Sunset Summit, a Climbing Game With Elderly Characters, Announced for PC
The Fender brothers, known for the horror hit DEVOUR, are pivoting to a cooperative climbing game with a comedic elderly cast, and the demo release allows players to test the shift in tone and genre before the full launch.
Reporting from 4 sources: 4Gamer.net, Automaton, Denfaminicogamer, Game Spark.
Indie developers Joe Fender and Andrew Fender, along with publisher Future Friends Games, announced the cooperative climbing game Sunset Summit during the PC Gaming Show 2026 on June 8. The game is scheduled for release on PC via Steam within the year, and a demo featuring the first map, Elder Rock Mountain, is available now. Sunset Summit supports one to eight players who take on the role of elderly mountaineers aiming to reach the summit of floating islands before sunset. Players use tools such as pickaxes, ropes, and item delivery drones to climb, while managing stamina and checkpoints. Power-ups like Butter Candy, Sparkling Mushroom, and Beans provide temporary boosts. The game includes proximity voice chat and walkie-talkies for communication. Character customization is available, with eight elderly characters to choose from, including a former tax fraud investigator and a washed-up country musician. The full version will include four maps, each with four routes. The Fender brothers previously developed the cooperative horror game DEVOUR, which sold over seven million copies.
The Fender brothers began development of Sunset Summit in 2021, aiming to move in a different direction from the horror genre. Development stalled temporarily in 2023, then resumed after the success of the cooperative climbing game PEAK. The game was first announced earlier, and the PC Gaming Show 2026 trailer is a re-announcement.
The climbing stage is a flying island. Players choose a route from numerous paths and aim for the summit from various angles. Identifying an easy-to-climb route is key to clearing the game. Checkpoints are placed everywhere, and if a player falls, they respawn immediately. Useful items include pickaxes, ropes, and item delivery drones, as well as unusual items like hopping sticks and booster agents that enable big jumps.
Gameplay begins at a base cottage, where players choose between solo and multiplayer modes, select the map and climbing route, and customize characters. Players can choose from eight elderly characters, including Bonnie, a former tax fraud investigator; Hank, a washed-up country musician; and Pearl, a former wrestling champion. The appearance of items such as clothing, notebooks, and binoculars can also be changed. Once prepared, players board a hot air balloon to travel to the chosen map.
Japanese UI and subtitles are planned. The demo with Japanese text support is available now.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 4 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- 4Gamer.net お爺ちゃんたちがピッケル片手に頂上を目指すクライミングアクション「Sunset Summit」が発表。最大8人での協力プレイに対応
- Automaton Steamの新たなマルチ登山ゲーム『Sunset Summit』発表。お年寄りたちが「最大8人」で協力クライミング、ステッキで跳ね“豆で空飛ぶ”カオス老人会
- Denfaminicogamer 【最大8人】仲間がバンバン落ちていく協力“山登り”ゲーム『Sunset Summit』体験版が配信中。とにかく登って落ちてを繰り返しながら少しずつ頂上を目指していく
- Game Spark 最大8人協力で頂上目指す老人山登りゲーム『Sunset Summit』再発表トレイラー公開！デモ版の配信も【PC Gaming Show 2026】