multiple expeditions. Multiplayer reliability is similarly significant. GRAVHOUNDS is playable by one to four people, but its co-op option is a major part of its appeal, so a smoother shared experience will be key for groups trying the demo during its limited availability.

What to know before the demo ends

The GRAVHOUNDS Steam demo is live now and remains available through October 18, 2026. It provides access to Selene, Zane, Dozer, and Finn, seven planets in two solar systems, solo expeditions, and co-op for up to four players.

For players interested in action games that combine alien-planet combat with hands-on construction and extraction decisions, the demo offers a chance to see how those parts fit together. The new Mod Deck Builder is also a key point of interest, especially for anyone who participated in the open playtest or wants more agency over the kinds of opportunities that can emerge during a run.

With its focus on building under pressure, manipulating the environment with the Grav Beam, unlocking options during a shift, and deciding when it is finally time to extract, GRAVHOUNDS is aiming for expeditions where preparation matters but adaptability matters just as much. The Steam demo's October 12-18 window is the current opportunity to put that formula to the test.