Cairn: How a French Studio's Climbing Sim Became 2026's First Indie Hit

A climbing game where you control each limb individually should not be this successful. But Cairn hit 300,000 players in its first week, sold over 200,000 copies in the first three days, and currently holds a 94% positive rating on Steam. It is one of the most critically acclaimed indie releases of 2026 so far, and it came from a 25 person studio in Montpellier, France.

The Game Bakers, the studio behind Furi and Haven, spent five years building a game about climbing a mountain that has never been summited. The result is something that reviewers are calling one of gaming’s most unique experiences. PC Gamer gave it a 91. IGN gave it a 9 out of 10. OpenCritic has it at 86 with “Strong” recommendation.

The Climbing

The core of Cairn is its climbing system. You play as Aava, a professional mountaineer attempting to summit Mount Kami. Every handhold, every piton placement, every shift of weight is under your direct control. You position each of Aava’s limbs individually, reaching for grips, testing holds, and deciding when to push forward or find a safer route.

The mountain is fully open. There is no predetermined path. You read the rock face, plan your approach, and climb wherever you can reach. Some routes are shorter but more dangerous. Others are safer but eat through your supplies. The freedom to choose your own way up the mountain is what makes every climb feel personal.

Survival mechanics add pressure without drowning out the climbing. You manage Aava’s hunger, thirst, and temperature as you ascend. Bivouacs serve as rest points where you eat, drink, and plan your next segment. The survival layer keeps you moving and makes every decision about piton and supply management meaningful.

The Studio

The Game Bakers is a studio that has never repeated itself. Furi (2016) was a neon soaked boss rush. Haven (2020) was a romantic adventure about two lovers on an alien planet. Cairn is a survival climbing sim. Three games, three completely different genres. The studio describes Cairn as the conclusion to their “trilogy on freedom.”

Founded by Emeric Thoa and Audrey Leprince, both former Ubisoft developers, the team now numbers around 25 people. They self fund and self publish. Cairn was developed over five years with a budget of approximately €5 million. That is modest for a game that reviewers are comparing to Death Stranding in terms of innovation in traversal mechanics.

Over 600,000 players tried the Cairn demo before launch. That is an enormous number for an indie title and gave The Game Bakers clear signals about demand. When the full game launched on January 29 on PC and PlayStation 5 at $29.99, it converted that demo interest into immediate commercial success. The studio announced via social media: “The goats have never seen this many visitors pass through. 300,000 new climbers on Kami in a week.”

Critical Reception

The review scores tell the story:

• PC Gamer: 91/100. Called it one of the best games they have played in years.
• IGN: 9/10. Described climbing Kami as “exhilarating.”
• GameSpot: 9/10. Called it “a gorgeous and grueling drama.”
• OpenCritic: 86 average, rated “Strong.”
• Metacritic: 83.
• Steam: 94% positive from over 5,000 user reviews.

The praise centers on the climbing system, the story, and the art direction. Critics consistently note that controlling each limb individually sounds tedious on paper but becomes meditative and rewarding in practice. The game turns the physical act of climbing into a form of expression.

The PS5 version has received some criticism for frame rate drops, though the PC version runs well. Minor technical issues are the most common complaint. For a game doing something this mechanically ambitious, that is a remarkably clean launch.

Why It Matters

Cairn is proof that indie studios can still surprise the industry with something genuinely new. In a landscape dominated by roguelikes and survival crafting games, a game about manually climbing a mountain with individual limb control had no business being this successful. But The Game Bakers committed to the concept, built it with care, and found an audience that was hungry for something different.

It also represents a win for the “trilogy” approach to studio identity. The Game Bakers built their reputation by making wildly different games united by a common theme. That creative ambition is rare in indie development, where most studios specialize in a single genre. Cairn proves the approach can work commercially.

If you are looking for more standout indie releases from 2026, check our best roguelikes of 2026 for games with deep combat systems, or our cutest indie games of 2025 and 2026 for a completely different vibe. And if you want to understand how small studios design experiences that keep players engaged, our guide to addictive game design breaks down the principles behind games like Cairn.

Cairn is available now on Steam and PlayStation 5 for $29.99.