Thick as Thieves was first introduced as a PvPvE multiplayer immersive-sim from OtherSide Entertainment, the studio founded by Warren Spector, the original creator behind the Deus Ex franchise. Alongside Paul Neurath, a creative director who worked on classic titles like System Shock 2 and Thief with Spector back in the day, the game seemed like an interesting blend of their stealth and immersive-sim chops with modern-day multiplayer sensibilities. Well, not anymore, as it is effectively cutting out the PvP component.
Announced in a blog post on the game’s Steam page, the studio explained that, while working on Thick as Thieves and playing the game internally, they found that the were simply “having more fun with solo and co-op play.”
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“When we first revealed Thick as Thieves we intended to focus on PvPvE gameplay,” the studio begins. “However, as development progressed and the world of Kilcarin has come to life, we found that we were having more fun with solo and co-op play. So, we’ve taken a decision we feel is right for the game: Thick as Thieves is now focused on two-player co-op and single player.”
“This sharpened focus has allowed us to double down on what makes Thick as Thieves truly special – dynamic stealth gameplay. We’re already seeing how this has strengthened moment-to-moment action, whether you’re playing solo or with a partner in co-op. We’ve had some fantastic moments while testing the game. Now we’re putting all our energy into making things even better as we build up to launch.”
The studio says it wanted to make this announcement ahead of the Triple-I Initiative Showcase next week on April 9, 2026, where the game will be featured as one of the indie titles in the showcase. A fair call to make, since now we can all go into its next reveal of gameplay, or even potentially a release date, with a proper idea of the kind of game OtherSide is looking to make.
Which, is still seemingly set to release sometime this year, as we last heard all the way back at The Game Awards 2024. Despite some PvPvE games like ARC Raiders finding incredible success recently, everyone in the industry is aware of how difficult it is for multiplayer-focused games to survive. A pivot to a single-player focus, especially for a team of developers led by people known for their ability to create excellent single-player experiences, seems like the right fit, with co-op being an added boon to the whole deal.
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