- New Patch Is Live! - 11 February 2026
We’ve added something many of you were waiting for!Steam AchievementsAchievements are now available — for escapes, failures, and questionable decisions.Steam CollectiblesNow available:8 trading cards6 badges5 emoticons3 profile backgroundsWhat’s next?We’ll keep that a secret for now 👀Stay tuned.
- S.E.M.I. is officially released! - 23 January 2026
S.E.M.I. — Side Effects May Include is now fully released!Patients, we’ve officially left Early Access — S.E.M.I. is now available in its full release version on Steam.During Early Access, we put a lot of work into expanding content, improving core mechanics, optimizing performance, and refining the game based on community feedback. The release version is the most complete, stable, and polished S.E.M.I. experience to date.What’s new in the full release?Expanded Diagnosis SystemAn expanded version of the diagnosis system has been introduced. Diagnoses can now be unlocked by progressing through Escape Mode, adding more depth to progression and replayability.New Story Mode ContentStage 3 has been added to Story Mode, featuring:12 unique new levels2 new puzzle-focused levels1 final Crazy RoomNew Enemies2 new elite enemy variants2 brand-new mechanical enemies that add new combat and tactical…
- Last Early Access update - 13 January 2026
Patients, attention! 🚨We have some very important news!On January 23, Side Effects May Include is officially launching into FULL RELEASE!A huge thank you to everyone who took part in Early Access and shared their feedback — you truly helped make the game better ❤️And today, we’re releasing a patch that adds an exclusive Early Access skin.Any player who has completed at least one level will be able to purchase it in the wardrobe.You have 10 days to claim it — after the full release on January 23, this skin will no longer be available.So if you’ve been keeping an eye on the game or putting off your purchase, this is your sign to grab it now and permanently unlock an exclusive reward for Early Access players!
- Let's escape to 2026! - 30 December 2025
Happy New Year, dear patients! May your escapes from the clinic be chaotic, fun, and (ideally) successful, and may your loyal, slightly brainless friends never drop you into traps at the most inopportune moment... Or at least let them do it epically - you'll have something to remember. Thank you for going crazy with us and making this year truly unforgettable! May the next one bring even more broken teamplay, unexpected abilities, and epic escapes. See you in the ward! Don't forget to follow the news and updates on our social media: X Discord TikTok YouTube
- Observation Journal - 24 December 2025
Patients, Attention! It's customary to sum up the results at the end of the year - and we are no exception. We want to share some fun stats with you about what you've managed to achieve in the first month since the game's Early Access release. A Few Numbers This month you have: Successfully escaped the mental hospital 3,857 times and received your diagnoses Swallowed over 12,500 pills Picked up around 364,000 pieces of candy Insane results - keep it up! What's Next? Right now, the entire team's resources are focused on preparing the project for the full release in January. The main focus is on stabilization, refining mechanics, balancing, and polishing the existing content. From our immediate plans: Adding a third run stage, which will consist of three sub-stages Expanding the game content and further refining current systems based on your feedback Thank you to everyone who is playing,…
- Crazy Christmas! - 18 December 2025
Patients, attention! The holidays are just around the corner, and along with them comes another update for our game! We’re not standing still: fixing bugs, adding new cosmetics, and making the gameplay even more engaging. Today we’ll tell you what awaits you in the latest update. Christmas Spirit How’s your holiday mood? Hasn’t arrived yet? We’re already hard at work adding some flair and decorating the lobby for the season! So if the Christmas spirit hasn’t caught up with you yet - it’s the perfect time to soak it up in our game! Festive Outfit Of course, on the eve of the holidays you can’t do without the right look. That very “ugly Christmas sweater” is now available for purchase in the game! Don’t miss the chance to dress up your character in true holiday spirit! Economy Changes While it’s getting colder outside, prices in the game are melting instead. The Christmas sale is in full…
- Intensive Therapy Course - 5 December 2025
