OperoGames DISCOVER. TRACK. PLAY.
Dog in the Machine cover

Dog in the Machine 2026

Puzzle by Studio Chahut, published by Goblinz Publishing.

PC (Microsoft Windows) Mac Puzzle Strategy Turn-based strategy (TBS)
100%
Very Positive
54 Steam reviews
3 playing now
on Steam
12 h to beat
main story, 50 h for everything
Dog in the Machine trailer Trailer

About

On Steam, 100% of 54 player reviews are positive (Very Positive). 3 people are playing it on Steam right now, with a peak of 6 in the last 30 days. The main story takes about 12 hours, doing everything about 50 hours.

A tactical roguelite where you help an AutoDog escape a dystopian mecha-city and get back to their exiled humans. Teach the dog custom tricks to tackle strategic challenges through devastating chain reactions. Break the Machine in your path to freedom!

What is happening now

Dog in the Machine is a tactical turn-based roguelite following a robotic dog searching for its owners through a city controlled by hostile machines. The game emphasizes learning new attacks across runs and leveraging environmental hazards as part of its strategic layer. Developed by French indie studio Studio Chahut, the game is scheduled to release on PC in late September 2026.

How long to beat Dog in the Machine

from 2 players
Main storyrushing through the story
12 h
Main + extrasstory plus side content
20 h
Completionisteverything the game has
50 h

Games like Dog in the Machine

same kind of game, other series
Grindstone cover 90
Grindstone
2019
Mini Motorways cover 86
Mini Motorways
2019 · Dinosaur Polo Club
Islanders cover 90
Islanders
2019
Wetrix cover 68
Wetrix
1998 · Zed Two
Balatro cover 91
Balatro
2024 · LocalThunk
Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle cover 80
Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle
2018 · Blue Wizard Digital
Hitman Go cover 75
Hitman Go
2014 · Square Enix Montréal
Minami Lane cover
Minami Lane
2024 · Doot

Media

Dog in the Machine screenshot

Trailers

Dog in the Machine trailer 1 Dog in the Machine trailer 2

Releases

Platform
Date
September 29, 2026
September 29, 2026

Earliest full release on each platform; regional dates can differ.

PC and Steam Deck

Steam store page
Minimum
Recommended
OS
Windows 10
Windows 10
Processor
Dual-core 2.0 GHz
Quad-core 3.0 GHz
Memory
8 GB RAM
16 GB RAM
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 or equivalent
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 or equivalent
DirectX
Version 11
Version 11
Storage
4 GB available space
4 GB available space

Will it run on my PC?

Your numbers stay in this browser.

Requirements and Deck status as listed on Steam, checked Nov 3, 2026.

Dog in the Machine player count

concurrent players on Steam
3playing now5h ago
3peak today
630-day peak
6highest we have seenOct 24, 2026
Oct 23: 5 Oct 24: 6 Oct 25: 3 Oct 26: 3 Oct 27: 3 Oct 28: 3 Oct 29: 2 Oct 30: 4 Oct 31: 2 Nov 1: 3 Nov 2: 4 Nov 3: 4 Nov 4: 3 Nov 5: 3
Oct 23daily peak, last 14 daystoday

Players counted on Steam every one to six hours; the daily peak is the highest count of the day.

Dog in the Machine achievements

42 achievements on Steam

Rarest

Top autoDog Complete a run in Elite Dog Max difficulty
1.2%
Iron Dog Complete a run in Irondog mode
2.3%
Veteran autoDog Complete a run in Elite Dog 6 difficulty
2.5%
It wouldn’t Steal a Bite
3.8%
Think Outside the Doghouse
3.9%
Pack Leader Complete a run with each breed of autoDogs
4.1%
All 42 achievements by how many players unlocked them
Pull no Punches Complete a run with each breed of Shovers
5.8%
They’ve Got Bite Complete a run with each breed of Wreckers
6.1%
Robot’s Best Friend Discover the storyline of each Automatown character
7.4%
“So Long, Friends.”
9.6%
The autoDog of Baskerville Defeat 25 Bosses
10.7%
Automa-Down! Defeat The Nexus Bulwark
11.1%
To the Nexus Throat Unlock the access to the Nexus Nodes
12.8%
Elite autoDog Complete a run in Elite Dog 1 difficulty
14.4%
Dog of War Destroy 500 enemies
15.3%
Lazy Dog
16.8%
Toy Hoard Create 30 Toys
17.1%
autoDoggo Complete a run in Doggo difficulty
23.4%
Agility dog Use Through Pipe Command 100 times
23.9%
Dog in a China Shop Complete a run with the Shover
24.7%
Walk the Dog Move across 250 tiles
27.3%
Can You Pet the autoDog?
27.6%
Drooly Destroy 15 enemies afflicted with Corroded
30%
Creative Trainer Train a new Custom Command
32.2%
Hunting autoDog Destroy 15 enemies afflicted with Hunted
32.5%
Chain Reactions Destroy 20 enemies with a reactive obstacle
33.4%
Strike! Hit 3 enemies with one single Shover attack
33.6%
Not Just Bark Complete a run with the Wrecker
37.6%
Another One Bites The Dust Hit 4 enemies with one single Wrecker attack
37.9%
Collision Chain Trigger 4 collisions with one single attack
41.7%
Fetching a Good Price Defeat The Market Crasher
43.8%
Underdog Defeat The Compressor
44.7%
Watchdog Defeat The Neighborhood Vigilantes
46.1%
Deep in Automatown Complete the 2nd District
52.6%
K9 Training Purchase your first autoDog Upgrade
56.8%
Massacre Destroy 4 enemies in 1 turn
57.9%
Junkyard Dog Defeat The Scrap Crusher
75.8%
Through Automatown Complete the 1st District
76.8%
Tough Hide Win a fight without losing HP
80.7%
Dog-Eat-Dog Make an enemy hit another
81.7%
Sleepy Automatown Win a fight without raising the Alarm
83.3%
The Signal Complete the Tutorial
90.4%

Share of Steam players who unlocked each achievement.

In the news

3 stories
Dog in the Machine Is Out Now, Sending a Robot Dog Into Turn-Based Battles and Explosive Chain Reactions
2 outlets · Sep 30, 2026
Dog in the Machine reinvents the domino tactics of Into The Breach as a mecha dog show, with players teaching their hounds tricks
1 outlet · Sep 16, 2026
Tactical Roguelite Dog in the Machine Sets September As Release Date
1 outlet · Sep 16, 2026