TankRat
Tank action adventure in a wasteland, out 15 January 2027
- PS5
- PC
Release date
15 January 2027
The story so far
What we know about TankRat
TankRat is a single-player vehicular action adventure developed by Alpha Channel and published by Kepler Interactive. It is a revamped version of the earlier game TankHead and was announced for PS5 and PC on 11 December 2025. Players control Whitaker, a digitised consciousness inside a combat drone called a Needle, moving through a post-apocalyptic wasteland known as the Event Containment Area.
The core idea is switching between the agile Needle and powerful combat tanks, fighting corrupted drones and mech-monsters, and dismantling enemies to scavenge parts for weapons, armour and tech. The announcement describes expanded story content, more bosses, additional biomes and refined combat compared with the original. The release was first planned for spring 2026 and later dated 15 January 2027, shown at Gamescom Opening Night Live in August 2026.
What to expect from TankRat
Based on what the developer and publisher have shown so far.
- 01
Drone and tank switching
Shift between the agile Needle drone and heavy combat tanks during fast-paced fights against corrupted drones and mech-monsters.
- 02
Scavenge and upgrade
Dismantle enemies and strip their wreckage for weapons, armour and tech to upgrade your machine.
- 03
Expanded TankHead
According to the announcement, the revamp adds story content, more bosses, additional biomes and refined combat.
See it for yourself
Confirmed. Unconfirmed. Clear.
A quick way to separate official information from speculation.
Confirmed
- Release: 15 January 2027 on PS5 and PC.Steam (Kepler Interactive)
- Single-player game where you shift between the agile Needle drone and powerful combat tanks and upgrade gear with parts harvested from enemies.Steam (Kepler Interactive)
- Steam features: Achievements, Cloud saves, Family Sharing and controller support; 7 interface languages including German.Steam (Kepler Interactive)
- A revamped version of TankHead, with expanded story, more bosses and additional biomes. Epic Games Store owners of TankHead get TankRat as a free upgrade.Gematsu
- The 15 January 2027 date was announced with a trailer at Gamescom Opening Night Live in August 2026.Gematsu
Not confirmed
Other platforms
Only PS5 and PC are announced. No Xbox or Switch version has been mentioned.
Demo
No playable demo is listed on the Steam page.
Price
No price is listed on the sources checked.
Rumours are labelled and linked to their source.
Timeline
The road to release, from announcement to launch.
11 December 2025
TankRat announced for PS5 and PC with a spring 2026 window. Gematsu
25 August 2026
Release date of 15 January 2027 revealed at Gamescom Opening Night Live. Gematsu
15 January 2027
Planned release on PS5 and PC. Steam (Kepler Interactive)
Waiting for TankRat? Play these
Our best guesses until it is out, picked for the same kind of experience.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
Mech combat with heavy customisation, built around upgrading your machine between fights.
Mad Max
Vehicle combat across a scavenged wasteland.
NieR: Automata
Action adventure about machines and consciousness in a ruined world.
Horizon Zero Dawn
Fighting machine enemies and harvesting their parts to craft gear.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to what people search for most.
When is TankRat released?
TankRat is scheduled for 15 January 2027, according to its Steam page and Kepler Interactive.
Which platforms is TankRat coming to?
PS5 and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store) are announced. No other platforms have been mentioned.
Is TankRat the same as TankHead?
It is a revamped version of TankHead with more story, bosses and biomes. Epic Games Store owners of TankHead receive TankRat as a free upgrade.
What are the PC requirements?
The Steam page lists a Core i7-8700K or Ryzen 5 2700X, 8 GB RAM, a GTX 1070 Ti, Arc A750 or RX 5700 XT and 45 GB of storage as the minimum.
Is TankRat single-player?
Yes, it is a single-player campaign. No multiplayer has been announced.