Bendy’s Nightmare Run (2026) is absurdly fun
Photo Courtesy of Joey Drew Inc.- Wikimedia Commons
Bendy and the Ink Machine (2017) was the first game of the franchise, and it gave rise to a plethora of exciting wonderful games, the newest of which being Bendy’s Nightmare Run (2026)
Bendy and the Ink Machine (2017) is a mascot horror video game centered around a 1920s animation studio where the cartoons come to life and hunt you within the studio. It is characterized by a unique art style and known for an incredibly creative fanbase that often creates music and art to celebrate the game. With the game’s ten-year anniversary right around the corner, the franchise has quite a few exciting projects in the works, including two new games in the form of Bendy: The Cage (2026) and Bendy and the Ink Factory, which currently has no release date, both of which can be found on Steam. There is even a movie in the works announced on the official Joey Drew Studios Youtube channel.
Perhaps the most surprising news of all came right out of the blue and hit the app store on Aug. 19, 2026, according to an Instagram post from the official Bendy account. This was the return of Bendy’s Nightmare Run after nearly five years!
Initially released years ago as Bendy in Nightmare Run (2018), it was the first mobile game of the franchise and was an “endless runner” game similar to Subway Surfer (2012) or Temple Run (2011). Unfortunately, it would seem that any official statements as to why the game originally shut down have been deleted, though there are rumors on the Bendy Wiki that the game had become too costly to run after legal troubles. Whatever the struggle had initially been, they seem to be over, and the game is officially back under the new name Bendy’s Nightmare Run (2026).
Bendy’s Nightmare Run (2026) is a far cry from any of the other games that can be found in the franchise. Far from the horror of the wretched Ink Demon, we play as the cute and cartoony version of Bendy, though we can switch to the other characters, Alice Angel and Boris the Wolf, once new costumes are unlocked. Though the game is based around running away from monsters, they are far from the terrifying creatures found in the mainstream games. Instead, they are oversized inanimate objects, such as cars or vials of ink, with sharp teeth, cartoonish angry eyes, and occasionally some extra gloved limbs, depending on who you are running from. In spite of the heart-broken look Bendy delivers right to the camera if the player accidentally causes him to get caught, there is absolutely nothing scary within this game.
While it was a rather unexpected addition to a horror franchise, Bendy’s Nightmare Run (2026) is still an absurdly fun time. The game adds a few extra layers to the simple “endless” run format. Rather than just endlessly attempting to beat a score, there are levels to complete. You must outrun an enemy four times before you can move on to a new villain to chase you. You are also attempting to do more than outrun the bad guy. As you run, collecting cans of Bacon Soup which can later be exchanged for costumes, you also collect items to throw at your pursuer, which will knock down their health. You cannot beat the level until you completely break down the enemy’s health. The items you throw consist of axes, which is a fun nod to the usual weapon often used within the original Bendy and the Ink Machine (2017) game, or anvils and bricks, likely as a reference to the classic cartoon bit of an anvil being dropped on one’s head.
The levels also actively get harder as time goes on, and it can actually become a bit overwhelming at times when the enemy is throwing items for you to avoid while their minions are also trying to catch you. The extra difficulty is a fun way to avoid the game becoming too monotonous.
While a pretty simple and unexpected part of the Bendy franchise, Bendy’s Nightmare Run (2026) is still a very fun way to pass the time, and it is good to see it return!