Hey Rivals! We're well into February, and Steam Next Fest is coming up fast. We're arms-deep in coding and animating right now, but we thought it was time we introduced ourselves here on Steam.
Our community is growing so quickly that not everyone is getting in on the ground floor— we figured we should take a minute and walk through our origin story for a bit.
We will be posting regular dev blogs and announcements here on Steam as we get closer to the public demo (and later to the public release). Lots of exciting new content and updates are coming, but for now, let’s start with the absolute basics.
What is DeGen Rivals?
In a sentence? It's Fortnite meets Mario Kart.
DeGen Rivals (or DR for short) is an upcoming Kart-based Battle Royale, releasing in early 2026 to Steam, iOS, and the Play Store.
DR is a free-to-play, 8-player online chaos experience; players take control of crazy characters in cars and fight it out in the arena, collecting WTF Power-Ups and abusing physics to smash, crash, and bash their opponents to clutch the W.
At its core, DeGen Rivals is a demolition party, and everyone is invited. Jump into a host of arcade-style gamemodes, everything from free-for-all Battle Royale to team-based Cops n’ Robbers.
Squad up in a lobby with friends, or queue up in matchmaking and play with rivals around the world. Join guilds and earn glory and Smash Cash in tournaments, and customise your vehicle in the Garage and DeGenerate your avatar in the Lab using unique DNA Traits.
Between the beatdowns, DeGenerate your own unique avatar in the Lab and trick out your ride in the Garage with infinite combinations. You can pick from our cast of DeGens, customise their appearance, and mod your vehicle to stand out in the arena.
Starting in February, you can play the Demo which features our core gamemode: Battle Royale. 8 players show down free-for-all in the arena in fast paced combat, scoring points for damage and eliminations. Wreck your rivals quickly; when the Crush starts, the play area slowly shrinks and draws the DeGens together!
Why would I love DeGen Rivals?
There’s something for everyone in DR. Though the core gameplay of vehicular combat and competition was inspired by games like Twisted Metal and Mario Kart, the crazy vibes and party-arcade atmosphere feels a lot more like Fall Guys or Splatoon. This game is fast-casual and is perfect for quick one-off rounds as well as longer play sessions.
DeGen Rivals is unlike any other game out there. Many games let you race karts, and many more let you throw power ups at your enemies, but none have anywhere near as much chaos each round from start-to-finish.
Why is it called “DeGen Rivals”?
The crazy characters you see in the trailer are “DeGens”— creatures born from DeGeneration, created by the mysterious “Dr.”
You’ll hear more from them soon (and you’ll get to create your own soon in the Lab…), but for right now, 11 DeGens are on a vehicular rampage!
As for the “Rivals”? That’s you! DR is all about duking it out with your friends (and enemies); the community is the game, and the Rivals are the community.
Who is making DeGen Rivals?
DeGen Rivals is the brainchild of Josh Hassin, the game’s creator and founder of the co-developer Look Mister. Josh is a game industry veteran, and spent 17 years working as a developer and game director for Sony PlayStation.
For years Josh had been experimenting with the vision of DeGen Rivals— a cross-platform concept for epic social gameplay and unique customisable characters. He and his creative team started work on the project in 2024, and soon they partnered with co-developer and publisher Tevaera Labs to bring DR to life!
When can I play the game?
Soon.
No, seriously, when can I play?
Soon! DeGen Rivals is taking part in the February 2026 Steam Next Fest (Steam’s biggest event for upcoming indie games), so the demo will be live and available to the public very soon! Sooner than you think...
The demo is just the first taste of what DR has to offer. The full version— featuring more gamemodes, more customisation options, and more chaos— is dropping later on in the winter. Stay tuned! Steam, X, and Discord will be the first ones to know when DR drops.
Keep an eye out, though— some of our friends in the #DeGenArmy on Twitch have pre-release access to the game, and will be giving out keys on their streams. Follow us on X @DeGenRivals to catch these keys before they’re gone!
What should I do now?
Wishlist DeGen Rivals on Steam and be the first to hear when the demo (and the full game) go live!
Follow our socials for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and your daily dose of DR memes.
Join our Discord at discord.gg/degenrivals to meet the community and talk to the devs!
Until next time, Rivals.
—Philip