- Dev Update: Adding Personality To Your Squad - 17 September 2026
The Kitman demo is coming out on October 8th, and if you can’t wait until then it’s not too late to apply to join our exclusive pre-demo playtest that goes live today!Kitman is a game about catering to the diverse (and sometimes a little strange) needs of temperamental athletes, and in our early playtests we didn’t quite capture this feeling. So we went back to the drawing board to fix it!Adding A Little CharacterOne of the criticisms we heard during our playtest was that the footballers in Kitman did not always feel much like real characters. Instead, they could sometimes feel more like a collection of stats that you needed to maintain.That was not quite what we had in mind. We wanted the players you work with to feel like actual members of a football squad. We wanted people with their own personalities, preferences and, occasionally, completely unreasonable demands.So, we have been wo…
- Kitman Demo Launches October 8th! - 9 September 2026
Big news from the kit room! After an incredible run of early playtests, we’re thrilled to announce that the Kitman Steam Demo officially drops on October 8, 2026. Can’t wait until October? We’ve got you covered. As a special treat to the fans who’ve helped us out so much already, we’re hosting an exclusive pre-demo playtest from September 17–20! Playtest slots will be awarded via lottery over on player.gg. On signing up you’ll need to be sure to wishlist Kitman on Steam, join the Outlier Discord, and provide a valid email address to be eligible.Demo Features After some incredibly in-depth feedback across our playtests, we’ve made some significant changes to Kitman for the demo.Players can now customize their team, make use of voice chat, play with full controller support, and unlock all new upgrades for their locker room.We’ve also added significant depth to the management layer, as wel…
- Dev Update: Team Customization - 14 August 2026
One piece of feedback came up again and again during our playtest: players wanted the ability to create their own football team!When we started working on Kitman, we had a nice little narrative in mind where you play as the Kitman for a fictional club called Northshore Athletic. We designed a custom Northshore club crest, settled on a satisfying blue, white and orange colour palette, and put together a distinctive squad uniform that made good use of those colours.We thought we had done a pretty good job. But players kept asking if they could create their own teams, and perhaps we needn't be quite so precious about Northshore Athletic.So, for the upcoming demo, we have added a whole range of team customization options! Northshore Athletic will still be the default, but if that doesn’t work for you, you can make the team your own!Make It Your Own First up is team name customization. Playe…
- Kitman World Cup Playtest Closes With Winners Crowned - 20 July 2026
The first-ever Kitman World Cup has come to an end, and after some fiercely contested matches, Austria has claimed the trophy with a victory over Poland in the final.Herzlichen Glückwunsch (congratulations) to our Austrian Kitmen, who put in a fantastic performance throughout the tournament.The golden kitbag goes to Poland with a high score of 670 in the semi-final, with honorable mentions for Italy (650), Spain (645), and Uruguay (625) who were snapping at their heels.Seeing so many of you jump into this early version of Kitman has been a real thrill for us on team Outlier. Whether you battled your way through the World Cup, sent us thoughtful feedback, or simply jumped in for a few matches with friends, thank you!The Kitman playtest is now closed for everyone, but we will have another chance for people to play Kitman soon.We are hard at work adding new features, refining existing ones…
- The Kitman World Cup Final Is Here! - 16 July 2026
Two Teams Go Head-To-Head For The Biggest Prize In World FootballIt's time - after a thrilling few weeks of competition, we're down to the final two teams in the Kitman World Cup.There was plenty of drama in the semi-finals as a late high-scoring entry from Poland knocked out favorites Spain. Austria also logged a respectable score to destroy Italy's hopes of reaching the final.The finals will run until July 19th so if you'd like to experience the Kitman playtest now is your last chance! You can represent Austria or Poland to have a chance at the world title, or any other nation if you'd just like to have some fun.If you haven't received a key we'll be unlocking more as part of the very last lottery today, or as ever you can refer 3+ friends to guarantee access. What else have you got to do this weekend? It's not like there's anything else football-related going on...Good luck to Austri…
- Kitman World Cup Semi-Finals - 13 July 2026
The Kitman World Cup is building to an epic conclusion, with Austria, Italy, Spain and Poland making it through to the competition's semi-final stage!Uruguay were unlucky to lose out to a phenomenal late entry from Italy, while Brazil, Chile, and the Rest of World team were comfortably beaten in the quarter finals.The semis will run until July 15th so if you have a key make sure you get playing quickly! If you don't yet have access to the Kitman playtest you can apply at www.Outlier.games/playtest. We'll be unlocking more keys as part of a lottery today, or you can refer 3+ friends to guarantee your spot!As ever, come and say hello on Discord if you'd like to chat!Good luck to the semi-finalists!Love,Paul & the Outlier team
- Kitman Hits 100,000 Wishlists! - 9 July 2026
