- Major Update V1.3 (2026.08.25) - 25 August 2026
Heya, we thought to release an update after 1.5 years, since we learned a lot since the last update and had a bit of free time.Put the Language selector in the ingame settings menu, no need to change it in Steam settings anymoreBecause of this change, we could add the Slovakian languagePolished the Main Menu UIFixed some texts and objectives not being localizedFixed some remaining issues with the save/load systemAdded the trailer for "The Visit: Mizukawa" after the credits
- New game announced - The Visit: Mizukawa - 27 January 2026
Hey everyone!We’re happy to announce that our next game, The Visit: Mizukawa, has been revealed over the past few days. A playable demo will be available in late February as part of the upcoming Steam Next Fest.If you’re interested in helping with testing or voice acting, feel free to join our Discord! (More details about this after the release of the demo)Make sure to wishlist & follow the game if it looks interesting to you, it really helps us out.Thank you for your support, NOVAK STUDIOS
- The Horror Game Awards 2024 - 1 November 2024
Hello, everyone! We're happy to announce that When The Devil Takes Hold has been nominated for The Horror Game Awards 2024! If you haven’t voted yet, please head over to thehorrorgameawards.com/vote and show your support. Thank you so much! NOVAK STUDIOS
- Major Update V1.2 (2024.09.28) - 27 September 2024
First Major update, with the focus on a better performance overall: -Added optimizations once again -Fixed translations in languages: Russian, German and Hungarian -Many, many little changes and fixes -Please note that Slovak and Japanese languages are already done, and we're working on adding it.
- Small Update V1.1.2 (2024.09.20) - 20 September 2024
-Added optimizations to the game -Fixed bugs with different languages and fonts -Fixed every corrupt save bug we know about
- Small Update V1.1.1 (Serialization) - 8 September 2024
-Added Russian Language -Fixed minor issues with the languages: German, Hungarian Japanese and Slovak coming soon!
- Medium Update V1.1 (2024.08.30) - 30 August 2024
-Added & changed jumpscares -Added Smooth Look -Changes to the options menu -Fixed crucial bug with chapter 2 saves -Lots of small changes & bug fixes We hope you like it! From now on, we don't plan on adding more gameplay content, and will only focus on localization and bug fixes. We initially intended to reintroduce the languages today, but we're currently experiencing issues with connecting them to Steam. We'll let you know as soon as they are available again. Thanks for your understanding!
- Small Update V1.0.6 (2024.08.28) - 28 August 2024
-Added more hints -Changed the Symbol Puzzle to a bit more easier & understandable -Added 1 new Jumpscare -Fixed some problems with electricity/lights system -Added more floating icons -Fixed light reflection at the Maze Puzzle -Added "Hold" to Chalk Interaction -Redesigned the Maze Puzzle texture -Fixed blinking effect And many, many more things...
- Small Update V1.0.5 (2024.08.27) - 27 August 2024
-Fixed children room props -Did optimalizations for better performance overall -Redesigned the Basement -Fixed collider bugs -Fixed bug where Dream Saves could get corrupted
- Small Update V1.0.4 (2024.08.25) - 24 August 2024
-Fixed Door Interaction Text being bugged -Fixed some minor spelling mistakes on papers -Fixed bug after opening the lock you could get a flashlight in your hand -Items do not just spawn from now on, but are already there just not interactable till they are needed -Added 1 new jumpscare
- Small Update V1.0.3 (2024.08.24) - 24 August 2024
-Fixed Enemy AI being too fast -Enemy AI now plays a sound when getting close to you -Fixed Chapter 3 saves getting corrupted sometimes -Fixed that the car at the intro scene could spin sometimes -Fixed the vent door blocking the way in the basement -Fixed many collider bugs -Added some more hints & objectives In the next updates we will focus on adding back the Language Selection and optimize the game.
- Patch Update V1.0.2 (Options Menu Fix) - 23 August 2024
As a temporary fix for the Options Menu we had to remove the language selector. Languages coming: Hungarian, German, Russian, Japanese, Slovak
- V1.0.1 Small Hotfix & Update (2024.08.23) - 23 August 2024
-Fixed the floating icons appearing before the items spawn -Fixed the crouching height not being enough in chapter 3 to go inside Emily's secret room -Updated the Save/Load system, this may result in breaking your current saves -Fixed bug where you could go back in the second dream -Fixed the radio volume being too low -Fixed missing item name titles and descriptions -Fixed collision bugs with some walls -Fixed that the basement door had no sound effect -Fixed objective appearing multiple times -Fixed that Chapter 1 Objectives didn't disappear -Fixed bug where the cutscene wouldn't start in chapter 1 and you can get stuck at the Entrance -Fixed bug in the Intro Cutscene -Fixed bug where you would stuck on Black screen at starting the game -Fixed bug where you could get stuck at the Credits scene -Added more SFX to Cutscenes -Added more Checkpoints
- When The Devil Takes Hold is now available! - 22 August 2024
Dear Players, We’re excited to let you know that When The Devil Takes Hold is finally available on Steam! We know the release took longer than expected, and we’re really sorry for the delay. But the wait is over, and we can’t wait for you to dive into the game! We also want to let you know that we’ll be rolling out bug fixes and updates in the next couple of days to make sure everything runs smoothly. Thank you so much for your patience and support, it means the world to us. If you have any question join our Discord server! Happy Gaming, NOVAK STUDIOS
- Announcement Regarding Game Release Delay - 16 August 2024
Dear Everyone, We’re so grateful for the excitement you've shown for our game and for reaching out about its release. Unfortunately, we’ve hit a snag with the Steam review process, which has caused an unexpected delay. Right now, we can't give a precise release time, but we're working hard to get it out either later today or early next week. We're truly sorry for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. Sincerely, NOVAK STUDIOS
- Demo is out now! - 28 January 2024
Hello there, We are happy to announce that the new demo of When The Devil Takes Hold is finally out now and playable for all of you. With this being said, we can also announce that the final release of the game will be in Q2 2024. Until then, we won't add any new updates to our demo, only fixes. Make sure to add the game to your wishlist if you like it. Thanks, NOVAK STUDIOS
