Shift At Midnight update timeline (demo → launch)
Bun Muen ships fast during Steam festivals — this page tracks player-visible beats from the Next Fest demo through the July 22, 2026 launch and the major patch planned weeks later. Trust Steam announcements first when numbers disagree.
Demo era: Next Fest & multiplayer sampler
September 2025 brought the standalone Steam multiplayer demo (three scripted shifts, limited weapons). February 2026’s Next Fest build added outdoor fuel duties, vehicle searches, and nine-language UI support.
Festival weeks also delivered QoL fixes — audio ducking, customer pathing, kiosk scaling — often mid-event rather than on monthly cadences.
Pre-launch additions (2026)
- Pets — Adoption arc with cat, husky, puppy, or goose; vet bills across first three shifts.
- Save files — Surviving a shift no longer wipes progress; story nights can span multiple sessions.
- Widescreen & ultrawide — FOV options for large monitors.
- Forest & expanded arsenal — Teased in Triple-i and July trailers with new monsters and decorations.
- Schedule shifts — May 28 → June 17 → July 22, 2026 final date with Xbox Game Pass confirmation.
Launch day (July 22, 2026)
Full release includes Story Mode (13 random shifts), Endless unlock, online co-op for 1–3 players, proximity chat, character customization, pets, forecourt gameplay, and Steam server browsing at or shortly after launch.
Expect day-one stabilization — crash fixes, co-op desync tuning, shader stutter patches. Skim Steam banners before speedrun attempts.
July 10, 2026 — official release date & roadmap
Kwalee and Bun Muen posted the final July 22, 2026 date with a launch roadmap: Story (13 nights, multiple endings), Endless beta unlock, Xbox/Game Pass crossplay within Microsoft’s ecosystem, Steam-only matchmaking for PC Steam, server browser at or shortly after launch, major patch weeks later, and Q4 Endless expansion.
The GameTrailers announcement trailer (YouTube) re-ran co-op interrogation beats for wishlist pushes.
Final countdown (Steam store, Jul 2026)
Steam’s storefront now shows Jul 22, 2026 with an imminent unlock countdown. No new mechanics were announced after the July 10 roadmap post — focus shifts to day-one stability, server browsers, and the post-launch patch pipeline.
Pre-launch Steam store sync (July 2026)
As launch approaches, the Steam page confirms Jul 22, 2026 unlock, tags Story Mode with multiple endings, lists Endless as beta with a Q4 major update, and publishes PC specs (~822 MB). Family Sharing and single-player tags appeared alongside co-op.
Post-launch major patch (weeks after release)
Kwalee confirmed a sizeable update adding customers, weapons, and enemies to both Story and Endless modes. Endless-exclusive content continues through Q4 2026 with new detection tools and traps.
When this wiki lags, compare notes with release platforms and official storefront posts — we summarize beats, not proprietary build hashes.
Trailers tied to milestone updates
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find exact patch version numbers? Reveal answer.
Steam announcements, Kwalee social posts, and the official Discord publish authoritative numbers — we stay high-level so shoppers are not fed stale trivia.
Does the demo update on the same schedule as the full game? Reveal answer.
Festival demos often get their own hotfix branches. Features like pets may ship only in the paid SKU even when demos patch weekly.