GDC 2026 Preview | Life Below Demos Unseen Gameplay
Get a first look at unseen gameplay from Life Below, the award-winning underwater city builder from Megapop.
Running during Game Developers Conference (GDC) as part of the UK Trade Mission, the demo will be available 9-12 March 2026, just a 12-minute walk from Moscone Center, in a quiet and airconditioned room at the American Institute of Architects, San Francisco (140 Sutter St, 94104).
Why this matters right now
City builders rarely tackle real-world issues. Life Below does, and players are responding. Following its Social Impact Award win at the Unity Awards, Life Below shows how environmental themes, accessibility-first design, and calm, strategic gameplay can coexist, and succeed, in today’s market.
Why Life Below
Unseen gameplay & new features, demoed live by the dev team
Restore fragile reef ecosystems while tackling real threats like pollution and invasive species, with a fantasy twist
Written by award-winning video game writer Rhianna Pratchett
Built with accessibility at its core, in partnership with SpecialEffect and accessibility consultants
About the game
In Life Below, you play as Thalassa, a new ocean guardian tasked with restoring damaged reef ecosystems. Guided by marine biologists and shaped by authentic underwater audio, the game blends fantasy with real environmental pressures, from biodiversity loss and invasive species to oil spills and ocean pollution.
Key features include:
Over 40 wildlife species to attract and protect, from coral crabs to hammerhead sharks
Strategic ecosystem management balancing algae, pH levels, and invasive species
Expanding, unlockable zones that evolve gameplay over time
A powerful new camera system to observe life up close or survey your entire reef