Little Nightmares III preorders go live — with a creepy LED diorama and a big co-op shift

This preorder drop hits two notes: a new way to play, and a collectible that actually feels on-brand

Little Nightmares is one of those series I keep installed for when I want to feel small, unsafe, and clever all at once. So today’s double beat – preorders for Little Nightmares III going live ahead of the October 10, 2025 release and a limited “The Ride Begins” diorama on the Bandai Namco Store – caught my attention for two reasons. First, Supermassive is bringing online co-op to the series for the first time. Second, that diorama isn’t just merch; it actually channels the series’ unsettling energy with Low and Alone clinging to a roller coaster car while those uncanny Puppets loom. It lights up, too. Of course it does.

Key Takeaways

• Online co-op is in for the first time; there’s no local couch co-op planned.
• Two playable leads, Low (bow) and Alone (wrench), suggest asymmetric puzzles and routes.
• Supermassive Games is steering the series now – expect more cinematic tension, different pacing.
• Preorders are live for the October 10 launch, plus a limited LED-lit “The Ride Begins” diorama on Bandai’s store.

Breaking down the announcement

Let’s start with the physical: the “The Ride Begins” diorama is a snapshot that could be a still from a nightmare — Low and Alone riding a rickety coaster track, Puppets reaching from the dark. LED illumination will make it a proper shelf centerpiece, not a dusty afterthought. It’s a Bandai Namco Store exclusive and limited, which usually means you either commit early or watch the aftermarket go feral. If you’re a series diehard, this one makes sense; it’s thematically strong and not just slapping a logo on resin.

On the game side, preorders for Little Nightmares III are up across platforms — PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, the rumored Switch successor, and PC. The headline feature is online co-op: you and a friend can inhabit Low and Alone, each with different tools and roles. If solo is your thing, you can still play with an AI partner. No local co-op is planned, which stings for a series that begs to be whispered through with a friend on the couch. It’s a strange omission given how well the tension of Little Nightmares pairs with shared silence and stifled laughs.

Bandai is also dangling a perk: digital preorders include early access to Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition, a nice primer if you want to revisit the original with some modern touches before diving back into The Nowhere. Switch preorders are slated to open later — annoying, but not surprising, as Nintendo storefront timing is its own flavor of liminal space.

What changing developers means for the vibe

Tarsier built Little Nightmares into a cult favorite with meticulous environmental storytelling and “you’re-not-supposed-to-be-here” energy. Supermassive (Until Dawn, The Quarry) knows horror — and choices, and co-op-adjacent tension — but their pacing leans more cinematic than clockwork toybox. That could be great for set pieces and synchronized scares in co-op. It could also blunt the series’ meaner, lonelier edges if the design leans too cooperative.

The asymmetric tools are promising. A bow changes stealth geometry — line-of-sight distractions, rope pulls, maybe distant trigger puzzles — while a wrench implies weight, noise, and improvised routes. The question is whether these tools enrich the core sneak-solve-scramble loop, or turn encounters into “wait on the plate while I flip the switch” chores. The best moments in the first two games were when your plans fell apart and you improvised — not when you executed a checklist.

I’m also watching the AI. Solo play with a partner lives or dies on pathfinding and readability. If the companion telegraphs intent clearly and stays out of your way, great. If they drift into aggro cones or hesitate on jumps, you’ll feel like you’re babysitting — death for a horror platformer’s flow.

The Gamer’s checklist: what to know before you commit

• Release date: October 10, 2025. Cross-gen support is listed, so last-gen players aren’t left out.
• Modes: Online co-op only; solo with AI companion available. No local split-screen or couch co-op.
• Characters: Low uses a bow; Alone uses a wrench. Expect puzzles that require tool interplay.
• World: You’re back in The Nowhere — dreamlike spaces reachable through sleep, full of predatory “adults” and environmental storytelling.
• Preorder perks: Digital preorders include early access to Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition; Switch preorders arrive later.
• Collectible: “The Ride Begins” diorama is Bandai Namco Store-exclusive, LED-lit, and limited. If you want it, don’t wait.

Does co-op make Little Nightmares less scary? Maybe — and that might be the point

Horror changes when you’re not alone. Co-op can defang dread, but it can also create a different fear: responsibility. If Supermassive leans into sequences where one player must distract while the other squeezes through a vent, or where a muffed arrow shot dooms you both, the tension becomes social. That’s a valid flavor of horror, and it fits the series’ theme of small figures surviving by coordination, not brute force.

Still, I’m going to miss the chance to share that anxiety on a couch. Online-only feels at odds with the intimate scale of Little Nightmares, and for a game about tiny acts of bravery, handing off a controller mid-heartbeat is half the fun. If there’s one feature I’m hoping gets patched in post-launch, it’s local co-op.

TL;DR

Little Nightmares III preorders are live for an October 10, 2025 launch, and there’s a sharp-looking, LED-lit Bandai-exclusive diorama for collectors. Online co-op is the big swing; no couch co-op is the bummer. If Supermassive nails AI behavior and designs puzzles around genuine cooperation — not busywork — this could be the scariest the series has ever felt with a friend.