Attention, patients! We’ve carefully listened to your feedback, taken your suggestions into account, and together with you, we’re making the project better, more convenient, and more enjoyable. Below, we’ll walk you through the key changes. Therapy Course A new mode has been added — players will need to thoroughly explore every corner of the special clinic and track down all experimental specimens. Completing stages and rescuing samples will earn you valuable rewards! Escape Mode The standard mode has undergone major changes and received a new name - Escape Mode. It now includes alternative final levels, as well as a completely new final stage - the Labyrinth, which appears both in Escape Mode and in the Therapy Course. By popular demand, we’ve also increased the speed of elevators and platforms, making the gameplay noticeably more dynamic. Controls Many players mentioned discomfort whe…
- Early Access, Patch #1: Hot on the Trail - 24 November 2025
Patients, attention! This is the first Early Access patch!It's been just a moment since launch, so let's call these fixes "hot on the trail." We've been gathering your feedback all weekend and have prepared a small pack of fixes.So, what's changed:📢 KEY CHANGESImproved character control responsiveness during jumps. Platforming sections feel much better now.Made design changes to the fan and bridge level. We felt your pain...Pills are now twice as effective at reducing insanity.Taking a pill now always grants a new ability. The chance to "recharge" the current one has been removed.Added a "Total Insanities" field to profile statistics.Increased the range for helping stuck allies.Added sound effects to some emotions.Disabled the ability to run around the lobby in unpurchased skins.🔧 IMPROVEMENTS AND FIXESFixed an issue preventing some candies from being collected.Added an interaction ar…
- Diagnosis: Early Access - 20 November 2025
Patients, attention! The time has come. S.E.M.I. is officially in Early Access! Buy it, gift it to friends, leave your reviews. Until November 27, the game is available with a 15% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3957560/ Opening the doors to S.E.M.I. is just the beginning. In the coming days, our main focus will be on bug hunting. We will do everything to make escaping from the psychiatric clinic as comfortable as possible. We will talk about our further post-release plans later. Where to find fellow patient accomplices? Organizing an escape alone can be difficult. Bring your friends! S.E.M.I supports up to 4 players in a run. You can find companions in our Discord: https://discord.gg/semigame Join the voice channels, tell everyone about yourself, and look for your "one and only" roommate. But please, follow the rules - we won't let unruly patients into the ward. Also, on o…
- Demo is closed — Early Access in 6 hours! - 20 November 2025
Thank you to everyone who played the S.E.M.I. — Side Effects May Include demo 💊We’ve taken it offline to make way for the Early Access launch — going live today at 4 PM GMT (just 6 hours to go!) ⏰Over the past (almost) two months, more than 75,000 people played the demo — wow!It was loud, chaotic, and a total blast.To everyone who joined in: thanks for your feedback, memes, and all the love.Now it’s time for the full dose 💥
- Playtest: Medical Record - 19 November 2025
Patients, attention! The recent playtest has been diagnosed as “excellent.” The numbers speak for themselves - according to our doctors’ estimates, our patients have: Swallowed 9,180 pills Picked up 30,600 candies On average, you collected 100 candies per run, and our most devoted sweet tooths reached a record-breaking 150 candies! Your playtests helped us prepare for the release of S.E.M.I. even better. Thank you! The escape plan is ready: the full version of the game will be available on November 20. Make sure to add S.E.M.I. to your wishlist so you don’t miss the release! https://store.steampowered.com/app/3957560/SEMI__Side_Effects_May_Include/ Game Copies Giveaway As a thank-you for your activity during the playtest, we’re giving away 2 copies of the game on our Discord server. Two random participants will receive their keys. It’s simple: hop into Discord and join the giveaway! htt…
- PLAYTEST registration is now open! Join the escape! - 15 November 2025
Patients, attention!The S.E.M.I. — Side Effects May Include playtest registration is now open, and we’re excited to invite you into the newest experimental build!The doors of the clinic are open — for now.It’s your turn to run, test abilities, break everything that can be broken, and tell us what kind of chaos you found inside. AvailabilityThe playtest is live from November 15, 16:00 GMTand will remain open until November 17, 16:00 GMT.Jump in at any moment during this window —as long as you’re fast enough to escape.How to give feedbackPlease share your impressions, bugs, issues, or moments of pure madness here:Steam DiscussionsOr join our Discord to chat with us directly Your feedback will help shape the Early Access version — every comment counts!Good luck, patients.And remember: side effects are guaranteed. 💊
