Morbid Metal brings its character-swapping combat to Steam next week

Morbid Metal, the hack-and-slash action roguelite developed by Screen Juice and published by Ubisoft, is launching into Steam Early Access on April 8, 2026. The release date arrives alongside a closer look at Flux. This playable character wields a glowing blue katana and moves at blistering speeds.

The game is set in a post-apocalyptic simulation originally created by humans to escape climate collapse. You play as an AI ordered by a mysterious entity known as the Operator to eliminate other artificial intelligence programs. The goal is to prove you are the strongest and become the next evolutionary step for mankind. Every time you die, the simulation resets. You start from the beginning of the loop and keep only your permanent upgrades.

The core combat system relies entirely on real-time shapeshifting. Instead of picking a single class for a run, you swap between up to four different robotic characters mid-combo. This allows you to chain abilities together. You can launch an enemy into the air with a heavy bruiser before instantly swapping to a faster unit to finish the combo. It is essentially a tag-team fighting game where you play the entire team.

Flux is clearly the speed-focused option of the roster. The character's mechanical helmet design and glowing yellow eyes lean heavily into the post-apocalyptic sci-fi aesthetic. In combat, Flux relies on quick dash attacks that leave trails of red and blue particle effects across the screen.

From a university dorm to Ubisoft

This launch has been a long time coming. Developer Felix Schade started building the first prototype of Morbid Metal in 2017 as a solo university project. He posted early gameplay clips online to gather feedback from the roguelite community. Those clips eventually went viral. The attention pushed Schade to keep working on the game, and he founded the studio Screen Juice in 2023.

Eventually, Ubisoft noticed the project and stepped in as the publisher. The game was originally targeted for a Summer 2025 release before getting delayed. The extra time allowed the team to polish the combat loops and expand the scope of the initial launch.

Early access content

The April 8 launch build includes three playable characters and ten enemy types across three biomes. The characters available at launch are Flux, Ekku, and Vekta. Each one has distinct fighting styles and signature skills. Like most modern roguelites, progression is split between temporary upgrades found during a run and permanent unlocks. Players will find mid-run modifiers called Corpora. Permanent progression happens through a skill tree called the Void Nexus. The game also includes an in-game shop and optional risk-reward challenges called Devil Bargains.

Right now, the game is only confirmed for PC. You can find it on its official Steam page. The Early Access version costs $17.99, but Screen Juice has a 25 percent launch discount running until April 20. The developers have confirmed that the game is Steam Deck compatible and has full Xbox and PlayStation controller support out of the gate.

Screen Juice plans to reveal a full roadmap for future updates on April 17 during the Find Your Next Game Showcase. That roadmap will detail the cadence for new characters and biomes. Early Access roguelites live or die on their update schedules, so anyone jumping in next week will know exactly what the studio is planning for the rest of the year.