Paddle Paddle Paddle’s New DLC Brings Permadeath Coop — Are Your Friends Ready?

Why this matters: a coop DLC that punishes mistakes, not just players

This caught my attention because Up Up Up isn’t another cosmetic drop or easy-mode map – it’s a deliberate difficulty spike that removes the safety net most modern co-op games hand players. Assemble Entertainment and Zoroarts launched the €3.99 Up Up Up DLC for Paddle Paddle Paddle on Steam on February 19, 2026, and it turns the base game’s rafting chaos into a vertical, permadeath endurance test where one slip can end the whole run.

• Price and launch: €3.99 on Steam with a 25% launch discount.
• Design pitch: a vertical co-op map with no checkpoints and permadeath.
• Content claims: 15 new mechanics, 9 tropical skins, new Dr Kendo voicelines and a 2-3 hour estimated run – some of which are only in the PR and haven’t been independently verified.
• Context: follows the base game’s commercial momentum reported by the studio – the press release cites ~180,000 copies sold and an award nod.

Breaking down Up Up Up — what’s actually new

The DLC reorients gameplay from forward rafts and lava hazards to vertical platforming: think frantic upward progression, moving hazards, and tighter timing windows. The developer copy leans into the rage-friendly slogan “higher, harder, meaner” and explicitly nods to Only Up and Chained Together as inspiration — not subtle hints but an admission that this DLC aims to generate spectacle and stress in equal measure.

According to the PR, Up Up Up adds 15 new mechanics and nine discoverable tropical skins, and it includes new lines from Dr Kendo. It also promises a 2-3 hour run length for full completion. Important caveat: multiple launch-day checks found the core no-checkpoint, permadeath design confirmed on Steam, and the 25% launch discount is visible — but specific counts like “15 mechanics” and the sales figures for the base game only appear in press materials and lack independent verification so far.

The coop angle: perfection or punishment?

The brutal twist is that Up Up Up makes coop cooperation not just useful but mandatory. With no checkpoints and permadeath, a single player’s mistake can erase an entire run. That creates high-stakes teamwork moments — great for tight friend groups or streams that want drama — but it also opens the door to griefing, long waits after wipeouts, and tense lobby dynamics if players have wildly different skill levels.

From a design perspective this is a bold move. It leans into a niche appetite for unforgiving, twitch-heavy challenges that reward communication, timing and reflexes. From a social perspective it asks players to accept frustration as part of the gameplay loop. Some groups will love that cathartic grind; others will find it an exercise in relationship testing.

What gamers should know before buying

• If you enjoy Only Up-style spectacle or co-op stress tests, Up Up Up could be a short, intense investment — the DLC is billed as 2-3 hours of punishing content.
• Permadeath in coop multiplies the pain of mistakes; don’t expect casual drop-in/drop-out sessions to work well.
• Price-to-content is modest: €3.99 (25% off at launch) — but value depends entirely on whether your group enjoys repetition and high-stakes coordination.
• Community reaction and Steam reviews will matter more than the PR claims here; look for completion stats and early reviewer impressions in the next 48–72 hours.

Why now — and what this signals

Up Up Up drops while Paddle Paddle Paddle still has momentum from its base-game success and an award nomination, giving the DLC a small-but-time-sensitive publicity window. For an indie developer, a targeted, polarizing DLC like this is a smart way to reignite interest, create shareable rage clips, and drive streams — all without the overhead of a full expansion.

But it also raises the usual indie tension: is this a community-building challenge or a gated irritant that fractures player groups? Assemble and Zoroarts are clearly courting spectacle and streamer-friendly moments; whether that converts into sustained player engagement remains to be seen.

What to watch next

• Steam review trend in the first 48–72 hours — rage and “this ruined friendships” reactions are common with permadeath DLCs.
• Developer follow-up posts or patches addressing balance and griefing concerns.
• Community completion rates and whether speedrunners/glory-hunters crown the DLC or it becomes a niche curiosity.

TL;DR

Up Up Up is a focused, punishing paid DLC that turns Paddle Paddle Paddle into a vertical, permadeath co-op gauntlet. It’s cheap, spectacle-ready and intentionally harsh — great if you and your squad enjoy coordinated, high-stakes runs; frustrating if you prefer casual sessions. Verify the finer content claims against early player reports before you buy.