- A BIG THANK YOU - 22 July 2026
That is the whole message. Everything below is optional.We just wanted you all to know how grateful we are for all the love and support for The Mermaid Mask around the game's release.The Last Seven DaysReleasing a game is nerve-wracking. This is as true after one release as it is apparently still true after several. It is worse when the game has a passionate community that has been waiting, patiently, for sometime for this game. For Detective Grimoire, we are very lucky to have such a community. But that comes with added pressure.Over the last week we have hit so many brilliant milestones:We released the game (finally) ๐Reached 1,000+ Steam reviews, sitting at Overwhelmingly PositiveAchieved 89 on OpenCritic and 85 on MetacriticReceived more written reviews than we can keep up with (it's a problem we are delighted to have)Have seen so many great many creators streaming, making contentโฆ
- Update Notes 19th July - 19 July 2026
Hi everyone! Another update for you today, focussing on helping folks find their way through the game. Added icons to indicate when a clue in your casefile might need reading, using or otherwise interacting in order to progress the story Added button to take you from one clue to another, when it's relevant Added check for game complete achievement on title screen Fixed disappearing hint boxes Fixed hint box options resetting Adjusted some clue page interactions to make it easier to look through Adam and I still have a list of issues we want to tackle ASAP, mostly thanks to your reports, so thanks again, and we'll get the rest out as soon as the two of us are able! We'll also soon be able to start on a few small features that didn't quite make it to launch, so we'll share a roadmap for those soon. Tom-
- Update Notes 18th July - 18 July 2026
Hello everyone, Adam and I have fixed some issues that folks have reported, and a few we noticed after watching others play! Fixed issue with puzzles where the game got stuck between asking for a clue, then asking for a specific part of the clue Fixed voice slider on title screen options Fixed an issue where a suspicion topic could start without the needed clue Fixed some instances of quiet dialogue audio Fixed an instance of missing dialogue audio Fixed layering in Sinthia puzzle Thanks to everyone who's been so kind and helpful reporting issues in the Steam forum, it's made tracking these down much easier. More fixes to come, see you soon! Tom-
- OUT NOW! - 16 July 2026
At last, the wait is over: The Mermaid Mask is out now!We sincerely hope you enjoy your time aboard the Mortuga Seafoam submarine. If you do, please consider leaving a review on Steam. It is a small gesture, but an enormously consequential one for game devs like us and helping other fans find the game.Should you wish to report a bug, discuss the game, or seek a discreet nudge on a particularly devious puzzle, please jump into our Steam Community.โฌข ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐พ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โฌขThe previous cases are currently available if you want to try them before diving into The Mermaid Mask. If youโve not already interrogated every sketchy suspect and hidden object from the previous games, nowโs your moment. You don't need to have played them, but there are little nuggets of lore that you'll see connect the series (IYKYK):Lastly, weโd like to express our heartโฆ
- The Mermaid Mask is out tomorrow! - 15 July 2026
The Mermaid Mask is OUT TOMORROW!!!We are partnering with Convergence Games Showcase for our launch. You can check out their live stream on Twitch on 16th July, 11:00AM PT / 14:00PM ET / 19.00PM GMT / 20:00PM CEST. But thereโs only one final case file left to open.Weโve met the suspects. Weโve met the victim. Weโve raised our eyebrows, opened the files, and politely side-eyed just about everyone aboard the Mortuga Submarine.But every good mystery needs someone brave enough, stubborn enough, and just nosy enough to solve it.For The Mermaid Mask, that means Detective Grimoire and Sally: the returning investigative duo at the heart of the case. One brings calm, considered detective work. The other brings sharp instincts and sharper comments. Together, theyโll question suspects, connect clues, test theories, and try to work out exactly what happened to Captain Mortuga.So before launch, itโsโฆ
- The Mermaid Mask - Out Next Week! ๐งโโ๏ธ - 9 July 2026
