ShantyTown Brings Cozy Creativity to PAX East 2026 With a New Demo Update and Community Momentum

ShantyTown made a strong showing at PAX East 2026 this past weekend, and it couldn’t have picked a better moment. The cozy city‑builder from solo developer Erik Rempen (Silk Softworks) and publisher Kinephantom Games arrived at the PAX Rising Showcase with a full playable build, new demo updates, and a community that’s been growing at a remarkable pace since February’s Steam Next Fest. If you’ve been watching the rise of cozy‑creative games over the last few years, ShantyTown is shaping up to be one of the genre’s next big standouts.

The PAX Rising Showcase is known for spotlighting promising indie titles, and ShantyTown fit right in. Attendees were able to play the full game ahead of release, pick up exclusive goodies, and meet Erik himself at Booth 13097. For players following from home, the Steam demo remained live—and received a fresh update timed with the event.

A Cozy Builder With No Wrong Answers

At its core, ShantyTown is a diorama‑style city‑builder that blends cozy creativity with layered, puzzle‑like design. Instead of sprawling maps or rigid city‑planning rules, the game gives you tight, vertical spaces inspired by dense urban environments. Your job is to build upward, outward, and around whatever constraints the location gives you.

The twist—and the charm—is that ShantyTown doesn’t punish experimentation. There’s no “wrong” way to build. You’re encouraged to follow your instincts, stack buildings in unexpected ways, and create lived‑in neighborhoods that feel personal. Sub‑objectives reward you with bonus items, but the game never forces you into a specific style. It’s cozy gaming without the hand‑holding, and that’s exactly why players have gravitated toward it.

The latest demo update introduced Creative Mode, which removes all restrictions and gives players access to every unlocked building and decoration. You can revisit any surveyed location or build a sprawling community from scratch. It’s a mode that instantly clicked with the community—and it’s already fueling weekly build competitions on Discord.

A Breakout Moment During Steam Next Fest

ShantyTown’s momentum didn’t start at PAX East—it started during Steam Next Fest in February, where the game doubled its wishlist count and saw over 30,000 players jump into the demo. Content creators praised its relaxing pace and tactile building feel, while players flooded the Discord server with screenshots, builds, and feedback. The community doubled in size in just a few days.

That energy carried straight into PAX East. Fans arrived at the booth already familiar with the game, eager to meet Erik and try the full build. Meanwhile, the online community kept buzzing with new Creative Mode submissions, weekly contests, and sneak previews of the finished game.

The current community competition—its third—invites players to submit themed builds using the in‑game Camera Mode. Winners will have their names immortalized in the final release, attached to a building in the world, along with a free key for the full game and its soundtrack. It’s a clever way to celebrate the community while reinforcing the game’s creative spirit.

What Makes ShantyTown Stand Out

ShantyTown isn’t just cozy—it’s thoughtful, dense, and full of personality. Some of its standout features include:

• 20 handcrafted locations inspired by tightly packed urban spaces
• 150+ decorations to create warm, lived‑in neighborhoods
• A personal eight‑page dossier that tracks your completed towns
• A vaporwave‑inspired soundtrack by Macroblank
• In‑depth camera tools for framing and photographing your creations

It’s a game built with a warm, human touch—something Erik Rempen has become known for after his previous title, Kainga. ShantyTown continues that tradition, offering spaces that feel imperfect, meaningful, and quietly alive.

Looking Ahead to Launch

ShantyTown officially launches on April 16, 2026, and the excitement coming out of PAX East suggests it’s heading toward a strong debut. Players can wishlist the game on Steam now, join the Discord for ongoing build contests, and try the updated demo to get a feel for the game’s blend of creativity and cozy design.

For an indie title built around small spaces, ShantyTown is making a big impression—and PAX East 2026 just amplified it.