Today we're delighted to say that KITMAN HAS JUST HIT 100,000 WISHLISTS! 🥳🥳🥳This is far beyond what we could have hoped for so THANK YOU for joining us on this adventure! We have big plans for the game, and are working hard to make it something really special.If you're curious about the behind-the-scenes I've also just posted on Reddit about how we've driven our marketing progress to date.As ever, you can also come and chat to us directly on Discord.Thanks again - it means the world to us! We can't wait to show you what's coming next for Kitman.Love,Paul & the Outlier team
- Kitman World Cup Quarter Finals Begin - 8 July 2026
The Kitman Round of 16 is now complete, with an insanely high-scoring tie between Spain and Hungary seeing the Spanish eventually come out on top!Other Quarter-Finalists include Brazil, Austria, Italy, Uruguay, Chile, Poland and the Rest of World team.The Quarter-Finals will be running until July 12th, so if you already have a key make sure you jump back in and represent! If you haven't applied to participate, head on over to www.Outlier.games/Playtest to sign up! Keys are assigned on a lottery basis but you can refer 3+ friends to guarantee your spot.As we approach the final stages we'd also love to see more streamers take part! If you follow or subscribe to a popular influencer please do drop them a note about the game, let's see if we can get them on the leaderboard!If you have any questions or would like to see more regular score updates, join us on our friendly Discord server.Love,…
- USA Eliminated From Kitman World Cup! Round Of 16 Starts Now - 3 July 2026
The Kitman World Cup playtest is well underway, with the round of 32 providing lots of drama!Remember, if you'd like to take part in the playtest you can sign up at 👉 https://www.outlier.games/playtest 👈. Applicants will automatically be entered into a lottery for a key at the start of each round, or you can guarantee your spot by referring 3+ friends. More details about the playtest can be found here.So, who made it through and who was dropped? USA and Canada were knocked out by Uruguay and Chile respectively, Germany were knocked out in the round of 32 (😱) by Austria, and other top contenders like France (defeated by Hungary) and Portugal (eliminated by Japan) also lost out despite posting strong scores themselves.The Round of 16 sees Brazil vs Mexico, England vs Austria, Japan vs Italy, Romania vs Uruguay, Turkey vs Chile, Hungary vs Spain, Argentina vs Poland, and Sweden vs the R…
- Kitman World Cup Playtest Is LIVE - 28 June 2026
After a highly successful alpha playtest with over 50,000 sign-ups, we’ve been asked (a lot) for another opportunity to play Kitman!Well since you asked nicely... say hello to 🏆 The Kitman World Cup 🏆From June 28th to July 19th, players will be able to access the Kitman alpha once more, this time with their performance scored.The top score from each country will be automatically entered in the active round, with nations going head-to-head in a knockout tournament to find which country has the best kitmen in the world!How to PlayPlayers can apply to join in via player.gg: APPLY Places in the Kitman World Cup are limited, but a spot can be guaranteed by inviting 3+ friends. Other applicants will enter a lottery for access to the playtest. If you are granted access, Kitman will once again pop up in your Steam library. In the game, after the opening tutorial match, you will be asked to pi…
- Steam Key Giveaway - 17 June 2026
CompetitionIf you participated in the latest Kitman playtest you'll know we are giving away a copy of the full game to one lucky Steam follower. If you're reading this it could be you! To be in with a chance simply head on over to https://www.outlier.games/steam-competition and signup via email.The winner will receive a Steam key for Kitman when the game is released later this year! Next PlaytestIf you missed the playtest, we have some good news for you: The Kitman World Cup Is ComingFrom June 28th through July 19th, we’re opening the doors to our playtest once again with an added twist: your score could win the Kitman World Cup for your chosen country! Register your interest here (and invite 3+ friends to guarantee your spot): 👉 https://player.gg/explore/games/394914-kitman 👈 How It WorksOnce accepted into the playtest, select your country and play the game during each round (dates b…
- Kitman Playtest Results & Next Steps - 4 June 2026
Now that the first Kitman playtest is closed we thought it would be a good opportunity to talk about the findings, next steps, and (drumroll...) the next playtest!Firstly, thank you to everyone who tried the game over the last week! The playtest was a HUGE success and well beyond what we could have hoped for. In the end the playtest had over 24,000 players, more than 4,000 survey responses, and an average rating of 7.84 / 10.UPCOMING DEVELOPMENTTop rated elements were:Gameplay (8.1/10)Performance (7.9/10)Visuals (7.9/10)Stability (7.6/10)The areas needing the most work are:Tutorials (6.7/10)Audio (6.7/10)We'll therefore be focusing on a few key areas before releasing the demo based on your feedback: Overhauled tutorials and more guidance on how to use each bit of equipmentMore interesting unlocks and task variation for the early matchesCustomizable team, kit, and kitmanMore interaction…
- Kitman Playtest Is LIVE (Until June 3rd) - 30 May 2026
The big day is here: the Kitman playtest is now live. With over 50,000 signed up for our playtest, we’re absolutely blown away by the response to the game! To mark the occasion, we’ve unveiled a brand new gameplay trailer to showcase the kind of kit-wrangling mayhem that you can get up to as the real unsung hero of a soccer club. The Kitman playtest will run from May 30th until June 3rd. Those who signed up will have a chance to try out the game’s core loop of wrangling kit, dealing with match day mayhem, and surreptitiously managing the club behind the scenes.Victory will mean staying on top of tasks like cleaning and repairing damaged gear, but also thinking tactically and prepping your team ahead of time for the matches to come. We estimate about an hour or two of gameplay, and the playtest will support both solo play and up to 4 player online co-op. We Want Your Feedback!Feedback fr…
