Publisher CobraTekku Games and Canadian developer Studio Moka are bringing CitaDrill to Steam Next Fest, running October 19–26, 2026. The expansive roguelite action mining simulation will be featured through a newly expanded demo that offers players a first look at the game’s strange world, evolving story, and combination of exploration, resource management, city building, and combat ahead of its planned release later this year.
CitaDrill sends players deep beneath the surface of a mysterious planet, where drilling and exploration are balanced against increasingly dangerous threats. Players gather resources, unlock new buildings, expand their underground settlement, and make strategic decisions about how to use their limited materials while adapting to a hostile environment.
The experience shifts between relaxed exploration and intense tactical encounters. As the settlement grows, players must carefully arrange their buildings, assign workers to different stations, and maintain an efficient operation while defending the city from waves of creatures and challenging boss encounters.
Players take on the role of the Captain, directing a giant drill and its crew while confronting everything from underground monsters to colossal citapedes and hazardous environments. A dependable Drill O.S. named C.A.T. accompanies the player throughout the journey, providing interactive dialogue, guidance, hints, and plenty of personality along the way.
Resources can be used to upgrade the drill, construct weapons, expand the settlement, and keep its cat-izens productive. Players can also discover new blueprints during their expeditions, opening up additional options for developing their moving underground city.
Each expedition offers another opportunity to explore, collect resources, and improve the settlement. Procedurally generated runs give CitaDrill its roguelite structure, while different captains and city layouts provide additional ways to approach each playthrough. Even when an expedition ends in disaster, players can start another run and put what they’ve learned to use.
The game combines drilling and mining deeper into the planet with building an underground city beneath a protective dome, collecting and managing resources, upgrading the drill and settlement, managing a crew of cats, and defending the city against waves of creatures.
A dedicated tutorial and training simulation introduces players to the game’s controls, enemy types, attack patterns, management systems, and other mechanics. As players become familiar with the systems, CitaDrill encourages experimentation and careful resource management while gradually revealing more of the planet and the story hidden beneath its surface.
With its stylized presentation, psychedelic soundtrack, and combination of action, exploration, and management, CitaDrill offers a challenging experience where patience, focus, and experimentation can make the difference between a successful expedition and another trip into the depths.
The expanded CitaDrill demo will be available during Steam Next Fest from October 19–26, 2026, ahead of the game’s planned release later this year.