Finnish independent game development and publishing studio MiTale has signed a publishing agreement with Finnish developer Horsefly Games to publish The Polar Darkness, a Lovecraftian folk horror mystery set in 1980s Finland.
Planned for release on PC via Steam in Q3 2027 and consoles, the game marks a new addition to MiTale’s growing publishing portfolio.
Developed by a solo-developer Juho Kuorikoski of Horsefly Games, The Polar Darkness takes players to the remote fictional village of Sysiluoma during the Finnish winter solstice. When a journalist arrives to investigate a controversial religious revival movement, a mysterious disappearance and an approaching blizzard turn the assignment into an unsettling investigation into the village’s deeply buried secrets.
Combining Finnish folklore, psychological horror and cosmic horror, The Polar Darkness is a slow-burning investigative adventure built around conversation, observation, deduction and environmental puzzle-solving. Its distinctive visual style combines photographic 2D characters based on real actors with atmospheric 3D environments, complemented by a soundtrack inspired by Finnish folk music.
The game’s three-day time-based structure creates a living village where characters follow their routines, situations evolve and player decisions determine which events and perspectives can be experienced. With no combat, the experience focuses entirely on investigation, atmosphere, characters and the gradual discovery of something far older than the village itself.
A Finnish publishing partnership with international ambitions
Through the partnership, MiTale will provide a comprehensive publishing package, including project funding, localization, quality assurance, porting and international publishing support. The collaboration will also explore opportunities for transmedia expansion, developing the game’s world and intellectual property beyond its original digital release.
”We’re incredibly excited to welcome Horsefly Games and The Polar Darkness to the MiTale publishing family. We believe in supporting distinctive creative visions and helping independent developers bring their games to international audiences. The Polar Darkness has a fascinating identity rooted in Finnish culture, folklore and atmosphere, and we see great potential in its world and storytelling. It’s also particularly meaningful to us to bring together a fully Finnish team to take this project to the next level,” says Natasha Skult, CEO of MiTale.
For Horsefly Games, the partnership provides an opportunity to bring the project’s distinctive vision to a wider audience with the support of an experienced Finnish publishing partner.
”I’m absolutely thrilled to team up with MiTale! We share the same vision and passion for the project, and together we can take The Polar Darkness to a whole new level while fully embracing everything that makes it so wonderfully odd. Expect the unexpected. Finnish mythology and folk culture are weird, after all”, says Juho Kuorikoski, Horsefly Games.
About The Polar Darkness
The Polar Darkness is a Lovecraftian folk horror mystery set during the polar night of 1980s Finland. Players investigate a mysterious disappearance in the remote village of Sysiluoma, uncovering conflicting accounts, forgotten secrets and an ancient presence hidden beneath the community’s familiar surface.
Inspired by the landscapes, architecture and culture of Central Ostrobothnia, particularly the Kaustinen region, the game creates an atmospheric world where Finnish rural life meets supernatural horror.
Key features:
- Slow-burning, narrative-driven folk horror mystery
- Investigation through dialogue, observation and deduction
- Environmental and story-driven puzzles
- Three-day time structure where player choices shape the experience
- Photographic characters portrayed by real actors
- Atmospheric 3D environments inspired by rural Finland
- Soundtrack influenced by Finnish folk music
- A story combining folklore, religious themes, psychological horror and cosmic horror
The Polar Darkness is planned for release in Q3 2027 on PC via Steam, before that we are aiming to showcase the game at Steam Next Fest in February 2027 followed by an early access period before full release.
The latest teaser trailer can be viewed at https://youtu.be/OMiDY6pgJnY.
The game can be wishlisted at https://store.steampowered.com/app/4521110/The_Polar_Darkness/
Game visuals can be downloaded at MiTale – The Polar Darkness.
About MiTale
MiTale is an independent game development and publishing studio based in Turku, Finland. Founded in 2017, the studio creates narrative-driven experiences and supports creative projects through game development, interactive storytelling, game design, art production and publishing. With a motto made by people, published by people, as a publisher, MiTale works with independent developers to bring original games to market, providing support across funding, production, localization, quality assurance, porting, marketing and distribution, while exploring opportunities to expand intellectual properties across different media. Website: https://www.mitalegames.com/publishing
About Horsefly Games
Horsefly Games is a Finnish independent game development studio led by a solo-developer Juho Kuorikoski, focused on creating distinctive interactive experiences. Website: https://horsefly.games/
Press Contacts
MiTale, Natasha Skult, CEO, contact@mitale.fi
Horsefly Games, Juho Kuorikoski, juho@horsefly.games