Paper Perjury is giving away half of its final case — and yes, there’s a reason

Paper Perjury just unlocked half of its final case for free – here’s why that matters

Paper Cat Games dropped the opening half of Case 6: Regrets & Perjury as a free update on Feb 22, turning what should’ve been a single finale into a two-part finish. For players, that means you can jump back into Justina Smith’s investigation of heiress Joules Wattson’s arson-turned-homicide without paying a cent – at least for now – while the second half arrives sometime later this year.

• Free first half of Case 6 (Regrets & Perjury) released Feb 22 to re-engage owners; second half planned later in 2026.
• Update coincides with a 50% Steam sale (Feb 22-Mar 8), making the base game $9.99 — a clear play to attract newcomers.
• The split came after the dev apologized for unfinished content; reporting on an original full-case date is messy and partly contradictory.

Breaking down what was released — and what wasn’t

The free portion puts players back in the shoes of amateur detective Justina Smith as she works alongside Detective Fineman, interrogates Joules Wattson’s three siblings, and tangles with an aggressive defense attorney nicknamed “The Bloodhound.” Paper Cat Games posted a launch trailer for the first half on YouTube after the update went live, but stopped short of delivering the entire Case 6 narrative it originally promised.

Public messaging from the developer admits the content wasn’t ready in time, which is why Case 6 was split. The practical effect for players is mixed: you get a no-cost chapter that can pull you back into the mystery, but the final resolution is being held back until the second half ships later in 2026.

Why the free-first-half move is smart — and why it’s frustrating

This grabbed my attention because it’s a classic indie maneuver: give away a compelling slice of story to re-engage lapsed players and create word-of-mouth that brings in new ones. Timing it with a 50% Steam discount (Feb 22-Mar 8) amplifies that — new players can jump in cheap, streamers can play the fresh content for free, and the community can start making theories ahead of the paid conclusion.

But there’s a flip side. Splitting the finale risks leaving players feeling strung along. If the second half drags or the first half ends on a contrived cliffhanger, goodwill will erode fast. We don’t have the developer’s deeper reasoning beyond “unfinished content,” and there’s no firm date for the remaining chapter yet — a gap that will matter a lot more if the free half ends in a deliberately unsatisfying place.

Conflicting dates and the messy rollout

Coverage around the launch wasn’t perfectly tidy. While Paper Cat confirmed the Feb 22 free update, a few outlets and trailers earlier in the campaign referenced alternate dates for a full Case 6 release. That confusion matters because some players bought into the idea of a single, full release that simply didn’t arrive on time. Paper Cat’s apology and the split explain the product change, but they don’t erase the mixed messages.

What gamers should do now

• If you’ve never tried Paper Perjury: the Steam sale until Mar 8 makes this a cheap, low-risk buy to sample the writing and puzzles.
• If you own the game already: download the free first half and decide whether the quality and pacing make you trust the dev to finish the second half.
• Watch community posts and early playthroughs — the real test will be player reaction to how complete the free half feels on its own.

Paper Perjury’s move is a tidy example of an indie dev balancing production realities with marketing savvy. The free first half is a goodwill gesture and a smart growth play; whether it pays off depends entirely on how quickly and cleanly the second half lands — and how satisfying the first chapter proves to be when players dissect it.

TL;DR

Paper Cat Games released the first half of Case 6 for free on Feb 22 and paired it with a 50% Steam sale to pull players back in. It’s a clever re-engagement tactic, but the split — born from unfinished content — leaves the finale’s delivery and player satisfaction hanging in the balance. Keep an eye on Steam community threads and the dev’s updates for the second half timeline.

What to watch next

• Steam forums, Reddit, and initial YouTube playthroughs for feedback on the first half.
• Official dev updates about the second half’s release window and whether it’ll be free or paid.
• How the community reacts to pacing and cliffhangers — that will determine whether this split feels like smart triage or a cash-grab in retrospect.