Developer

Tears of Metal is developed and published by Paper Cult, an independent video game studio founded in 2014 and based in Montreal, Canada. The studio is known for creating games with stylized visuals and distinctive gameplay mechanics.

Previous Games

Prior to Tears of Metal, Paper Cult released Bloodroots in 2021, a critically acclaimed action game. The studio has also released Fat Mask. Tears of Metal represents Paper Cult's most ambitious project to date in terms of scale, featuring co-op multiplayer, a full roguelike progression system, and a large number of handcrafted environments.

Development of Tears of Metal

Tears of Metal was first revealed at Summer Game Fest 2024. The studio ran multiple rounds of public testing, including a demo during Steam Next Fest in October 2025 and an open beta in April 2025 during the Triple-i Initiative Showcase. Each test period incorporated player feedback into the development process.

The game was originally planned for a 2025 release but was delayed twice to allow for additional polish. Paper Cult cited positive reception to the demo and a desire to deliver a more refined experience as reasons for the delays. The Early Access launch arrived in Spring 2026.

Community and Feedback

Paper Cult operates an official Discord server for community engagement. Players can also submit feedback through the Steam forums and an in-game feedback tool included in the Early Access build. The studio has indicated that player feedback during Early Access will directly shape the game's continued development, including decisions about additional content such as new heroes and game modes.