Scarlet Hollow, the award-winning gothic horror narrative developed by Black Tabby Games (Slay the Princess), returns to Appalachia with its 5th episode, launching on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.

Enter the fifth episode after last chapter’s harrowing end, and cling to sanity throughout the onslaught of unpredictable scenarios rooted in the choices made in previous episodes. Experience more than 870,000 words of branching storytelling from award-winning writer and developer Tony Howard-Arias and compelling new illustrations from award-winning artist Abby Howard, the married duo behind 2023’s critically acclaimed bestseller Slay the Princess.

Superstitions are easy to dismiss, but here in the Hollow they mean something else entirely. Step but a single foot into Scarlet Hollow, North Carolina, and learn why residents never seem to leave. The town’s Scarlet Mine is mired in familial roots — yours, in particular — and the reality of the surrounding townsfolk pay dearly for it. Such a fate is better than disappearing in the woods, however. Have you seen what lurks in the darkness?

Come into town for your aunt’s funeral and help your cousin Tabitha manage the mine’s burdens her mother left behind. Unweave the town’s history, intertwined with otherworldly happenings, and learn the truth behind your arrival in the Hollow.

Choose two character-defining traits to sculpt storylines with exclusive options available to all walks of life. Wield street smarts to converse with animals and discover unique perspectives, live as a good-looking mystic open to otherworldly phenomenon, and pick other characteristics to help define possible paths forward. Use these advantages to get out of trouble, but be careful. What saves you one day may be what damns you the next.

“This is far from the end, but that doesn’t mean Scarlet Hollow is ‘unfinished’ necessarily,” says Tony Howard-Arias, co-founder of Black Tabby Games. “Each chapter has its own self-contained story, even as each of them slot into a bigger overarching narrative. For us, Scarlet Hollow has always felt like a seven-game series where you get to carry your choices forward into each new installment. And if you don’t believe me, Episode 1 is free. You can always see where it takes you.”

Scarlet Hollow – Episode 5 curses 2026 on PC via Steam on Friday, Feb. 13 as a free update. For more information on Scarlet Hollow, check out the official website, follow developer Black Tabby Games on Twitter and Tumblr, and join the official Discord and Reddit.