The project is being refocused at the design level

According to PC Gamer's April 2, 2026 report, Otherside Entertainment is reworking the core launch shape of Thick as Thieves. When the game was announced in 2024, it was positioned as a four-player PvPvE stealth experience mixing human players and AI enemies. Now the studio says the release version is centered on two-player co-op and singleplayer instead. That is a meaningful change because it moves the priority away from competitive multiplayer structure and toward tighter stealth moment-to-moment play.

PC Gamer cites Otherside's explanation on Steam, where the studio says that as development progressed and the world of Kilcairn came to life, solo and co-op play simply proved more fun. Otherside argues that the narrower focus lets it double down on what makes Thick as Thieves distinctive: dynamic stealth gameplay. In practical terms, that suggests fewer compromises made for service-style multiplayer balance and more development time spent refining infiltration, tension, and partner coordination.

What changes at launch

Importantly, the shift does not rule PvPvE out forever. PC Gamer also points to a publisher response on Steam saying PvPvE may come further down the line, but at launch the team is looking at singleplayer and co-op modes only. So this reads less like a cancellation of ideas and more like a sequencing decision about what version of the game has the best chance of landing well first.

The timing matters too. Otherside is expected to share a new gameplay trailer and more details during the Triple-I Initiative showcase on April 9 at 9 am PT / 12 pm ET. That means the strategy change arrives just before a real public look at the game. For players who wanted a modern Thief-flavored immersive sim more than another fragile live-service experiment, the revised direction may actually improve the project's odds.

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Thick as Thieves Shifts From PvPvE to Co-op and Singleplayer Ahead of April Showcase