The Merlies verschijnt op 29 september 2026 voor Nintendo Switch en Steam

In the coverage, The Merlies is described as a 2D platformer with Metroidvania and city-building elements. The comparison to Pikmin comes from directing a group of small birds to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles.

The development credits mentioned in the sources are Darjeeling and Blue Ramen Studio. ARTE France and Gcores Publishing are named as publishers.

What happened

The Merlies surfaced in coverage about new games for Nintendo Switch and Steam. The title is presented as an adventure and exploration game centered on a small bird group that players collect, direct, and use in the world. The available source references explicitly say the game launches on 29 September 2026, and that the release applies to Nintendo Switch and to PC and Mac via Steam.

According to the available descriptions, each bird in The Merlies has its own personality and specialization. Players direct the birds individually, while the game combines platforming, Metroidvania design, and city-building elements. The provided context also says the birds are used to solve problems and explore the environment, which explains the comparison to Pikmin.

The source references also place The Merlies in a setting with a small rural world among the ruins of an ancient civilization. Blue Ramen Studios describes the project as an adventure and exploration game in which players build a village, bring their tribe together, and explore a mysterious world. The available context names Darjeeling and Blue Ramen Studio as developers, while ARTE France and Gcores Publishing are listed as publishers.

The most concrete date in the sources is 29 September 2026. Based on the provided context, The Merlies is set to release that day on Nintendo Switch and via Steam on PC and Mac. The available snippets do leave some room for caution: they present the date as official, but do not explain how the release was confirmed internally or which party is responsible for each part of the launch.

Background

The core of The Merlies, according to the sources, revolves around a small tribe of birds that help players with exploration and puzzles. The comparison to Pikmin mainly comes from gathering and deploying small creatures for tasks in the environment. The provided descriptions also mention that players can summon a group of birds with a whistle, then use them to overcome obstacles and solve problems in the world.

Blue Ramen Studios describes The Merlies as an adventure and exploration game in a small rural world among the ruins of an ancient civilization. That description also mentions building a village and bringing a tribe together. This matches the broader coverage, where the game is framed not only as a platformer, but also as a title with Metroidvania structure and city-building elements.

The source references name Darjeeling and Blue Ramen Studio as developers. ARTE France and Gcores Publishing are also mentioned as publishers, though the provided context does not further break down the exact responsibilities of each party. The available snippets do confirm that the game is being developed jointly and that publication runs through multiple parties.

The release information in the sources is specific: 29 September 2026. The game is also listed for Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac, with Steam as the distribution channel for the PC and Mac version. The available context does not mention any other platforms and does not provide additional technical details such as resolution, frame rate, or control options.

The comparison to Pikmin remains high-level in the sources. The snippets describe a bird group that players direct, but they do not fully spell out how close The Merlies is to Pikmin in pace, structure, or combat design. What is clear is that the game is positioning itself as a mix of exploration, platforming, collection, and smart use of small helpers in the game world.