Stiff Neck news & patch notes

Hello, everyone!

The official artbook for the psychological suspense narrative game Stiff Neck is now available for purchase!

Priced at RMB 18, the artbook is currently available with a 10% launch discount. Purchasing through the bundle will grant you an additional stacked discount.

Join us in taking a closer look into Noele’s life and uncover even more behind-the-scenes details!

✨ Artbook Contents The artbook includes the complete collection of the game’s original artwork, environment concepts, character designs, previously unreleased sketches, and commentary from the creators about the development process.

✨ Installation Guide You can access it by right-clicking the game name in your Steam library, selecting \ > \ > \, or selecting \ > \ to open the directory. ※Please note: only the Simplified Chinese version is currently available at this time.

※ If you are unsure whether the DLC has been installed, right-click Stiff Neck in your Steam Library and select \ → \ to check.

New Bundle Lineup

Stiff Neck × Stiff Neck – Artbook

Stiff Neck × Stiff Neck – Artbook × Stiff Neck – Soundtrack

Once again, thank you all for your support and love for Stiff Neck.

Feel free to add the game and the artbook to your Steam wishlist and follow the game for future updates. If you enjoy the game and its related content, we’d also greatly appreciate it if you recommend it to your friends!

Optimizations & Adjustments

We have noticed that some players are experiencing issues where the game fails to launch properly. Our team is currently investigating this urgently.

If you encounter crashes or a black screen, please try the following steps first:

Please select the “OpenGL3” option in the launch options.

If the issue persists after using this option, please try the methods below.

If the problem still occurs, please try the following:

Hello, everyone!

The psychological thriller narrative game Stiff Neck is out now!

Purchase now to enjoy the discounted price of $6.29, or buy through a bundle for an extra discount, dropping the price to as low as $5.66!

Come follow in the footsteps of our protagonist, Noele, and experience a unique psychological boxing journey!

Bundles Overview

Ignited in Cavern × Stiff Neck

Looking Up I See Only A Ceiling × Stiff Neck

Stiff Neck & Soundtrack

Instruction Manual — FAQ

Q: What is the price of the game?

A: The base price is $6.99, with a 10% launch week discount, making it only $6.29! If you purchase via a bundle, you can stack the discounts: The lowest possible price is 6.99 × 0.9 × 0.9 = 5.66!

Q: What platforms is the game available on?

A: Currently, it is only available on Steam.

Q: What operating systems are supported?

A: The game currently supports Windows, macOS, and Linux + SteamOS.

Q: What should I do if the game crashes or lags on startup?

A: Outdated graphics drivers are a common cause of crashes or lag. We highly recommend updating them first:

— NVIDIA users:

Update automatically via GeForce Experience, or download the latest drivers from the official NVIDIA website.

— AMD users:

Update via Adrenalin, or download the latest drivers from the official AMD website.

— Intel users:

Update automatically via Intel Driver & Support Assistant.

If the issue persists after updating your drivers, try freeing up memory.

If you are still unable to play, please fill out the BUG Report Form at the bottom of this FAQ, and we will contact you as soon as possible.

Q: How much content is in the full release, and what has changed compared to the Demo?

A: The full release contains over 100,000 words and has an estimated playtime of 2-5 hours. It features 3 explorable characters, 4 story routes, and 6 different endings. There are over 100 character-rich CGs and over 20 unique original avatars.

Q: Does my progress from the Demo carry over?

A: We apologize, but Demo save files cannot be transferred. However, you can adjust the fast-forward settings in the menu to quickly skip to the new story content after the Demo portion.

Q: Can I play with a controller? Is Steam Deck supported?

A: Yes! The game supports controller inputs and runs on the Steam Deck.

However, please note that if you are using a Linux system, some controllers may not be fully compatible.

Q: What if the D-pad and ABXY buttons are unresponsive on the Steam Deck?

A: Please try manually switching the Steam controller layout:

— In your Steam Deck's downloaded games list, select the Stiff Neck page.

— Select the "Controller" icon on the far right next to "Play."

— Enter the Controller Settings, click the layout box under "Current Button Layout," switch to the "Recommended" tab, and use the A button to select "Official Layout by 伤官制作组 Stiff Neck — Controller). Once on the layout preview page, press X to apply the layout.

— Return to the game and play.

Q: Does the Steam Deck support Windowed mode?

A: No. Running the game in Windowed mode causes severe bugs, so the game is locked to Fullscreen mode on the Steam Deck.

Q: Does the Steam Deck support Touchscreen controls?

Yes! Both Controller and Touchscreen modes are supported, but please strictly follow these methods to switch between the two:

— To switch from Controller to Touchscreen mode: You must click a button with your finger (e.g., tap a confirmation option or a function button); Sliding or dragging your finger across the screen will not switch the control mode.

— To switch from Touchscreen to Controller mode: You must press the D-pad or the ABXY buttons. Using the left/right joysticks or swiping the right trackpad will not switch the control mode.

Q: Are Steam Cloud saves supported?

A: Yes! Your saves and progress will automatically sync to the cloud, allowing you to resume your game anywhere and anytime!

