Out of Words: Stop-motion two-player co-op

Out of Words is a two‑player co‑op platformer developed by WiredFly and Kong Orange and published by Epic Games Publishing. The game was shown at Summer Game Fest: Play Days by director Johan Oettinger. It is scheduled for release on Xbox Series X|S in 2027 and will support local couch co‑op and online play with cross‑platform matchmaking.

The title uses stop‑motion production for characters, sets and cinematic scenes. Developers built physical puppets and sets, filmed frame‑by‑frame, and integrated those assets into gameplay. Oettinger described the approach with an example: “every single element you see has been made by human hands: the grass is cut‑out paper, the water is cellophane.” The project began as a stop‑motion short developed with poet Morten Søndergaard before evolving into a game.

Players control two characters, Kurt and Karla, who are transported into the dreamlike world of Vokabulantis. The characters appear without mouths in that world. The narrative frames puzzles and relationship choices around a story about the first time the pair held hands. The team has presented locations such as clay skyscrapers called Nounberg and ancient catacombs as backgrounds for puzzles and set pieces.

Gameplay mixes side‑scrolling platforming with physics‑based puzzles that reflect the characters’ emotional states. In one example, grass surfaces create localized gravity that lets characters jump between floor and ceiling to represent a feeling of separation. In another section, each player’s gravity is inverted in opposite directions, requiring coordinated timing to pass a glowing creature and keep both characters aloft. Developers reported testing nearly 200 mechanics during prototyping to select interactions that align with the story.

Oettinger cited games and stop‑motion animation as visual and tonal influences. The team said they aimed for simple controls to make the experience accessible to non‑gamers while retaining depth for skilled players. The developers indicated the strongest experience is local couch play but confirmed online cross‑platform play will allow distant players to join.

Epic Games Publishing will handle release and distribution. The studio emphasizes that Out of Words is strictly a two‑player experience and will not include single‑player options. The game remains on target for a 2027 release window on Xbox Series X|S.