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Love and death hang hand-in-hand in the air as the first half of the 5th episode of Scarlet Hollow, the award-winning gothic horror narrative developed by Black Tabby Games (Slay the Princess), launches today on PC via Steam as a free update. In order to alleviate crunch and ensure the best possible experience, the second half of the episode will premiere on Friday, February 20th 2026.
A heavy curse pools underneath Scarlet Hollow, pulling in anyone susceptible to its unseen tendrils. Grab a bag of boiled peanuts (or don’t, why would you— ???), pick a combination of character traits, and step off the bus into the rural North Carolina mining town you once called home.
You remember your darling cousin Tabitha, don’t you? Her familial warmth may be dampened by stressors from managing the town’s coalminers and the recent death of her mother — your aunt Pearl — but don’t worry. You just have to make it through the funeral next week…then it’s back on the bus. Easy! If only the town didn’t have…other plans.
Explore multiple paths of choice-based storytelling to sculpt survival into many dreadful shapes, with a single playthrough providing only ~15% of possible branching content. Embody a booksmart beefcake, divine Dr. Dolittle, or other imaginative pairs of characteristics to navigate the unknown, unnatural events that begin to bear down on the town’s denizens during your stay.
Meet a menagerie of memorable faces as they react to critical decisions. See how your choices affect not only the people around you, but the story’s entire trajectory as branching narrative paths culminate into several horrific ends told through more than 930,000 words to date in the complete Episode 5 from award-winning writer and developer Tony Howard-Arias, paired with expressive new illustrations from award-winning artist Abby Howard, the married duo also behind 2023’s critically acclaimed bestseller Slay the Princess.
Episode 5 serves as the final major content release for Scarlet Hollow in Early Access, with Episodes 6 and 7 to arrive in the future as part of The Final Chapters, when the game will leave Early Access.
Shape surreal storylines as part one of Scarlet Hollow - Episode 5 launches today as a free update on PC via Steam.
Scarlet Hollow, the award-winning episodic horror-mystery developed by Black Tabby Games (Slay the Princess), digs deeper underneath the branching narrative’s foundation to discover more Applachian secrets as the first part of Episode 5 launches today as a free update on PC via Steam. The conclusion launches on Friday, February 20th 2026.
Pulled back into your hometown for your aunt’s funeral, survive a week’s stay in Scarlet Hollow, North Carolina without succumbing to the town’s darkest secrets haunting its denizens daily. Become a divine Dr. Doolittle, booksmart beefcake, or other combinations of personalities by combining two characteristics that lead to drastically different narrative trajectories. Save who you can. Remember those you can’t. Discover the world you create by the decisions you make in Scarlet Hollow’s final Early Access content update before The Final Chapters with the game’s 1.0 release.
