New North American indie studio Little Legendary has announced its debut title, SHADE Protocol, set to release on PC in 2026. The game is setting out to blend elements of cyber-fantasy, fast-paced 2D combat, and musical theming in a Metroidvania-style world shaped by code and sound.
In SHADE Protocol, players explore a world teetering on the edge of collapse under the looming threat of the SHADE Protocol. Players are given the ability to swap between two distinct forms – DAWN and SHADE – each altering combat styles, abilities, and gameplay dynamics. Core to the experience are Instruments: music-inspired weapons that offer both offensive and exploratory functions. These include the Twilight Spear, Sunrise Great Axe, and Midnight Chakram.
One highlighted feature of the game is its Protocol system, which enables players to customise their playstyle by combining Protocols and code fragments. This mechanic also allows players to rewrite the behaviour of enemies and even alter in-game events through the UNISON system, giving the ability to manipulate the game world and shape the outcomes of key narrative moments.
Combat in SHADE Protocol is designed to be skill-based, with parries and counters restoring Echo, a resource used to unleash powerful attacks. Exploration will take place across interconnected Bastions, environments that evolve based on player decisions and discoveries.
Game Director Kendall Quinones shared insights into the studio’s ambitions and the inspiration behind the game:
As our first game as a studio, we’re trying to make something different and unique, while also being a love letter to those titles that led the way of our craft. Innovating is the core purpose of Little Legendary; expanding on the greatness that came before us and leaving something that inspires those that come after.
And so, we introduce SHADE Protocol. A journey through a bright, beautiful, dying world that wants to be explored, cared for, saved. If you’ve ever really wanted to ‘break’ a game literally in half, this one’s for you. It’s a game about bending and breaking the rules of a world made entirely out of code and music; like if Megaman X met The Matrix. We hope to take you on a grand adventure full of all the songs we humans left behind in a universe inherited by our creations.
Expect to hear more about SHADE Protocol in the months leading to its launch in 2026 exclusively for the PC.