All hand on deck - it's ONE WEEK TO GO! This time next week we'll be celebrating the launch of The Mermaid Mask, but before we disappear beneath the waves for final preparations, weโd love your help with one final push. Weโre incredibly close to 100,000 wishlists on Steam, which is huge number for an indie. Following the game, wishlisting it, or downloading the demo all help give the Steam algorithm a little nudge and make it easier for more players to discover The Mermaid Mask.But we have a couple more pieces of evidence to inspect. Every mystery has a centre of gravity.For The Mermaid Mask, that centre is Captain Magnus Mortuga: former captain of the submarine, keeper of his own council, and the man whose death turns the whole voyage into a locked-room murder investigation. So before we go any further, itโs time to open his case file.Known for: Being the former captain of the Mortugaโฆ
- Gab Smolders' Early Preview - 8 July 2026
After recently playing Secrets of the Swamp and Tangle Tower, Gab Smolders has shared an early preview of The Mermaid Mask!Itโs a Letโs Play, and weโre excited to have her take an early look at the game. Check it out for a sneak peek before release.Of course, we canโt promise itโs spoiler-free, so if youโd rather keep everything that might happen in your play-through a surprise, look away now!โฌข ๐
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ (๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐๐ผ๐) โฌข ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐๐ (๐๐๐๐๐๐) โฌข ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐๐๐พ๐ ๐ผ๐๐พ๐๐๐๐ (๐๐) โฌข ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ & ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐ (๐) โฌข ๐๐๐๐ฟ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
- The Mermaid Mask Release Reminder - 7 July 2026
Prepare for the launch of The Mermaid Mask with us!Hit the big blue "set a reminder" button to get a ping when the game goes on sale on 16th July.Sign up to our socials for release updates, behind-the-scenes extras, and everything you need to dive into the mystery on launch day.โฌข ๐
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ (๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐๐ผ๐) โฌข ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐๐ (๐๐๐๐๐๐) โฌข ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐๐๐พ๐ ๐ผ๐๐พ๐๐๐๐ (๐๐) โฌข ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ & ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐ (๐) โฌข ๐๐๐๐ฟ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
- Release Date Announcement - 6 June 2026
Weโre thrilled to announce that The Mermaid Mask launches on Steam on July 16, 2026.All aboard the worldโs strangest submarineSummoned by the mysterious Captain Seafoam, Detective Grimoire and Sally arrive with only a cryptic letter, two photographs, and the growing sense that all is not right aboard the Mortuga Submarine.Youโll explore a hand-crafted submarine, interrogate a fully voiced cast of oddballs, gather evidence, solve puzzles, and slowly assemble the murky truth lying beneath all the surface.Expect:An impossible locked-room murderA strange submarine full of secretsEccentric suspects with plenty to sayClues, contradictions, and satisfying โaha!โ momentsCozy-creepy mystery vibesSally being extra SallyVoices, faces, and suspicious behaviourWeโve been sharing more about the gameโs cast and performances in our recent Steam posts, so have a look there if youโd like to meet some ofโฆ
- Meet the Suspects: Dirk Dansom, Doctor Zephyr, Mariana Moon and Sinthia Seafoam - 5 June 2026
In the last post, we opened the case files on Symmetry Silkmoth, Godrik Gripp, J.D. Wirman, and Madam Tadpole. But there are still more suspects to meet aboard the Mortuga Submarine, and theyโre just as worth side-eyeing. This time, weโre looking at the remaining characters caught up in the mystery of The Mermaid Mask: who they are, who voices them, and why you should probably keep one eyebrow raised at all times.Letโs reopen the files. Known for: Being the newly appointed captain of the Mortuga Submarine.First impression: Bright-eyed, capable, and trying incredibly hard, Sinthia Seafoam is the sort of person who wants to be the best captain she can be. At just 18 years old, Sinthia is a nautical mechanic with a can-do attitude and the absolute confidence that she can handle everything. Probably. Sheโs all heart, ambition, and a slightly-too-tight grip on the submarineโs wheel. She hasโฆ
- Meet the Suspects: Madam Tadpole, Godrik Gripp, J.D. Wirman and Symmetry Silkmot - 2 June 2026
We're revealing the cast of The Mermaid Mask.Over the next few posts, weโll introduce the characters, the voice actors behind them, and a few clues about what makes each one worth paying attention to.Letโs open the files.Known for: Being a half-mermaid. The top half, conveniently.First impression: Madam Tadpole is calm, self-contained, and very comfortable in her own corner of the Mortuga Submarine. She has the confidence of someone who has already lived several lives, and has no wish to revisit them. The question is what happens when someone threatens her peace if mind?Madam Tadpole is a green half-mermaid with human legs, powerful arms, and a past she may not want examined too closely. She lives aboard the submarine in her own subaquatic grotto and seems content with her lot. She just wants to be left in peace. Naturally, that puts her firmly on the suspect list.Voiced by: Tara Langelโฆ