Q: Where are the local save files located?

A:

• Windows：%USERPROFILE%/AppData/Roaming/Godot/app_userdata/Stiff Neck

• Mac：~/Library/Application Support/Godot/app_userdata/Stiff Neck/saves

• Linux+SteamOS：~/.local/share/godot/app_userdata/Stiff Neck

Q: Where can I report a BUG?

A: (Click here to fill out the form)

Future Update Plans

We are currently producing an official Artbook for Stiff Neck, which we hope to share with you in the near future.

Thank you all for your continuous support and companionship. Now, let's head to the seaside town together and help Noele find a path to connect with others!

If you'd like to stay updated on our progress, feel free to follow our official accounts below! If you enjoy the game, we would be thrilled if you recommended it to more of your friends and family!

Hello, everyone!

Thank you for your continued interest and support.

The psychological thriller narrative game Stiff Neck is launching soon! Today, we are announcing the official pricing for the game:

🔔 $6.99, with a 10% launch week discount ($6.29)

Additionally, purchasing via our bundles grants you an extra discount, bringing the lowest possible price down to just $5.66!

The full release of Stiff Neck contains over 100,000 words, with an estimated playtime of 2-5 hours. It features 3 explorable characters, 4 story routes, and 6 different endings.

Throughout the story, your key choices will determine the protagonist's attitudes and actions, influencing the direction of the plot and gradually piecing together the full picture of the story.

The game is designed for multiple playthroughs. After completing your first run, new story content will be unlocked at the beginning of the game, offering fresh perspectives to piece together the truth of the story and the inner world of Noele.

Furthermore, the Original Soundtrack, which features diverse modern tracks composed by two talented artists, including 16 original tracks and variations, will be released simultaneously!

🔔$3.99, with a 10% launch week discount ($3.59)

If purchased together with the base game in a bundle, it can be yours for as low as $3.23!

Once again, thank you for your interest and support of Stiff Neck.

Please consider adding the game to your Steam Wishlist, following us, or sharing it with your friends. See you on April 2, 8:00 PM PDT!

Hello everyone,

We’re excited to share an important update with you— The psychological narrative game Stiff Neck will officially launch on April 3.

Thank you all for your continued support and patience.

Meanwhile, Steam Next Fest is now live, and we have uploaded the latest version of the demo for the event.

This update does not include new story content or branching paths. Instead, it focuses on bug fixes and overall optimization based on previous player feedback, including:

• Fixed certain text display issues

• Fixed incorrect sound effects and music triggers

If you’ve already played the demo, we welcome you to revisit it during the festival and experience the improved version.

If you haven’t tried it yet, now is the perfect time to step into the story.

Should you encounter any bugs during your playthrough, please feel free to click \ to fill out our player feedback form.

Once again, thank you for your attention and support. Don’t forget to add Stiff Neck to your Steam wishlist and follow the game for updates. Feel free to share it with your friends as well.

We’ll see you on April 3.

Hello everyone,

Thank you for your continued support. We are excited to announce that the psychological suspense narrative game Stiff Neck is confirmed for release in April 2026.

At the same time, the Demo version of Stiff Neck is now available on Steam. We invite you to visit the coastal town and experience the game firsthand.

The Demo features the same story content as the previous playtest, with approximately 12,000 words, a small number of interactive scene elements, and an estimated playtime of around 30 minutes.

Compared to the playtest version, this Demo focuses on bug fixes and gameplay improvements based on player feedback, aiming to provide a more stable and smoother experience.

If you encounter any issues while playing, please feel free to click \ to fill out our player feedback survey.

Once again, thank you for your interest and support of Stiff Neck.

Please consider adding the game to your Steam wishlist, following us, or sharing it with friends. We look forward to seeing you this April.

Thank you for your continued interest and support for Stiff Neck. The current limited-time Playtest will officially end on January 25, 16:00 UTC.

Throughout the testing period, we have received a large number of valuable feedback and suggestions from players. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who participated in the Playtest and shared their thoughts with us.

Thank you again for your interest in Stiff Neck. We also encourage you to add Stiff Neck to your Steam Wishlist and follow the game, or share it with friends and family—your support means the world to us.

Finally, please follow our official social media accounts via the links below for the latest updates and development news.

Hello everyone,

Thank you for your interest and support. The Playtest version of Stiff Neck, a psychological suspense narrative game, is now live. We invite you to explore a seaside town, trace the remnants of a toy factory and its voodoo dolls, and dive into the inner world of the protagonist, Noele, as you uncover her relationships with herself and others.

This limited-time Playtest will run until January 16, 8:00 AM PT, so please plan your playtime accordingly. The demo includes approximately 12,000 words of content, features light point-and-click elements, and offers an estimated 30-minute gameplay experience.

If you enjoy the game, or if you encounter any bugs during the Playtest, please click \ to fill out our player questionnaire.

Thank you again for your interest in Stiff Neck. We also encourage you to add Stiff Neck to your Steam Wishlist and follow the game, or share it with friends and family—your support means the world to us.

Finally, please follow our official social media accounts via the links below for the latest updates and development news.