- Games
- The Escapists 3
The Escapists 3
A 3D prison escape sandbox where you and up to three friends craft tools and slip past the guards.
Online co-op for up to 4 players and split-screen co-op for 2 players, with crossplay.
- 4 online
- 2 split-screen
- Crossplay, platforms unclear
Store pages
Playing together
- Online co-op4 players
- Local co-op2 playersSplit screen
- YesThe store text announces split-screen and online crossplay for up to four players. It names no platforms and the game is not out, so this is an announced promise.Friends on different platforms, such as PC and PlayStation, can play together.
- Not confirmedA friend can join or leave while you are already playing, without starting over.
- Not confirmedFriends play free with a Friend's Pass or similar.
- Steam DeckNot testedValve has not rated it yet
About the game
You are an inmate in a 3D prison, and each day runs on a routine of roll call and jobs. Between those, you search cells, trade with other inmates and turn junk into tools. Then you choose a way out. You can dig under the wall, climb over it, sneak past the guards or fight through them. Past the walls there are forests, canyons and catacombs to cross.
You can play alone, with one friend on a split screen, or with up to three friends online. In a group you split the jobs, like keeping the guards distracted while someone else digs, and you time your moves together. Skills you earn with XP stay with you as you move on to the next of the five prisons.
The game is not out yet and is planned for 2027. The maker pitches a light, jokey tone, with a pace that runs from slow and careful to quick and messy.
How it feels
Kind of game
You play on the same side through shared levels, matches, missions or jobs. Progress comes from combining your actions toward the same objective.
- At its heart
- A big part
- Now and then
- Laughter and chaos
- Calm and coziness
- Time to hang out
- Rivalry in the group
- Fighting
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- About
- Prison break
Rated on our own feel scale. 4 sources back these ratings.
Screenshots
From the Steam store page. Open one to see it full size.
If you liked The Escapists 3
You will probably enjoy these too. Each one says why.
The Escapists 2
Why it scores 95%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared team objectives
- About
- Prison break
- Core to both
- Planning ahead
- Notable in both
- Puzzles and figuring out, Building and creating, Working in sync, Exploring, Tension and danger
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- Co-op
- Online co-op for up to 4 players and split-screen local co-op
How The Escapists 2 differs
- Harder to master than The Escapists 3
- 4 online
- 4 split-screen
Both give your team shared objectives to work through together. Both are about breaking out of prison. Both reward planning before you act.
But harder to master than The Escapists 3.
Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine
Why it scores 74%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared team objectives
- About
- Prison break
- Notable in both
- Working in sync, Tension and danger, Planning ahead
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- Co-op
- Online co-op for up to 4 players and local co-op
How Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine differs
- More chaotic than The Escapists 3
- More story than The Escapists 3
- Less building than The Escapists 3
- Harder to master than The Escapists 3
- 4 online
- 4 shared-screen
Both give your team shared objectives to work through together. Both are campaigns you play to the end together. Both have online co-op for up to 4 players and local co-op.
But more chaotic than The Escapists 3.
Forged: Reconquest
Why it scores 73%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared team objectives
- Notable in both
- Building and creating, Working in sync, Tension and danger, Planning ahead, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- Co-op
- Online co-op for up to 4 players and local co-op
How Forged: Reconquest differs
- Less exploring than The Escapists 3
- Less figuring things out than The Escapists 3
- Coming 4 November 2026
- 4 online
- 4 on one screen
Both give your team shared objectives to work through together. Both let you build things together. Both are campaigns you play to the end together.
But less exploring than The Escapists 3.
All co-op facts
Last checked 28 October 2026. The small numbers link to the page that states each fact.
Co-op
- Fewest players online
- Not confirmed
- Separate-device co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on separate devices
- Not confirmed
- Free base co-op
- Not confirmed
- Confirmed free setups
- Not confirmed
- Crossplay
- Yes
The store text announces split-screen and online crossplay for up to four players. It names no platforms and the game is not out, so this is an announced promise.
- 78
- Crossplay between
- Not confirmed
- Friends can join mid-game
- Not confirmed
- Only one of you needs to buy it
- Not confirmed
- Voice chat by distance
- Not confirmed
Sources
8 pages
store.steampowered.comOfficial news, read 28 October 2026
Backs Online co-op, Most players online, Local co-op, Most players on one screen, Split or shared screen, Release date, Kind of game, Working in sync, Calm and coziness, Time to hang out, Unlocks and progress, Fighting.
