Cassette Beasts 2002 Announced at PC Gaming Show 2026
The sequel shifts from a top-down perspective to a third-person open world, a significant structural change that expands the scope of the series beyond the original's acclaimed but more contained design.
Reporting from 3 sources: Denfaminicogamer, Automaton, Game Spark.
Publisher Raw Fury and developer Bytten Studio announced Cassette Beasts 2002, the sequel to the monster-collecting RPG Cassette Beasts, during the PC Gaming Show 2026 on June 8. The game is set in London in 2002 and in the monster-inhabited land of Nodnol, connected by a rabbit hole. Players can transform into over 250 monsters recorded on cassette tapes and explore a vast open world that combines pixel art with a third-person perspective. The turn-based 2-on-2 battle system returns, along with the fusion mechanic that allows players to fuse with partner monsters. Deepening bonds with 12 companions unlocks more powerful fusion forms, with over 57,000 possible combinations. Online multiplayer supports teaming up with friends and exchanging cassette tapes. The previous game, Cassette Beasts, holds a 94% positive rating from approximately 8,700 Steam user reviews. Cassette Beasts 2002 is scheduled for release on PC via Steam and Microsoft Store, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
The announcement came during the PC Gaming Show 2026, a multi-publisher showcase streamed on June 8. Cassette Beasts 2002 is the direct follow-up to Cassette Beasts, which launched in 2023 and has maintained strong word of mouth. The original game was distributed for free on the Epic Games Store in December 2025, broadening its audience ahead of the sequel's reveal. The new title introduces a third-person camera and a larger open world, moving away from the top-down pixel art of its predecessor while retaining the core cassette-based monster transformation and fusion systems. Players will recruit 12 companions, each with their own fusion forms that grow stronger as bonds deepen. The fusion system promises over 57,000 possible forms, a notable increase from the original's count. The story involves an occultist threatening both the real-world London of 2002 and the parallel monster realm of Nodnol. The game will support online multiplayer for cooperative play and cassette trading. The three Japanese outlets covering the announcement all highlighted the 94% positive Steam review rating of the original game as context for the sequel's reveal.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.