- Demo Version, Patch #3: Weapon Throwing, Weapon Durability, and Improvements - 28 October 2025
ATTENTION, PATIENTS!🗓️ BIG NEWS: EARLY ACCESS DATE!Our medical staff has made a decision: on November 20th, we're officially opening the clinic doors to everyone in Early Access!Also, something interesting happened: while you were running through the corridors, over 50,000 people have already tried the demo, and 25,000 of them have added the game to their Wishlist! Thank you for your interest in our humble establishment!Now down to business. We've released the third major update for the S.E.M.I. - Side Effects May Include... demo. Inside you'll find new content, mechanics, and numerous improvements.📢 MAJOR CHANGES AND NEW FEATURESWeapon Throwing. Go crazy not just from the environment, but from new features! Pick up a weapon with the E key, hold LMB to charge your throw, and release to send your "argument" flying. You can hit both enemies and other patients - on your conscience.Weapon…
- Meet the Lobby System! Now Escape is a Team Effort! - 13 October 2025
Meet the Lobby System! Now Escape is a Team Effort!We heard your feedback: assembling a full team to break out of the clinic could be challenging. To solve this, we're introducing a new feature — game lobbies!Now you can team up with random patients and fight your way to freedom together. Here's how it works:Create Your Own GameClick the "PLAY" button in the main menu and choose a lobby type:Public: Anyone on Steam can join your game, not just your friends.Private: Only those you invite via the in-game menu (ESC) using the "INVITE FRIENDS" option can join.Quick JoinReady to jump right in? Click the "FIND MATCH" button in the main menu, select a suitable public lobby from the list (check the ping for the best connection), and hit "JOIN". That's it! You're on a team.The updated demo is available for download now!Add the game to your wishlist and follow for updates – side effects are guara…
- Demo Update #2: Solo Mode, New Rooms & Ability - 10 October 2025
ATTENTION, PATIENTS!Take your sedatives and fasten your restraint straps – our general intensive care unit is ready for your visit. The doctors haven't slept for nights, mixing the maddest ideas with a pinch of chaos to make your escape even more... interesting. Ready for your next dose?We've released the second major update for the S.E.M.I. – Side Effects May Include demo, packed with new content, mechanics, and improvements. Without further ado, let's get down to business.New features for the inmates of our favorite nuthouseWe heard your feedback and added a single-player mode.Here's how it works: if you're alone in the lobby and start a run, you'll be taken to a location designed for solo play. The game doesn't prevent other players from joining you during your escape on this map.Added 4 new rooms to the group escape. Will you manage to complete this obstacle course without getting f…
- Demo Update #1: Mine Cart Room, Enemy Behavior, and Other Improvements - 2 October 2025
Hello everyone!We’ve released an update for the demo version of S.E.M.I. – Side Effects May Include, which includes improvements to trial rooms, enemy behavior updates, interaction tweaks, and a whole bunch of bug fixes.More than 11,000 people played the demo during the first week — and that’s incredibly encouraging. Huge thanks to everyone who took the time to play, experience the side effects, and share their feedback!With so many players came a wave of suggestions, ideas, and thoughts.This helped us better understand what you expect from the game — and more importantly, where we need to improve mechanics, clarity, and balance.Thursday October 2nd Changelog (today):1. Puzzle Room — Minecarts simplifiedLevers are gone — replaced with four direction buttonsButtons with weights replaced by vertical movement buttons (up/down)Bridge movement before the next room is now fasterMinecarts now…
- The S.E.M.I. Demo is available NOW! - 26 September 2025
🚨 DEMO MODE ACTIVATED 🚨Did someone order pills? We’ve already scattered them all over the floor!The S.E.M.I. — Side Effects May Include demo is live on Steam, and now you have the chance to escape the clinic, tossing guards aside, popping pills, and tackling twisted puzzles.The demo is out now on SteamWatch the trailer on YouTubeWhat to expect:Co-op for 1–4 players with a touch of madnessPills with powers: useful, strange, and completely insaneA madness meter that decides when your character loses itRooms filled with enemies, traps, and lobotomy puzzlesFights against orderlies and other “fellow inmates”A personal diagnosis after every escapeWe’ve put a lot of effort into making the demo as chaotic and fun as possible. We hope you’ll have just as much fun playing it as we did creating it.Join our Discord - you can ask questions, report bugs, or just chat with other patients. Steam foru…