- Kitman Playtest Hits 50,000! - 19 May 2026
It has been just over two months since we first announced Kitman and the reception has been... well, insane! We have just hit 50,000 PEOPLE (!) signed up to try the game when the first playtest launches on May 30th.This is honestly far beyond what we ever imagined, and wanted to thank everyone who has supported the game so far!The numbers have been so far beyond our expectations that we're now PAUSING NEW SIGNUPS for this first playtest. We want to make sure the servers hold up, and do justice to everyone's feedback. If you take the time to share your thoughts it's only right that we read them and give them the attention they deserve. With such a tiny team and with so many players it'll likely already be overwhelming!Don't worry - if you've registered already you're all set. You'll receive an email with instructions on how to access the game in a few weeks. You can also invite up to 3 f…
- Kitman Playtest Kicks Off May 30th - 15 May 2026
Since we announced Kitman back in March we’ve had an amazing response. So far about 50,000 PEOPLE (!!) have signed up for the playtest, which is honestly far more than we ever expected! After some extensive (and sometimes chaotic) internal testing, we’re delighted to announce that the Kitman playtest will open to everyone who has signed up via Steam on Saturday, May 30th!If you’ve signed up you’ll receive an email from Steam on the 30th with all the info you need to play. That means if you’ve already requested access, you don’t need to do anything else. Everyone who has signed up will be included. The playtest will run from 30 May until 3 June, and will give players the first chance to try out the game’s core loop of wrangling kit, dealing with match day mayhem, and surreptitiously managing the club behind the scenes.You’ll have a chance to try your hand at outfitting and supporting you…
- Dev Update: Designing The Manager's Office - 7 May 2026
We’re currently hard at work getting the Kitman public playtest ready to go - aiming to have a playable build ready for you in a few weeks. In the meantime we want to make sure that we have a worthwhile game to show off first! To help us figure out exactly what to include in the playtest build, we recently ran a poll on our Discord asking about features people would like to see added to the game. The clear winner was the Manager’s Office – a room for players to adjust tactics and make substitutions to the team lineup.The Manager’s Office is a great place for us to start building out the tactical side of Kitman. In addition to the day to day tasks of keeping the locker rooms clean and the athletes supplied with the kit they need, Kitmen will have the opportunity to make tactical choices shape the direction of the club.Working on the layout of the Manager's OfficeAn early version of the t…
- The People Have Spoken - 17 April 2026
We’re currently hard at work getting the Kitman public playtest ready to go. We are aiming to have a playable build ready for you in a month or two, but we want to make sure that we have a worthwhile game to show off first!To help us figure out exactly what to prioritize for the playtest build, we recently ran a poll on our Discord and socials. We asked about features people would like to see added to the game, in addition to the core loop of cleaning, mending kit, and supplying players with everything they need to win matches. The clear winner was the Manager’s Office – a room for players to adjust tactics and make substitutions to the team lineup.The Manager’s Office is a great place for us to start building out the tactical side of Kitman. In addition to the day to day tasks of keeping the locker rooms clean and the athletes supplied with the kit they need, Kitmen will have the oppor…
- So... About Last Week's Kitman Announcement - 23 March 2026
It has been just over a week since we revealed Kitman to the world, and we have been absolutely blown away by the response. Over 20,000 players have signed up to the Kitman playtest!! 🤯We just wanted to say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who has shared the game, reached out, and signed up! If you haven't already, you can sign up yourself on the game's Steam page: We're hard at work getting the game ready, and can't wait to hear what you think when the playtest opens in a few months.In the meantime, we're looking for suggestions! Come and chat to us on Discord and let us know what you'd like to see in the game.Love,Paul & the Outlier team
- Introducing KITMAN! - 11 March 2026
Say hello to Kitman – our brand new game has just been announced, courtesy of IGN! Sign Up To PlaytestKitman is a 1-4 player sports management simulator set in the backrooms of a soccer stadium. Run the team by running the locker room. Clean the team’s boots, patch jerseys, mop floors, and when no-one is looking… sneak into the gaffer’s office and fix the game plan.Kitman will debut later this year, but we are now taking sign-ups for an Alpha Playtest! Join us by signing up here and be the first to try Kitman for yourself. Player feedback has been so important for the development of our previous games, and with Kitman our approach will be no different. If you would like to have your say on the games we make, please come join us over on Discord. We’re very excited to share our latest project with the world! Let us know what you think!Love, Paul & The Outlier Team
