Kingdom of Night Locks In December 2, 2025 — ’80s Neon, Demon Generals, and a Vince DiCola Theme

Why This Announcement Actually Caught My Eye

I’ve had Kingdom of Night on my radar since the late 2010s, when its “Diablo-meets-Stranger-Things” pitch first floated through indie circles. Today, developer Friends of Safety and publisher DANGEN Entertainment finally circled a date: December 2, 2025 on PC (Steam, GOG, Humble, itch.io). The new trailer is all infernal boss fights, neon alleys, and cult chaos in Miami, Arizona-plus an original theme by Vince DiCola, the synth legend behind Transformers: The Movie and Rocky IV. Nostalgia bait? Maybe. But there’s enough here to think it might be more than a vaporwave mood board, especially with a playable Steam demo live now.

Key Takeaways

• Release is set for December 2, 2025 on PC at $19.99 USD; consoles are still “TBA.”
• Five classes with three-branch skill trees hint at real buildcraft, not just stat bumps.
• Non-linear “demon generals in any order” is a smart twist for an isometric ARPG.
• Local co-op is in; online co-op is conspicuously absent (for now).
• Vince DiCola’s theme isn’t just name-dropping-it sets a legit 1987 tone.

Breaking Down the Announcement

The pitch: It’s 1987, and John-a teenager in the real-life mining town of Miami, Arizona—wakes up to a satanic cult problem that escalates into a Baphomet-level nightmare. Over one very bad night, you infiltrate the lairs of demon generals, fight corrupted townsfolk (and bullies turned monsters), and push toward the big fortress showdown. It’s an ARPG through and through: isometric combat, loot tiers, class builds, and an interconnected map with open-ended quests.

The structure that stands out is choosing the order of demon generals. That’s a Mega Man-adjacent idea we don’t see enough in ARPGs, and it could give the campaign varied pacing and replay hooks if bosses or zones subtly reconfigure based on the sequence. The demo is billed as a “full vertical slice,” which suggests the team wants feedback on core loop and feel—not just vibes.

The Gamer’s Perspective: Buildcraft, Loot, and That ’80s Edge

Five classes—Barbarian, Knight, Rogue, Necromancer, Sorcerer—cover the archetypes, but the interesting bit is how you grow them. Skill trees have three branches with 10 talents each, and once you hit level 10 in a branch, you can cross over. That suggests mix-and-match builds: a Rogue who dips into a poison branch then crosses into a mobility or shadow crit line, or a Knight who borrows a summoning twist from a Necromancer-adjacent branch. The press info doesn’t mention respecs—major question there—but at $19.99, a leaner, more decisive build system can be a positive if the choices feel meaningful.

Loot is “multi-tiered with variable drop rates,” so expect the familiar rarity rainbow. The danger for smaller studios is bloat without identity; the safer path is fewer, punchier affixes that noticeably change playstyle. If Kingdom of Night nails unique items that amplify class gimmicks (think: a Sorcerer wand that converts burn stacks into shields, or a Necromancer ring that makes minions explode on crit), it’ll punch above its weight. If it’s just +3% to something, it’ll sink into the pile of forgettable ARPGs.

Then there’s the tone. Lots of games toss neon on top of demons and call it a day. Vince DiCola changes the calculus. His melodies are unapologetically anthemic—if the soundtrack leans into that earnest, high-stakes drama, it could give the game a distinct flavor beyond the usual synthwave wallpaper. Miami, Arizona as a setting is also a neat choice: small-town Americana with mines, diners, and cul-de-sacs turned battlegrounds. It’s Stranger Things-adjacent, sure, but skewed older and meaner.

Co-op, Price, and Scope: What Matters for Your Wallet

Local co-op only at launch is both charming and limiting. Couch co-op belongs in more ARPGs—timing ultimates and juggling aggro together is just fun. But it’s 2025, and online support matters, especially for PC players who don’t live in the same zip code. If consoles arrive later, I’d love to see online co-op added across the board; otherwise, a big slice of the audience will miss the best way to play. The $19.99 price point feels fair for a tight, story-forward ARPG. The crucial question is runtime and replay: is this a 6-10 hour one-night stand with light side stories, or does it have a New Game+, harder difficulties, and boss re-rolls that reward multiple class runs?

Red Flags and Open Questions

• Online co-op: Not mentioned. Is it planned post-launch?
• Respecs: Can we undo builds, or are choices permanent? Both can work—just communicate clearly.
• Endgame: After Baphomet, what’s the loop? Boss rush variants? Procedural events? Higher torment tiers?
• Difficulty tuning: Non-linear boss order is great—does the game scale intelligently to avoid steamrolling or brick walls?
• Console timing: “TBA” can be months or forever. If you’re console-first, temper expectations.

Why This Might Land Anyway

DANGEN has a track record of backing stylish, mechanics-forward indies, and Friends of Safety clearly understands the mixtape they’re assembling: coming-of-age drama, cosmic horror, arcadey ARPG combat, and a soundtrack with legit ’80s DNA. The demo being available now suggests confidence. If the feel is there—impactful hits, readable telegraphs, satisfying dodge windows—and the bosses have personality, Kingdom of Night could be a December sleeper hit for PC players who want something punchy to close out the year.

TL;DR

Kingdom of Night launches December 2, 2025 on PC for $19.99 with a playable Steam demo today. The mix of non-linear demon hunts, class-crossing skill trees, and a Vince DiCola theme gives this ’80s ARPG real potential. Watch for answers on online co-op, respecs, and endgame before you lock in—but this one just moved up my wishlist.