Little Nightmares 3 is coming our way very aptly this spooky season, with release date locked in for October. Promising to draw us into the darkly atmospheric Spiral, which sets the frightening scene for protagonists Alone and Low, we've gotten a lot more insight into its locations - including the unsettling Carnevale area - as well as some of the gameplay we can expect to see in the upcoming horror game.
With various trailers showing off plenty of creepiness, and a Bandai Namco summer showcase earlier this year, it's exciting to know we won't have to wait long to help our two lead characters find their way through a nightmarish world. And with the next entry in the Little Nightmares series coming to us from Supermassive Games, the studio behind the likes of Until Dawn and the future 2026 release, Directive 8020, we're already intrigued to see how the team puts its stamp on Little Nightmares.
First announced during Gamescom Opening Night Live showcase in 2023, we've brought together all of the latest news and information you need to know about the new game as we get closer and closer to its release date. Read on below for a full overview of all things Little Nightmares 3 to learn more.
Little Nightmares 3 release date confirmed
The Little Nightmares 3 release date has been set for October 10, 2025.
Following its initial reveal, the return of Little Nightmares was set to land sometime in 2024 before Supermassive posted a statement in May of that year confirming its delay into 2025. The reveal of the October date then came in the Little Nightmares Showcase event, which confirmed we'll be getting the upcoming adventure during the spooky season.
Little Nightmares 3 platforms
Little Nightmares 3 is set to release on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, and Switch 2
The horror-filled adventure was initially confirmed to be among the upcoming Xbox Series X games, upcoming PS5 games, and upcoming Switch games, as well as last-gen consoles. But it wasn't until the Little Nightmares showcase event that we got confirmation that a Switch 2 version of Little Nightmares 3 will also be launching, which is great news for those who've picked up Nintendo's latest console.
Little Nightmares trailer
We've gotten a helping of Little Nightmares 3 trailers following its initial reveal. With an announcement trailer (which you can watch above) giving us our first look at the new protagonists of the adventure, we also got to see various obstacles they'll face in the dark world, with teases of different locations and a very ominous mirror (that we might even be able to travel through, how curious).
Little Nightmares 3 story and setting
The Little Nightmares 3 story follows protagonists Low and Alone, two young children who became best friends when they encountered each other in a "lonely nightmare". Set again in the frightening universe of Nowhere, the two best friends are trapped in a place called the Spiral (a cluster of disturbing locations) and they'll have to work together to try and find a way out, or risk being condemned to a "fate worse than death".
There are plenty of odd locations, such as a sandy Necropolis where a giant baby resides, to a creepy candy factory and "filthy funfair" known as the "Carnevale". Each place the two encounter will be filled with residents who will try to hunt you down, so you can expect to face obstacles and be chased by some nasty inhabitants.
With emphasis once again put on the idea that you'll be entering a world "not made for children", Little Nightmares 3 looks set to build on the chilling atmosphere of games past, and of course, just like any number of the best horror games, you can expect to face some unsettling figures that won't be giving you a warm welcome in Low and Alone's shoes.
For a refresher on the previous games, be sure to check out our Little Nightmares review and Little Nightmares 2 review.
Little Nightmares 3 gameplay
We've gotten to see quite a lot of Little Nightmares 3 gameplay since it was first announced, thanks to trailers showing off some gameplay elements, as well as an in-depth walkthrough from Bandai Namco, which showed off 18 minutes of footage of the "many hidden hazards of the Necropolis".
Not unlike the earlier Little Nightmares adventures, the gameplay seems to be a horror platformer with plenty of puzzle-like sections that see the pair work together to move boxes or make it across a platform. There are also shots of the duo using various objects to make it through areas, such as using a parasol-like makeshift umbrella to float across a ledge. With some unsettling scenarios, we'll often have to run, hide, or a combination of both, and even if the occasion calls for it, defend ourselves.
Like previous games, it looks like each section will have its own "boss" on top of the other monsters after you as well. So far, we've seen glimpses of a giant baby and a terrifying woman with multiple arms. During the Little Nightmares Showcase event, we also got to see 11-minutes of gameplay, only this time, we were taken through the unsettling Carnevale location in the Spiral. Producer Coralie Feniello introduces the setting by describing it as a "funfair filled with disturbing attractions and frightening visitors", and we certainly get a taste of that in the footage.
Capturing the overwhelming feeling of being a small kid in a big fairground, we follow Alone and Low as they sneak past big lumbering visitors and unsettling attractions - from a circus-like tent, to drowned apple-bobbing, and a Ferris wheel - in the rain-soaked location, which is accompanied by the occasional cracks of thunder. Towards the end of the gameplay, the pair are pursued by a large figure holding a club - it's all very creepy.
Is Little Nightmares 3 co-op?
Little Nightmares 3 will be the first entry in the series to support online co-op.
Speaking on co-op, Bandai Namco producer Coralie Feniello said it was "the most requested [feature] by our community" following Little Nightmares 2, which had the perfect set-up for a similar feature since it saw you play as Mono as he travelled through the world alongside Six - the lead character from the first game.
But you'll also be able to play the entirety of Little Nightmares 3 solo, too. Should you do so, one of the characters will be an AI that you give instructions to, as Feniello explains:
"We don't want to have the AI being too smart, because the player might feel like they are doing everything, but we don't want to have the AI feeling dumb, either. The first time you see an object that the AI can interact with, you have to call the AI, and then they come and they do it. But in terms of gameplay, we are making sure that it's the same level of experience and as enjoyable in multiplayer [as it is] in single. But maybe in single, you will have a bit more on the narrative part."
Little Nightmares 3 development
While the first two games in the Little Nightmares series were made by developer Tarsier Studios, Supermassive has taken up the mantle for the third installment, with Bandai Namco back on board as the game's publisher.
Supermassive is a studio well-versed in the horror genre, having made narrative, survival experiences like Until Dawn and The Quarry, so it'll be interesting to see how the team puts their stamp on the universe. Tarsier, on the other hand, is currently developing a new horror IP with Reanimal, which promises to take you on an "even darker and more terrifying journey than ever before".
Can you pre-order Little Nightmares 3?
Little Nightmares 3 pre-orders are now live on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, with Switch and Switch 2 pre-orders set to come at a later date.
Bandai Namco revealed the game with launch with different editions. Alongside the Standard Edition which costs $39.99 / £34.99, there will also be a Digital Deluxe Edition for $59.99 / £49.99, which comes with the Secrets of the Spiral Expansion Pass and the Residents Costume Packs.
For those after more collectible goodies, there's also a Mirror Edition that comes with the Deluxe edition content along with a Low and Alone 12 inch figurine, a metal game case, artbook, physical and digital soundtrack, stickers, and a themed box.
Finally, there's also a Spiral Edition exclusive to the Bandai Namco store that comes with everything in the Mirror edition along with a music box base, a Nome controller/ phone holder, and a double-sided coin of Low and Alone.
For more scares, head on over to our lists of the best survival horror games of all time and the best zombie games to play today.
