What it is
Sombras: Negative Frames is an upcoming first‑person, photography‑led narrative game from Maboroshi Artworks and publisher Entalto. It blends light psychological horror with exploration and a camera-based progression system. The game follows Shiomi, a Japanese–Spanish photography student, who is pulled into a dark, mirror version of her 2000s Japanese hometown and must piece together fragments of her identity by taking and developing photographs.
- UK release
- Thursday 3 December 2026 (03/12/2026) — 05:00 UTC / 05:00 GMT listed on PlayStation store
- Platforms
- PC (Steam & PC stores), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 (publisher/developer listings)
- Developer
- Maboroshi Artworks
- Publisher
- Entalto Publishing (Entalto Studios / Entalto Games SL)
- UK price
- Special Frame Edition (PS5) listed by UK retailer The Game Collection at £24.95; standard digital RRP not announced by publisher
- PEGI
- Retailers list PEGI 18 for physical Special Edition; official PEGI entry not listed on publisher press kit (see unconfirmed)
- Genre
- First‑person narrative / adventure with photography‑simulation elements; light psychological horror
- Online mode
- No — single‑player only (developer and publisher list the game as a 1‑player experience)
- Game Pass / PS Plus
- Not confirmed — publisher has not announced inclusion on Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus
- Engine
- Not publicly stated by developer or publisher in press materials (unconfirmed)
Story and setting
You play as Shiomi Alterio, a Japanese‑Spanish photography student living in a small Japanese town after her parents’ divorce. The studio’s official materials describe a ‘twisted reflection’ of that town — familiar streets and shrines refracted into a liminal, hostile space populated by shadowy figures and alternate versions of Shiomi. The narrative is intimate and inward‑facing: the town is presented as a space formed from Shiomi’s memories, cultural dislocation and repressed experiences, and uncovering story beats is tied to locating and photographing specific moments and objects.
How it plays
Sombras centres on a photography mechanic. You use Shiomi’s camera to capture ‘impossible’ scenes, develop rolls of film, and convert photographs into progression — unlocking new areas and upgrades for your camera. The developer lists four rolls of film that act as distinct paths through the game. You will also encounter other versions of Shiomi, collect occult trinkets, and sometimes need to flee from pursuing terrors rather than fight them. The perspective is first person and the experience is single‑player only; Entalto and the developer describe the game as narrative/adventure with simulation elements around the camera and development systems.
Platforms, editions and UK practicals
The publisher and developer list PC (Steam and other PC stores), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2 among platforms. A Steam store page and an official developer site are live; Entalto’s press pages also list PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo releases. The UK release date is confirmed as Thursday 3 December 2026 (the PlayStation store listing shows 03/12/2026 at 05:00 UTC, which is 05:00 GMT on the same day). Physical special editions for PS5 have been announced through third‑party distributors (Special Frame Edition), with UK retailers listing a pre‑order price for that edition — for example The Game Collection shows a PS5 Special Edition at £24.95. Digital standard RRP for UK customers has not been widely published by the publisher at time of writing.
Trailers, playtests and confirmed features
Developer trailers and an official release‑date trailer have been published by Maboroshi Artworks and Entalto; the release‑date trailer confirms the 3 December 2026 launch and repeats the core photography and liminal town premise. The developer’s site lays out the four‑roll structure, camera upgrades, film‑development progression and the emphasis on identity, memory and mixed cultural background. A closed playtest / Steam playtest took place ahead of launch to gather feedback, as noted in store and community pages. Retail listings and press resources also confirm a PS5 physical Special Frame Edition that includes a reversible cover, artbook and digital extras, published in collaboration with a physical distributor.
What we still don’t know
Some practical details remain unconfirmed by the publisher: a UK digital RRP for the standard edition, exact PEGI classification from the official PEGI database (retailers are already listing PEGI 18 for physical editions but the rating entry on the official PEGI site is not shown on the publisher’s press pages), whether the game will arrive on Xbox via day‑one Xbox Game Pass, and platform‑specific performance targets (resolution, frame‑rate modes) for Series X/S and Switch 2. Any features described in storefronts or retailer pages that aren’t explicitly on the developer’s press kit (for example specific bonus content or languages) should be treated as retailer claims until confirmed by Entalto or Maboroshi.
Not yet confirmed
- Official PEGI rating entry on the PEGI database published by the rating board (retailers list PEGI 18 but publisher’s press pages do not include a PEGI certificate link).
- Day‑one availability on Xbox Game Pass or other subscription services.
- Platform‑specific technical targets (resolution or performance modes for Series X|S and Switch 2).
- Full UK digital RRP for standard editions across platforms (only some retail PS5 physical pricing is visible).
- Exact language/localisation list for UK retail/digital versions beyond retailer claims.
Sombras: Negative Frames: your questions
What time does Sombras release in the UK on 3 December 2026?
Store listings show 03/12/2026 at 05:00 UTC, which is 05:00 GMT in the UK on Thursday 3 December 2026.
Which platforms is it actually coming to?
The developer and publisher list PC (Steam and other PC stores), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2 — Steam and PlayStation storefronts are already live and Entalto’s press room lists PlayStation, PC, Nintendo and Xbox platforms.
Is there an online mode or multiplayer?
No. Maboroshi and Entalto describe the game as a single‑player narrative experience; storefronts and press materials list it as 1 player.
Can I buy a boxed UK copy or a special edition?
Yes — a PS5 Special Frame Edition is being distributed via third‑party physical publishers/distributors and is listed for pre‑order at UK retailers; availability on other platforms has not been widely listed for physical release yet.
Will it be on Xbox Game Pass at launch?
Not confirmed. The publisher has not announced inclusion on Game Pass or PlayStation Plus.
