Mind-Hopping Vehicular RPG TankRat Sets January 2027 Launch

Launch Window and Publishing Partnership

Alpha Channel and Kepler Interactive have locked in a release date for TankRat. Revealed during the Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 showcase, the dystopian vehicular action RPG will launch worldwide on January 15, 2027.

The release pairs indie developer Alpha Channel with Kepler Interactive, bringing the project to modern hardware after years of quiet iteration. When it debuts in early 2027, players can pick up the game across PlayStation 5 and Windows PC, with PC availability spanning both Steam and the Epic Games Store.

From TankHead to TankRat: A Kitbashed Vision

Longtime followers of independent game development will recognize TankRat under its former working title, TankHead. Alpha Channel executed an official rebranding and broad mechanical overhaul of the project, steering the game toward a more ambitious scope while sharpening its distinct visual signature.

According to creative director Daniel Ebanks, TankRat draws heavy aesthetic and mechanical inspiration from 20th-century science fiction illustrations and traditional miniature kitbashing. That influence translates into a rugged, industrial wasteland filled with clanking machinery, exposed wiring, and modular armored chassis.

Consciousness Swapping, Combat, and Salvage Systems

At the core of TankRat's single-player campaign is a fluid mind-transfer loop. Players operate a digitized consciousness housed inside a nimble, airborne drone. While the drone offers superior mobility and evasive maneuvering, surviving direct hostility requires interfacing with and taking control of heavy, ground-based combat tanks scattered across the ruins.

Combat leans heavily into action RPG progression and on-the-fly tactical adaptation. Defeated mechanical enemies yield salvageable components, allowing players to strip armor plating, weapons, and utility modules to customize their fighting machines. Swapping hulls and repurposing battlefield wreckage directly determines survivability against escalating hazards in the hostile wasteland.

Confirmed Platforms and Storefronts

TankRat is officially slated for PlayStation 5 and Windows PC, with PC distribution confirmed across both Steam and the Epic Games Store.

While early social media speculation suggested a potential Xbox Series X|S version, formal press documentation from Kepler Interactive and Alpha Channel currently restricts the official platform roster to PS5 and PC. Details regarding retail pricing and PC hardware requirements have not yet been disclosed.