Cracking open a plastic case, pulling out a CD or cassette and popping it into a machine before hitting the big “play” button. It’s a ritual lost to time, much like the idea of waiting up to hear that one killer song on the radio, taping it and adding it to a special mix to give to your best friend or crush.
These are the moments that Mixtape, the next game from Annapurna Interactive and Beethoven & Dinosaur, the Melbourne-based developer of the BAFTA-winning The Artful Escape, is hoping to capture.
And, as revealed during today’s Nintendo Indie World showcase, the wait is almost over to hear this particular mix in full for the first time, with Mixtape launching on May 7, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2 and PC.
Mixtape follows three teens on their last night together, headed out to one final party and reliving their most formative memories through a curated playlist of 80s/90s hits from the likes of DEVO, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure, Joy Division and more, complete with gameplay vignettes of skateboarding, photography, dream-sequence flight and high-speed shopping cart chases.
Take a look at the Release Date Trailer for Mixtape below:
I had the chance to visit the Beethoven & Dinosaur office in Melbourne last during during MIGW, and saw a brief slice of the game first-hand. Being a huge fan of The Artful Escape, I went in expecting to like what I saw, but even then the impeccable presentation, 80s/90s coming-of-age film vibe and of course the killer score all blew me away.
This will definitely be one to watch when we finally get to push play.
You can find digital pre-order links for the game on various platforms below:
Mixtape game pre-orders
- PlayStation Store
- Nintendo eShop
- Steam
- Epic Games Store
- Xbox Store