A kingdom built on the back of a massive sea creature might sound unusual, but that’s exactly the premise behind Kingfish, a newly revealed cooperative roguelite city-builder from developer FireVolt. The studio, known for WheelMates, unveiled the project alongside its announcement that the game will launch on PC via Steam and consoles in 2027.
Set in a world almost entirely covered by ocean, Kingfish places players atop an ancient leviathan that serves as both their home and their battlefield. From this living island, players must build a thriving civilization while defending it from the many monsters lurking in the surrounding seas.
The twist lies in the game’s cooperative structure. Two players take on completely different roles, each with their own perspective and responsibilities.
One player controls the King, exploring the surface of the leviathan in real time. From this third-person viewpoint, the King gathers resources, fights enemies, and manages the day-to-day life of villagers living atop the creature’s back. Keeping morale high and ensuring the kingdom remains ready for incoming threats becomes a crucial part of survival.
The second player becomes the Fish itself—the colossal creature carrying the kingdom across the ocean. Viewing the world from above, the Fish focuses on the bigger strategic picture. This role involves managing resource production, planning the city’s layout, assigning workers, and watching for dangers approaching from the surrounding waters.
When enemies attack, the Fish can even support the King in combat by casting powerful spells from above.
Communication between the two players is key. Each role has access to different information, meaning success depends on sharing details about enemy movements, available resources, and defensive plans. The developers designed this asymmetric setup to create moments where teamwork and quick coordination become essential.
According to the team at FireVolt, the concept was built around the idea of two perspectives tackling the same challenge from completely different angles. By blending elements of real-time strategy, city management, and action combat, Kingfish aims to deliver a fresh take on cooperative gameplay.
As a roguelite experience, every run will present players with a new kingdom to build. Along the way, they’ll encounter new villagers, construct different buildings, and uncover unique artifacts that can shape their strategy. Some villagers will even return between runs, offering special perks that benefit both the King and the Fish.
With its unusual setting and asymmetric gameplay design, Kingfish is shaping up to be one of the more inventive cooperative titles on the horizon. Players can expect to set sail for adventure when the game launches on PC via Steam and consoles in 2027.