There’s no shortage of music-related video games — but most put you on the stage. ROCKBEASTS: Rock & Roll Band Manager brings you backstage, off-stage, looking for a stage, and peeking out behind the merch table.
What?!!
Yup. Launching later this year, the upcoming band management RPG drops players into the chaos and catharsis of the 1990s alternative rock scene — not as a performing artist, but as a band’s touring manager. Your job? Keep a fragile, ego-filled grunge outfit alive long enough to make it out of the garage and onto bigger stages.
It's narrated by Iggy Pop, written by Jakub Szamałek (the man behind The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077), and as expected, it looks like one of the most entertaining (and accurate) depictions of the music industry we’ve ever seen.
Set in an alternate reality inspired by '90s America populated by anthropomorphic characters, ROCKBEASTS blends storytelling, strategy, and simulation. Players are responsible for everything: booking gigs, managing budgets, repairing gear, negotiating with industry players, and navigating the constant interpersonal drama that threatens to derail the band at any moment.
In other words — less “rockstar fantasy,” more “welcome to the job.”
Every decision you make shapes the band’s trajectory — from relationships and reputation to whether they survive the week at all. There’s no reset button. Mismanage a budget, mishandle a conflict, or make the wrong deal, and things can spiral quickly.
The mechanics lean heavily into that tension. You’re juggling limited resources while trying to build momentum: deciding whether to spend on food, gear repairs, or promotion; crafting setlists that resonate; and keeping band members functional (or at least cooperative).
All of it plays out against a visual style inspired by 90s MTV-era animation — think Daria meets Beavis and Butt-Head — with an original soundtrack of 17 tracks drawing clear influence from bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains.
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Key Features of ROCKBEASTS
🎸GAMEPLAY WRITTEN IN ROCK & ROLL
Manage a tight budget and the fragile egos of your musicians. Create setlists that will electrify the crowd. Repair instruments and then play them yourself on club stages. In this RPG, every triumph and every failure depends on your actions and decisions.
🎸BUILD YOUR LEGEND
Negotiate hard with publishers, fight for your reputation, and balance between artistic freedom with commercial success. Jaded clubgoers, slick marketers, and calculating businessmen – your future depends on how you deal with them.
🎸TAME ROCK’N’ROLL
Decide how to spend your limited funds: food for the band, repairing damaged gear, or maybe booking a rehearsal room? Nothing comes easy. Keep your band grounded in everyday life – and give them wings on stage.
🎸ROCK THE CLUBS AND STAGES
Show what you’ve got. Strong setlists will highlight your talent, and the right equipment will amplify your sound. Only smart promotion will make clubs burst at the seams. Success tastes like money. Failure brings drama and conflict. Will you seize the moment – or waste it?
🎸BACK TO THE ’90S
Immerse yourself in a world where capitalism marches to the rhythm of MTV. ROCKBEASTS is a love letter to the era and aesthetics of the best independent animated series and films for adults. Legendary clubs, bars, shops, and radio stations are more than nostalgia – they’re a world overflowing with grunge. The original soundtrack will set the rhythm of your journey and may stay with you long after the game ends.
Behind Every Great Band Is a Manager Who Needs a Drink!
ROCKBEASTS is coming to Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Players who add the game to their wishlist will receive a notification when the free demo becomes available.
