The Doll Shop to open in 2026

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Hand-painted narrative horror/romance adventure in small-town Japan coming to Steam for Windows PC

The life of a dollmaker in a remote town may not seem like prime adventure game material, but then most dollmakers aren't like the one starring in The Doll Shop, a beautiful upcoming hand-painted narrative mystery from French duo Cécile Brun and Olivier Pichard of Atelier Sentô.

Players assume the role of said dollmaker, a nameless "quiet, secretive" man living in a dying village in the Japanese countryside. Once a thriving community, recent tragedies such as a devastating fire and a missing child have driven most former inhabitants away, leaving behind just a remnant of the population. Needless to say, business is slow for a dollmaker, but he get a break when a client named  Mrs. Fujimoto asks for some touch-ups to her favorite doll. The repair task is simple enough, but what follows is anything but. When an old childhood friend reappears in the village after many years away, he must now "choose between his beloved dolls and the hope of a new life." But is the choice ultimately even his? Not only is the protagonist plagued by unexplained headaches, he's harbouring a secret that may force him to stay whether he wants to or not.  

It's clear from the outset that The Doll Shop is created by artists inspired by their own travels in Japan, as it features a gorgeous hand-painted watercolour aesthetic and is packed with wonderful cultural detail. The whole game takes place in the same "eerie snowbound village," alternating between first-person point-and-click slideshow sequences with visual novel-styled conversations, and scenic third-person navigation outdoors between such locations as the bathhouse (soak in a tub!), ramen restaurant (order from the menu!), and of course the dollmaker's own shop. Promising a "strange comfort in its horror and twisted charm in its romance," the game's lovely façade conceals a darker strain beneath. In between fixing "creepy dolls" and returning them to their owners, the story focuses less on puzzle challenge and primarily on the "emotional states of its characters." The choices you make are important, as their consequences can lead to one of three different endings – plus a bonus fourth if you're able to unlock the original trio. 

Originally conceived as a "free prototype made during a masterclass with students," The Doll Shop is currently being "entirely rebuilt with new artwork, music, and dialogue." No firm release date has yet been announced, but the game is currently on track to launch on Steam for Windows PC sometime in 2026.