- Online co-op: Team17's announcement of 2026-10-08 says you can take the escape online with up to four.
- Most players online: The same announcement gives up to four players online.
- Local co-op: The announcement describes two players on a local split-screen.
- Most players on one screen: The announcement gives two players for local play.
- Split or shared screen: The announcement calls the local mode split-screen.
- Release date: The announcement says the game arrives in 2027. No month or day is given.
- Kind of game: The announcement frames co-op as friends dividing the jobs and working toward one prison break.
- Working in sync: Friends split the jobs and coordinate the timing, and the designer hopes players form roles as a team.
- Calm and coziness: The designer says you can chill out with friends and quietly dig a tunnel, or rush for the exit.
- Time to hang out: Co-op is framed around dividing jobs and timing, so talk is mostly about the task. Rated minor, since no player has described the talk yet.
- Unlocks and progress: The designer says the old stats became a skill tree, and XP unlocks new skills.
- Fighting: The designer lists fighting through guards as one way to play, next to sneaking and digging.
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 28 October 2026
Backs Release status, Sessions, About, Genres, Laughter and chaos, Tension and danger, Exploring, Building and creating, Puzzles and figuring out, Planning ahead, Unlocks and progress, Split or shared screen.
- Release status: The page says the game is not yet available on Steam and the release date is to be announced.
- Split or shared screen: The store text describes local split-screen for two players.
- Sessions: The text has you break out of five prisons, and what you learn carries into the next one.
- About: The whole game is about breaking out of prison.
- Genres: The store text calls the game a prison escape sandbox.
- Laughter and chaos: User tags include Funny and Comedy, and the text jokes about bad plans.
- Tension and danger: User tags include Stealth, and the text is about learning guard routines.
- Exploring: The text sends you beyond the prison walls into outdoor areas such as forests, canyons and catacombs.
- Building and creating: User tags include Crafting, and the text has you loot and craft over 120 items and weapons.
- Puzzles and figuring out: User tags include Puzzle, and the text asks you to work out your own route.
- Planning ahead: Strategy is the top user tag, and the text is about studying schedules and finding weak points.
- Unlocks and progress: The text says you earn XP, unlock skills and take what you learned into the next prison.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 28 October 2026
Backs Steam app ID, Online co-op, Local co-op, Release status, Rivalry in the group.
- Online co-op: Categories include Online Co-op.
- Local co-op: Categories include Shared/Split Screen Co-op.
- Release status: Steam lists the game as coming soon.
- Rivalry in the group: Categories include Online PvP and Shared/Split Screen PvP, but no text says what the versus mode is, so it is rated minor.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 28 October 2026
Backs Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: Valve has not rated the game for Steam Deck yet.
wikidata.orgWikidata, read 28 October 2026
Backs Wikidata item, Genres, Release date.
- Wikidata item: The item's Steam app ID statement is 3602260.
- Genres: P136 is simulation video game.
- Release date: P577 is 2027 with year precision.
officialtheescapists.comOfficial site, read 28 October 2026
Backs Most players online, Genres, Working in sync.
- Most players online: The page says you can escape solo or team up with up to three friends, so four in total.
- Genres: The page calls it a prison escape sandbox.
- Working in sync: The page tells friends to split the jobs and share the plan.
xbox.comStore page, read 28 October 2026
Backs Crossplay, Most players online, Most players on one screen, Release status.
- Crossplay: The store text announces split-screen and online crossplay for up to four players. It names no platforms and the game is not out, so this is an announced promise.
- Most players online: The feature list shows online multiplayer for 2 to 4 players.
- Most players on one screen: The feature list shows Xbox local co-op for 2 players.
- Release status: The page shows no price and no date, and marks the game as out of stock, so it cannot be bought yet.
store.playstation.comStore page, read 28 October 2026
Backs Crossplay, Most players online, Release status.
- Crossplay: The store text announces split-screen and online play with crossplay for up to four players. It names no platforms and the game is not out, so this is an announced promise.
- Most players online: The compatibility notice shows up to 4 online players with PlayStation Plus.
- Release status: The page shows the game as announced with no date, so it cannot be bought yet.