Play Order (Release = Chronological)Recommended
0 / 6 playedRelease order. Each story stands alone, and the design lessons carry forward from game to game.
- 1 Man of Medan Ghost-ship story inspired by the Ourang Medan myth. First entry and the simplest mechanics.
- 2 Little Hope Witch-trial story set around the town of Little Hope. Short and choice-driven.
- 3 House of Ashes Iraq-war expedition into a buried temple with creatures. Often rated the strongest of the first four and a good entry point.
- 4 The Devil in Me Serial-killer hotel inspired by H. H. Holmes. Billed as the season one finale before the season concept was dropped.
- 5 Switchback VR PS VR2 rail shooter revisiting locations from the first four stories. Optional; headset required.
- 6 Directive 8020 Deep-space science-fiction story starring Lashana Lynch. Standalone. Latest released entry.
About The Dark Pictures Anthology
The Dark Pictures Anthology is Supermassive Games' series of standalone horror stories. Each game has a new cast, setting and subgenre, from a ghost ship to a buried temple, and every choice can decide who lives. The Curator (Pip Torrens) links the games with short bookend scenes, but no plot carries over.
This play order follows release order, which matches the way mechanics and ideas build across the series. New players can start anywhere. House of Ashes is the friendliest entry point, then circle back to Man of Medan and play forward.
Good to know
Directive 8020 was once expected in 2025 and released May 12, 2026 as a deep-space story starring Lashana Lynch; older 2025 listings are outdated. Supermassive has dropped the season branding, so Directive 8020 plays standalone. Switchback VR needs a PS VR2 headset and only revisits the first four stories, so it is optional. Trademark filings hint at more titles (The Craven Man, Intercession, Winterfold, O Death), but none are dated, so none are listed.