- Language Update for The Mermaid Mask - 23 March 2026
Weโre happy to announce that The Mermaid Mask will launch with support for the following languages: โข French โข German โข European Spanish โข Latin American Spanish โข Brazilian Portuguese โข Italian โข Japanese โข Korean โข Simplified Chinese โข Traditional Chinese โข Russian The gameโs voice acting will be in English, but the full interface and subtitles will be available in all of the languages listed above. Thank you to our friends at Local Heroes and Kakehashi Games for their hard work localising such a wordy game! What about other languages? We know our community is wonderfully international, and weโd love to support every language possible. Sadly, there are 7,000+ languages in the world, and game development (like submarine travel) has practical constraints. So, weโve prioritized the languages to reach as many of our players as possible, and weโre always listening to feedback from the commโฆ
- Thank You, Steam Next Fest - 4 March 2026
A huge thank you to everyone who played the demo, streamed it, shared the game, or dropped feedback and theories. Seeing so many people dive into the mystery is an absolute joy.โฌข ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ โฌขDuring the festival the demo welcomed thousands of new detectives, helping bring lifetime demo downloads to over 30,000, which is pretty incredible for the world's weirdest submarine full of strange and unusual suspects.โฌข ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐ โฌขIf you haven't caught Tom and Adam's demo play-through on the Steam page, you can get their full commentary on YouTube now. Think DVD director's commentary, for the analogue fans amongst you.โฌข ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐ผ๐ โฌขWe closed our Mermaid Mask Mystery Bundle competition during Next Fest. The winners have been drawn and contacted. Thanks to everyone who took part (and who went huntingโฆ
- Competition Time: The Mermaid Mask Mystery Bundle Giveaway! - 25 February 2026
Steam Next Fest is halfway done.The demo is live.The crew of the Mortuga submarine remain deeply suspicious.It felt like the right moment for a little mid-week pick-me-up.So we set up a competition!StorytimeWeโve been working away here at Tangle Tower HQ (we wish) trying to come up with something fun to do. During a recent meeting, Tom and Adam gave us a tour of their desks - stacked with years of brilliantly strange merch gifted and collected from family, friends and fans. It was impressive. It was enviable. It was frankly inspiring.Naturally, we decided to emulate our heroes. If Tom and Adam can have handmade game mascots on their shelves, so can we. So we've commissioned crochet amigurumi versions of Detective Grimoire and Sally. And then the better idea arrived: instead of hoarding them like jealous goblins, why not give some away?Thus, the Mermaid Mask Mystery Bundle was born.Whatโโฆ
- Detective Grimoire has arrived at Steam Next Fest - 23 February 2026
Happy Next Festmas, Grimoire-fans and Sally-stans!โฌข ๐๐๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ โฌขThe free demo for The Mermaid Mask is LIVE โ๏ธIf youโve already played it: good news, weโve updated it. New tweaks. New polish. Fewer โwas that meant to happen?โ moments. Want the full breakdown? The marvellously thorough RheoTastic from our amazing community has gone above and beyond with a deep-dive into whatโs changed (and why you might want to dive back in): ๐ https://steamcommunity.com/app/1696770/discussions/0/762932796518879376/ โฌข ๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ โฌขThe Mermaid Mask is releasing this summer 2026.Wishlist and follow the game here on Steam to keep an eye on updates.โฌข ๐๐๐ฟ-๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐ โฌขIf youโd like your detective updates delivered directly to your eyeballs, come follow along. Weโll be sharing behind-the-scenes bits, demo updates, and whatever chaos Grimoire allows throuโฆ
- Coming This Year! - 14 January 2026
Detective Grimoire and Sally will return in 'The Mermaid Mask' in 2026. Thanks for your patience! I can't wait to share it with everyone. (The first delay was largely due to Crow Country, and this second delay is a normal 'every project takes longer than you think' situation)Adam-
