A gritty third-person action thriller. By day, a DVD store owner in 2012 New York. By night, a contract killer who chooses violence, and walks into every fight like it's choreography, not chaos.
About Blackwood
Anton Blackwood runs a small DVD store in Brooklyn. It's not a front… it's home. Old films, quiet routines, and the woman who works there. But when the shutters roll down, he heads to the basement. At night, he moves through New York's shadows. He doesn't get pulled into violence. He chooses it.
By Day
DVD store owner. Quiet routines. A steady presence who sees the gentler side of him.
By Night
Contract killer. New York's underworld. A past that refuses to stay buried.
The Truth
Someone is watching. Anton thinks he's the protagonist, but the script may already be written.We'll have
Fact Sheet
Everything you need to know before covering or creating content around BLACKWOOD.
Key Features
Unmatched Takedown System
Over 70 contextual finishers including environmental, melee, and cinematic executions.
Grounded but Stylish Combat
Third-person cover mechanics, 30+ unique weapons. Sprint, dive, roll, and slide.
Dual-Life Roleplay
Manage a DVD store by day. Conduct assassinations by night.
Authentic 2012 New York
Gritty, detailed world-building. From ads to tattoos.
Cinematic Storytelling
Marvel-style narrative with flawed characters with seamless cutscene-to-gameplay transitions.
Original Soundtrack
Combat and narrative moments driven by the studio's own in-house band.
Important Things to Know:
BLACKWOOD: Act 1: What is it?
It’s important to note that BLACKWOOD’s September 16th launch is a full launch. Our game is releasing episodically, with Act 1 being the first portion of the game’s story released. Act 1 is complete act and has it’s own ending, while it still contributes to the larger, overarching story of BLACKWOOD - this story will continue to be revealed as Act 2 and 3 release in 2027.
Our team likens BLACKWOOD to a TV Show, with Act 1 being the first season.
How Many Acts will there be?
We plan to have 3 acts to complete the story of BLACKWOOD. Act 2 is planned for March 2027, and Act 3 is planned for September 2027. We also plan to add additional side missions between each act.
Will Acts 2 and 3 be free?
Yes, Acts 2 and 3 will be free updates for people who have purchased BLACKWOOD. One caveat is that our Act 1 launch price is lowest the game's price will ever be, as we plan to increase the game's base price with each act.
Other important things to keep in mind!
Three other things everyone should know about BLACKWOOD. For you and your audience. Transparency matters to us - while our team is small, we planned a very ambitious project for a studio our size and we believe we have an awesome game with amazing features, but it does not AAA finish nor is it Open World (a common misperception).
Not Open World
BLACKWOOD is a narrative-based game set in specific locations across 2012 New York. Players select main and side missions from their basement PC. Missions will be replayable with certain modifiers. This is a focused, story-driven experience, and not an open world experience.
Small Team, Big Ambition
BLACKWOOD is an Indie Game. We are not AAA. It's made by a small but passionate team, the same one behind Zero Hour. Due to our size, the launch build may still require polish and optimization. We welcome your feedback. We're listening, and we want to make this game as good as it can be.
Console Port Coming Later
Due to our team size, we wanted to focus on making sure the version of BLACKWOOD that we brought out is up to our studios standards. Therefore we can only bring the PC version out now. Console versions will likely release near the end of 2027.
Creator Guide: Things You Should Know Before Playing BLACKWOOD
This is being released as a prelaunch video too, however, we are sharing this info here for you to understand BLACKWOOD's systems before diving into the gritty world of BLACKWOOD. Understanding these unique gameplay mechanics will significantly enhance your experience. These systems are designed to immerse you in Anton Blackwood's dual life and lethal capabilities.
Ammo & Weapon Realism
In Blackwood, ammo management matters.
If there is already a bullet inside the chamber, you will have one extra round after reloading. When your weapon completely runs out of ammo, Anton will throw it away.
You can hold R to check your remaining ammo, which is especially useful on the hardest difficulty where ammo count is hidden. And if you run out of ammo, you can perform a takedown and take the enemy’s weapon.
Weapon Switching
Switching weapons is faster than reloading.
When Anton runs out of ammo with a rifle, he keeps it in one hand and quickly pulls out his secondary weapon with the other.
Takedowns
Environmental takedowns will trigger automatically when available.
If you don't want to use them, hold F to perform a normal takedown.
You can also trigger takedowns by diving into enemies or attacking from above.
Diving & Slow Motion Effects
Movement is important in combat. The faster you move, the farther Anton can dive.
If you aim while diving, you can activate slow motion to line up your shots.
Using The Environment
The environment can help you during fights.
Shoot objects to create openings, drop objects on enemies, or use things like exploding fire extinguishers to take enemies out.
Combat and Health System
Blackwood rewards players who don't just stay behind cover. Use movement, takedowns, and the environment to deal with groups of enemies.
Takedowns also restore some of Anton's health, rewarding aggressive play.
Weapons & Customization
Black market weapons can include military variants, full-auto weapons, and illegal modifications.
Civilian weapons purchased online are more limited and use single-fire modes.
You can collect different weapon builds and display them in your basement, but your display collection and mission loadout are separate.
Shooting Range
To go to the Shooting Range, check your basement PC email and look out for the shooting range email. It will cost you a fee to go to each time. There, you can hone your skills at the shooting range and practice your aim and target acquisition to become a more precise and deadly assassin.
Health & Food System
In BLACKWOOD, health does not recover fully after every fight. It only recovers to the closest stage. Consume food to heal or temporarily boost your stats.
Home & Delivery Systems
Between missions, Anton returns home where you can change outfits, listen to music, and manage your collection. Different items are delivered to different locations.
Clothes go to your home, CDs go to the DVD store, and weapons go to the basement.
Express delivery arrives immediately, while normal delivery arrives the next day.
Saving & Driving
Sleeping is how you save your game and progress the story.
For players who are not experienced with driving games, driving assist options are available to make driving easier.
Armed with this knowledge, you are ready to embody Anton Blackwood and navigate the intricate world of crime and consequence.
Additional Game Info
Thank you for taking the time to play the BLACKWOOD creator launch early acces. This exclusive build features the full launch build. This includes Act 1, which contains 4 Story Missions, 5 Side Missions, and Store Management as primary game loop.
Additional Side Quests will be added to the game before Act 2 comes out in March 2027.
🎬 Act 1
Act 1 is a complete arc of BLACKWOOD's overarching story. We plan to release Act 2 in March 2027 , and Act 3 in September 2027.
⏱ Playtime
Expected 6 Hours to Complete Missions - additional time can be put into the Store Management System
♻️ Replayable Missions
Missions can be replayed with modifiers
Press & Creator Kit
All the assets you need including logos, screenshots, trailers, and press materials are available in our official kit. Download, use freely, and credit where it counts.
What's Inside
- High-res logos and key art
- Screenshots
- Official trailer files
Ready to Download
Everything is organized and ready for immediate use in your coverage, thumbnails, or social posts.
BLACKWOOD Launches September 16th, 2026.
BLACKWOOD launches September 16th 2026 on PC via Steam. Follow the page and add it to your wishlist. Also please encourage your audience to wishlist!
BLACKWOOD Creator Kit