Bendy: The Cage (2026) has its own dark revival
Photo courtesy of Joey Drew Studios Inc./Wikimedia Commons
Bendy and the Ink Machine (2017) is a mascot horror game that has managed to grow into a wider franchise, with a fanbase particularly gifted in art and music.
The Bendy franchise kicked off on Feb. 10, 2017 with the release of Bendy and the Ink Machine (2017). Quite popular upon its initial release, it was a horror game characterized by a very unique and eerie art style, based on the rubberhose animation of the 1920s. The gameplay involves wandering through an abandoned animation studio as the ex-animator Henry, while being hunted by cartoon characters that have come to life as you attempt to uncover the mystery of what went so wrong in this studio. Since then, the franchise has produced two new games in the form of the sequel Bendy and the Dark Revival (2022) and the recent spinoff Bendy: Lone Wolf (2025).
This past Halloween, fans of the Bendy franchise got the very exciting news in the form of a teaser for a brand-new video game coming in 2026 titled Bendy: The Cage (2026). The game was first announced two years ago, where it was revealed that it would take place during the events of the sequel, explaining that most of the characters from the first game were being held prisoner in an area known as “The Pit,” including the original protagonist, Henry. However, they rather inexplicably showed up to aid in the final battle of Bendy and the Dark Revival (2022). Bendy: The Cage (2026) was meant to return to Henry’s perspective to discover how the prisoners, known as “Cyclebreakers,” managed to escape. The game was said to have “put on ice,” as many of the ideas for it fit better in the next main installment of the franchise, Bendy and the Ink Factory—currently pre-saveable with no release date—rather than a spinoff. At last, the wait is over and releases are coming!
Unfortunately, because so many ideas apparently transferred over to a different game, it is difficult to say which of the creator’s statements regarding Bendy: The Cage (2026) remain true. One thing that is certain, that fan-favorite character Sammy Lawrence will be making a return, according to an Instagram post made after the new teaser dropped. It is difficult to say what kind of role he will play, as he was a villain in past games, but ended up a Cyclebreaker trapped in The Pit who escaped alongside Henry. Perhaps an unlikely alliance is on the horizon.
Before the delay, the game’s creator TheMeatly claimed on X that the game would be much darker than the other games in the franchise and could be considered psychological horror. The inclusion of body horror was even brought up in a separate post. Judging by footage shown in the new teaser—including some rather grotesque ink monsters, the same scenes replaying multiple times in reverse, imagery involving spirals that bring hypnosis to mind—it is likely this statement is still true. The trailer ends with the words “Fight The Madness” displayed across the screen, which hints that many of the character’s own insanity will be a cause of conflict in the game. This is both very fitting for a psychological horror and very on brand for the unfortunate souls trapped in the world of Bendy.
The idea that the Bendy franchise will be diving deeper into horror is very exciting. Despite being considered a horror game, most of the franchise’s installments have not been all that terrifying beyond some well-done jumpscares. This is partly due to the game’s dedication to its theming, which makes most threats look rather cartoonish, which—while very charming and unique—does not exactly create the stuff of nightmares. Since Bendy and the Dark Revival (2022) introduced the idea of an outsider coming in and disrupting the inky world, Bendy: The Cage (2026) is free to make more chilling character designs.
In another post, it was suggested that there would be some improvement made to the combat mechanics in the new game, including the ability to block attacks. Although there was no combat shown in the teaser, it is highly unlikely that the creators would downgrade on any progress they made on it. The combat mechanics are one of the most criticized areas of the Bendy games, so any upgrades to them would be appreciated.
All in all, Bendy: The Cage (2026) is shaping up to be an exciting addition to the franchise, so be on the look out for any more updates as we inch closer to the game’s release. In the meantime, why not revisit some of the older installments of the series? And if you have never played, this is the perfect time to get caught up before this new game comes out. It looks like you won’t want to miss it!