Who Let The Dog Out? BARKOUR Launches on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in Q4 2026

Ten years after VARSAV Game Studios was founded, and following four years of development, the Polish independent studio is proud to announce that BARKOUR will launch in Q4 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

To mark the occasion, VARSAV has released a brand-new Story Trailer, offering the deepest look yet at the world, characters and story behind Agent T.H.U.N.D.E.R.’s biggest mission. Previous trailers focused heavily on parkour, stealth, combat, gadgets and the many questionable methods available to a highly trained canine operative. This time, the team wanted to show WHY T.H.U.N.D.E.R. is fighting in the first place.

There’s more to this dog than parkour!

BARKOUR is a fast-paced action platformer with a stealthy twist, built as a handcrafted single-player adventure with approximately 15–18 hours of gameplay across varied worlds and missions.

The story mixes humour, expressive character animation, visual comedy and absurd spy-movie situations with quieter and more emotional moments. T.H.U.N.D.E.R. remains very much a dog, his thoughts are translated into human language through a special gadget, and much of his character comes through his behaviour, facial expressions and reactions to the increasingly ridiculous world around him.

A huge new BARKOUR demo is coming during Gamescom

Players won't have to wait until Q4 to experience how much BARKOUR has changed.

Alongside today's release-window announcement, VARSAV Game Studios confirms that a major new version of the BARKOUR demo will launch during Gamescom 2026 next week.

If you're attending Gamescom yourself, swing by the booth! You can find BARKOUR at the HOME of INDIES, Hall 10.2, stand E-19.

This isn't simply a small patch to the existing demo. The update brings extensive improvements to gameplay, presentation, content and overall polish.

For returning Agents, it will be a chance to see just how far the game has come. For everyone else, it will be the best opportunity yet to discover what happens when you combine a highly trained secret agent, a ridiculous collection of gadgets and the instincts of a very, very good dog.
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About the game

BARKOUR is a fast-paced action platformer with a stealthy twist, starring Agent T.H.U.N.D.E.R. - a tail-wagging master of parkour, high-tech gadgets and getting into trouble.

Run across walls, sneak past enemies, improvise with spy gadgets or abandon subtlety altogether in a globe-trotting adventure packed with canine chaos, memorable characters and delightfully absurd surprises.

Key Features

  • Parkour. Stealth. Combat. Your call. - Run across walls, leap between rooftops, sneak past enemies, outsmart them with spy gadgets or jump straight into combat. BARKOUR gives you the tools and lets you decide how to get the mission done.

  • A top agent. Still very much a dog. - T.H.U.N.D.E.R. may be trained to save the world, but underneath all the spy gear, he still wags his tail, follows his nose and occasionally forgets his training. His expressive animations, 30+ emotes and canine instincts make sure you never forget who’s really behind the mission.

  • Every agent needs good toys. - Experiment with 30+ gadgets and tools built for traversal, infiltration, distraction and combat, and combine them with T.H.U.N.D.E.R.’s agility to create your own solutions.

  • A handcrafted spy adventure built the old-school way. - Set out on a 15–18 hour single-player adventure across varied worlds and missions packed with secrets, alternate routes, memorable characters and new ideas to discover - including a cast of 26 distinctive characters and plenty of places no dog was ever supposed to enter.

24. August 2026, von Thore Varga