If your idea of a good time involves chaotic gunfights, grotesque aliens, and ripping off limbs to become stronger, SWAPMEAT is a game to keep your eye on. Launching in 2025 for PC and macOS via Steam, this upcoming co-op roguelite third-person shooter is as wild and meaty as its name suggests.
Developed by indie minds with a clear love for weird sci-fi and satisfying combat loops, SWAPMEAT puts players in the boots of Meat Scientists working for the multi-galactic mega-corp Rangus Meats. Your task? Raid bizarre alien worlds, engage in frantic third-person firefights, and harvest DNA from enemy limbs to unlock outrageous powers. It’s a shooter where you are what you loot—literally.
Gameplay revolves around defeating enemies and swapping body parts with them to gain new abilities, thanks to Rangus Meats’ patented Smart Meat™ tech. Whether playing solo or teaming up in four-player online co-op, SWAPMEAT invites you to experiment with ridiculous loadouts, mash together alien abilities, and swap strategies on the fly.
And the madness doesn’t stop there—SWAPMEAT is hosting its latest open playtest, Meat Lab 5, from May 15 at 10 a.m. PT to May 22 at 5 p.m. PT. Players can jump into the chaos early, and those who refer three friends will earn guaranteed access for their whole squad (while supplies last).
What’s new in the Meat Lab 5 build?
- A New System, A New Boss
- Travel to Solar System 2, featuring three new planets, a new biome, and an all-new Mutant Boss in the Space Federation Championship Edition Belt.
- Overhauled HUD & Combat Systems
- Weapon switching, in-run weapon upgrades, revamped elemental damage, an improved Active Reload system, and a ton of balancing changes across weapons, mutations, and abilities.
- New Gathering Mechanics
- Harvest resources from Fish Rifts, Mineral Veins, and Ancient Tech to upgrade your ship — but don’t forget, you’ll need to extract successfully to keep your spoils.
- Meet Trader Mike
- A new NPC who sets up shop on your ship, buying your surplus and bothering you with financial questions in true corporate fashion.
With its mix of absurd sci-fi, kinetic combat, and endlessly customizable characters, SWAPMEAT is shaping up to be one of 2025’s most original takes on the roguelite shooter genre.
