The Award-Winning Lockup Escape Game
Back to the Dawn
Launching Worldwide in 2026
for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5!
Playable Demos available at Tokyo Game Show 2025!
Clouded Leopard Entertainment Inc. (CEO: Yuen-Yuen Chen; hereinafter referred to as CLE) is pleased to announce the upcoming worldwide launch of Metal Head Games’ prison break thriller RPG, Back to the Dawn for Nintendo Switch™2, Nintendo Switch™, and PlayStation®5 in 2026.
Back to the Dawn is a prison break thriller RPG developed by Shanghai-based indie studio Metal Head Games. First released in Early Access on Steam® in November 2023 by Singapore-based publisher Spiral Up Games, the Early Access version received critical acclaim worldwide, winning numerous game awards.
On July 18, 2025, the full version of Back to the Dawn launched on Steam, featuring an expanded storyline that was met with widespread acclaim. As of August 28, the title boasts a strong Metacritic score of 84 and has received over 6,000 user reviews on Steam, maintaining a coveted “Very Positive” rating (93% positive).
Building on this success, CLE will bring Back to the Dawn to Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5 with enhanced localization across all subtitle languages, as well as the addition of brand-new Japanese and Chinese voice acting. These improvements allow players to dive even deeper into the game’s gripping suspense, tense prison politics, and intricate web of choices.
Among the two protagonists, Thomas the Fox will be voiced in Japanese by Shugo Nakamura, known for roles such as Teru Tendo in The Idolmaster SideM and Ryota Miyagi in THE FIRST SLAM DUNK.
Bob the Panther will be voiced by Yasuhiro Mamiya, whose credits include Jacob Kowalski in the Fantastic Beasts series and Heita Happousai (second generation) in Nintama Rantarou.
Additional cast members will be revealed in the coming months, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for further updates.
■Profile: Shugo Nakamura
Born July 28, 1988, in Okinawa Prefecture.
Affiliated with Across Entertainment.
He is widely recognized for bringing to life characters such as Ryota Miyagi in THE FIRST SLAM DUNK, Gin Gagamaru in Blue Lock, and Teru Tendo in The Idolmaster SideM, among many others.
In 2019, Nakamura was honored with the Best New Actor Award at the 13th Seiyu Awards, further establishing his reputation as one of the most dynamic talents of his generation.
■Profile: Yasuhiro Mamiya
Born December 7, 1981, in Chiba Prefecture.
Affiliated with Kenyu Office.
Major roles include Jacob Kowalski in the Fantastic Beasts series, David Croft in F1, Heita Happousai (second generation) in Nintama Rantarou, and Knuckleduster in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes.
▼Back to the Dawn Official Site
https://www.cloudedleopardent.com/game/bttd/en/
▼Back to the Dawn Announcement Trailer
https://youtu.be/ayOLJl7QodE
■Tokyo Game Show 2025 Exhibition Overview
From Thursday, September 25 to Sunday, September 28, 2025, Back to the Dawn will be available for hands-on play at the Konami Digital Entertainment booth during Tokyo Game Show 2025, held at Makuhari Messe (Chiba), one of Japan’s largest gaming events.
Special novelties will also be available, so don’t miss the chance to experience the game at the venue!
・Dates & Times:
• Business Days: September 25 (Thu) & 26 (Fri), 10:00–17:00
• Public Days: September 27 (Sat) 9:30–17:00 / September 28 (Sun) 9:30–16:30
・Venue:
Tokyo Game Show 2025, Makuhari Messe Hall 5, Konami Digital Entertainment Booth
・Exhibit Content:
Hands-on demo of Back to the Dawn
・Visitor Bonus:
Guests who play the Back to the Dawn demo will receive a pair of “Animal Ear Headbands”
(two types, distributed at random).
■About Back to the Dawn
In this prison-escape-themed RPG, crime, conspiracy, and hidden traps intertwine, while the relationships between characters grow increasingly complex. Step into the role of an animal inmate, survive the harsh realities of prison life, explore, grow, and plan your escape.
Stay sharp—fight to prove your innocence, uncover the schemes lurking behind rival factions, and battle not just for your own freedom, but for the future of the city itself.
Meet a cast of unforgettable characters and experience an epic story in Back to the Dawn.
A Hardboiled Story Straight Out of the Movies
In a city of animals torn apart by corruption, play as a wrongfully convicted journalist or an undercover investigator forced into a brutal prison system. With allies working from the outside, gather evidence, follow every lead without leaving a trace, and fight to save yourself—and the city.
A Fully-Fledged RPG Packed with Content
Choose between two protagonists, each with a main story exceeding 20 hours of playtime. Encounter three powerful gangs, 47 uniquely crafted inmates, dozens of memorable NPCs, and take on over 100 intricately designed quests. With multiple escape routes, richly branching endings, and a script of over one million characters, this is a one-of-a-kind RPG experience.
Uncover the Prison’s Hidden Conspiracies
Though the prison appears orderly, dark secrets lurk beneath. A suspicious figure loiters in the shadows, strange noises echo from the kitchen’s back door, and a locked door at the end of a corridor has never been opened.
Gather scattered clues, trade information, and sneak out during lights-out to uncover the secrets and conspiracies festering within the prison—before time runs out.
A Deeply Immersive Virtual Experience
Blend seamlessly into prison life, follow the rules when you must, and make your mark when opportunity calls. Explore unfamiliar environments and take on a wide range of challenges.
Will you spend your days as a model prisoner in peace, or cause chaos as a notorious troublemaker? The choice is yours.
A Colorful Cast
Meet a colorful cast of inmates in your prison, each with an interesting story to tell. You can either make them your friends or fight, bully and rob them into submission. Will you be part of a gang or a cunning lone wolf? Pick a side!
Open Character Growth System
Are you a tough guy who lets his fists do the talking, a thief who hides in the shadows, or perhaps a smooth talker who manipulates the scene? Develop your skills, craft tools to suit your style, and climb your way from “new fish” to “top dog.”
Plan Your Prison Escape
In a place built to break you, your sharpest weapon is your creativity and cunning. Every inch of Boulderton Prison might hold the key to your escape, from your prison cell to the infirmary, to the sewers and even the rooftops. Can you break free?
※Screenshots taken from a version still in development.
■Back to the Dawn Product Details
| Name | Back to the Dawn | |
| Genre | Prison Break Thriller RPG | |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch 2 / Nintendo Switch / PlayStation 5 | |
| Release Date | 2026 (scheduled) | |
| MSRP | TBD | |
| Player(s) | 1 | |
| Rating | Rating Pending | |
| Languages | Audio | Chinese / Japanese |
| Subtitles | English / Traditional Chinese / Simplified Chinese / Korean / Japanese | |
| Developer | Metal Head Games / Spiral Up Games | |
| Distributor | Clouded Leopard Entertainment Inc. | |
| Copyright | ©2025 Metal Head Games. ©2025 Spiral Up Games. Licensed to and published by Clouded Leopard Entertainment Inc. | |
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※All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
※All information is applicable as of the date of this announcement and subject to change without notice.