Orson, P.I. to roar onto on Steam in 2026 

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Upcoming mystery Midnight at the Grand Hotel starring "the world’s cuddliest crime-fighter" unveiled for Windows PC

Animal detectives (not Ace Ventura, but actual non-human investigators) come in all shapes and sizes, from cats to foxes to alligators, but the latest promises to be "the world’s cuddliest crime-fighter" in Orson, P.I.: Midnight at the Grand Hotel, an upcoming mystery adventure from indie developer Abscure. 

Orson the bear is just a cub, but one "whose cuddly exterior hides a jaded, hard-boiled detective living within." Driven by his passion for "freedom, justice, and chocolate chip cookies," Orson is the newest member of the security team at the luxurious "long-stay" titular hotel in Chicago. When he receives a letter "full of strange scribblings and seemingly random numbers," tipping him off to a planned jewel heist of the central vault at the stroke of midnight, Orson sees it as an opportunity to prove himself. With twelve guests currently checked in, all of them "rich, famous and morally bankrupt," the would-be culprit must be one of these "devious dozen." It's Orson's job to uncover each guest's "true intentions" to determine "who’s part of the conspiracy and stop the heist before it begins." Failure is not an option, as the hotel's reputation is at stake – as well as his own.

Midnight at the Grand Hotel is a charming-looking third-animal adventure that sees players pointing and clicking their way through the posh hotel in search of clues and crucial testimony during the more substantial investigative portion of the game. Since the patrons are all celebrities, Orson poses as a high school reporter writing an article about his "heroes," enabling him to interview them about "their likes and dislikes, hopes and regrets, friends and foes," along with a few "hardball questions [that] give the player a clear sense of who’s telling the truth – and who’s not." It's best not to take "a single word at face value [as] catching them in their lies can help identify suspects." There are "48 total pieces of the puzzle: who, what, when, and where for 12 suspects," so when think you've identified "who is involved in the conspiracy, what their role is, and where they plan to be at midnight," it's time to head back to your office for a debrief with your colleague Sam, whom you'll have to convince of your theory with the facts you've uncovered. 

Orson, P.I.: Midnight at the Grand Hotel will remain in development hibernation through the winter, but is set to emerge on Steam sometime in the first half of 2026 for Windows PC.