Ratatan Delayed Following Critical Demo Feedback

Following an overwhelming wave of feedback from fans regarding its demo, Ratatan has announced a delay for its Early Access release. Keep reading to discover what players are saying about this upcoming rhythm title and what backers on Kickstarter can anticipate moving forward.

Ratatan Early Access Release Delayed

Critical Demo Feedback is The Reason For the Delay

In a Steam blog post published on July 4, Ratatan confirmed that its Early Access launch would be pushed back due to significant feedback received from players during the demo phase. Originally scheduled for release on July 25, the game’s launch has now been postponed indefinitely until further notice.

Developer Rata Arts noted that the demo had already amassed 200,000 downloads and garnered over 1,200 reviews alongside 2,000 individual feedback entries on Steam. However, the team admitted they lacked sufficient time to address all these comments, which ultimately led to the decision to delay the release.

The developers outlined several key areas for improvement based on player responses: a need for more satisfying roguelike structure and reward pacing; instances where Ratatan units fail to utilize their skills effectively; visuals that lack impact; and requirements for better content structuring, pacing, and mid-game flow.

While Ratatan serves as a spiritual successor to the acclaimed rhythm game Patapon—also created by its original designer, Hiroyuki Kotani—Rata Arts stressed that it is not simply another entry in that series. "In addition to that, Ratatan is not Patapon—it's an indie game aiming to deliver a completely new experience—so there will naturally be some differences in direction," they explained.

At Game8, we found Ratatan’s similarities to Patapon to feel instinctively familiar yet distinctly fresh. With the legendary creator of Patapon leading development and high expectations from dedicated fans, Ratatan radiates an energy reminiscent of the original series’ magic, while remixing it into something uniquely wild. To read our full thoughts on the Ratatan demo, check out our article below!