Nekome is Yiddish for vengeance, and in Nekome: Nazi Hunter it’s the word carved into Vano Nastasu’s knife. You’ll get to hold that knife yourself next week: ProbablyMonsters is putting out a free PC demo on Steam during Steam Next Fest, October 19 to 26.
The studio also showed a new trailer at the Galaxies Autumn Showcase that introduces Hitler’s Hyenas, the squad of Nazi agents Vano is hunting. The full game is a third person action game set during World War II, planned for early 2027 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Who Vano is, and who he’s hunting
Vano is a young Romani man whose family was murdered by Nazi soldiers. That puts the game in history games have almost never touched: the Nazi persecution and genocide of Roma and Sinti people, which killed hundreds of thousands during the war. In an email interview with Game Informer, director and general manager Jeronimo Barrera said the team saw a story that games have rarely told from this perspective, and that it worked with historians and cultural consultants on Vano’s identity, his community and the historical setting.
The tone is not a history lesson, though. It’s grindhouse on purpose. Barrera points to the pulpy violence of Inglourious Basterds and to graphic novels as the main influences, and says a realistic look would have killed the fun. The Nazis are drawn as monsters, and some powers and story beats lean toward the metaphysical, which Barrera leaves for players to interpret.
Some of the insider details from the interview and recent previews:
- The hunt starts in New York, Vano’s adopted home, not Europe. Barrera says the team was surprised it could stage the first encounters with Nazis on US soil, and PC Gamer’s preview has Vano attacking the offices of the German American Bund, a real pro Nazi group of the era.
- Each of Hitler’s Hyenas is a boss fight built to test a different skill. They show up early in the story so you know exactly who you’re after.
- You scout compounds, then mix stealth with close quarters fighting, improvised weapons and finishers. A Fear and Notoriety system changes how enemies react: precise kills make them hesitate or panic, sloppy ones get noticed.
- Development started in 2024, and Barrera calls going from concept to players in about 18 months an ambitious target.
What’s in the Steam demo
The demo is PC only, on Steam. It runs during Steam Next Fest, which starts October 19 at 10 AM PT (1 PM ET, 6 PM UK, 7 PM CEST) and ends October 26 at 10 AM PT (1 PM ET, 5 PM GMT, 6 PM CET). Instead of a slice of the story, it’s an endless combat arena. Gamers Heroes reports it as a Horde of the Reich mode with 25 stages that mixes stealth, brawling, guns and melee. ProbablyMonsters hasn’t said whether the demo stays up after Next Fest.
What players are saying
On the game’s Steam discussion boards, the busiest threads are practical: a Turkish language request with well over 100 replies, other language asks, and players wondering about a GOG release. Several threads argue over whether a game about killing Nazis is “political,” mirroring what Barrera told Game Informer: he says Nazis being bad is common sense, not politics. There’s also plenty of plain enthusiasm, and a long thread on what the name means.
The doubts come from people who’ve played it. Game Informer’s Gamescom preview called the pre beta build “a bit janky,” and PC Gamer found it stylish and cathartic but said movement and combat felt clunky. GamingTrend’s preview headline says it has a long road ahead.
Our take
The premise is strong, and the Romani angle is the most interesting thing about it. Plenty of games let you shoot Nazis. Almost none have looked at who the Nazis targeted beyond the frontline. Consultants and historians are the right call, but the real test is whether Vano and his community feel like people, not just a reason for a revenge montage.
The gameplay is the open question. Every hands on so far says the same thing: great attitude, rough feel. An arena demo is a smart way to get feedback on combat specifically, so if you’re curious, play it next week and tell them what’s off. With an early 2027 target there’s still time to tighten it, but not a lot.
Where to wishlist it
You can wishlist Nekome: Nazi Hunter on Steam (where the demo will appear), the Epic Games Store and the PlayStation Store. Xbox Series X|S is confirmed, but we couldn’t find a live Xbox Store page yet. The game is rated M for Mature.
Release date, platforms and price
- Release: early 2027 (Steam lists Q1 2027); free Steam demo October 19 at 10 AM PT to October 26 at 10 AM PT
- Platforms: PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), PS5, Xbox Series X|S
- Price: not announced (demo is free)
- Stores: Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store
Based on ProbablyMonsters’ October 15 announcement, Game Informer’s interview with Jeronimo Barrera, the Steam, Epic and PlayStation store pages, and previews from Game Informer and PC Gamer.
About Nekome: Nazi Hunter
- Genre: Action-adventure
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