Cat‑Assassin Claws Toward 2027

I saw the headline “Dave Bautista is making a game about a killer cat” and did a double-take—then clicked faster than a laser pointer. The pitch is pure catnip: a neo‑noir city crawling with cartel fat cats, plus stealth, parkour, and claws‑out melee that riffs on Assassin’s Creed, Splinter Cell, Sifu, and the acrobatic charm of Stray. The moment I watched Titan1Studios’ teaser reel, I pictured myself pouncing across rooftops, tail swishing, lining up a silent takedown on some tux‑wearing tabby crime lord.

What really sold me was learning that the narrative comes from Steve Lerner, the writer behind Stray and Twelve Minutes. That explains the mood: puzzle‑box storytelling meets alley‑cat attitude. Bautista’s studio, Dogbone Entertainment, is producing, so the project already oozes Hollywood muscle. I like that Dogbone isn’t just slapping his name on the box; Bautista is hands‑on with world‑building and character arcs. If anyone can give Hugh the titular assassin—gravitas beneath the whiskers, it’s the guy who made Drax sympathetic and Rabban terrifying.

I’m also into how the devs treat traversal. Titan1 calls it “cat‑like parkour,” which in my head means scrambling up fire escapes, darting under neon signs, and using a purr button to distract guards. They’re promising the fluid melee of Sifu but with claws and a concealed sleeve blade (yes, really). Combine that with the gadget‑driven infiltration vibe of classic Splinter Cell and you’ve got the perfect recipe for late‑night co‑op heists where every failed jump ends with teammates hissing at each other over voice chat.

Then there’s the date everyone keeps asking about. Gizmodo’s report pegs the launch for October 2027 across PC, the big consoles, and even Nintendo Switch 2. That window still feels ages away—but it’s nice to have a target instead of “TBD” sitting on my wish‑list. Until then, I’ll be replaying Stray just to stay limber and keep my inner cat sharp.

While the fan chatter is energetic, formally captured details shed clearer light on Sony’s newest cross‑media contender:

Dave Bautista’s Dogbone Entertainment and Canadian outfit Titan1Studios formalized their partnership on June 12, 2025, announcing Cat Assassin as a multimedia franchise spanning an adult animated series, comics, and a flagship stealth‑action video game.

Steve Lerner, whose credentials include Annapurna’s award‑winning Stray and narrative thriller Twelve Minutes, serves as franchise creator and narrative lead.

Setting and Story

Cat Assassin takes place in a gritty, neon‑soaked metropolis inhabited entirely by anthropomorphic felines. Players control Hugh, a contract killer navigating turf wars between rival cartels. Titan1 promises a blend of dark humor, moral choice, and branching storylines that leverage Lerner’s puzzle‑centric writing style.

Gameplay Influences

Early design briefs cite four pillars: the open‑ended parkour and social‑stealth loops of Assassin’s Creed, the gadget‑based espionage of Splinter Cell, the agile third‑person combat of Sifu, and the tactile feline movement perfected in Stray. Titan1’s internal demo reportedly showcases rooftop free‑running, stealth takedowns, and reactive enemy AI that escalates when players leave claw marks—or literal body bags—behind.

Technology and Platforms

Titan1Studios’ proprietary SyncTools AI system, previously deployed in its VR title Events at Unity Farm, will drive NPC emotional states and faction reputation, dynamically altering dialogue and quest flow as Hugh claws his way up the underworld hierarchy. The studio lists PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2 as target platforms, aiming for parity in frame rate and controller mapping across systems.

Release Timeline

While Bautista’s announcement avoided specifics, multiple outlets report Titan1 is internally circling October 2027 for launch, with a closed alpha expected late 2026 and public beta in early 2027. Neither Titan1 nor Dogbone has confirmed those windows, positioning them as guidance rather than locked milestones.

Cross‑Media Expansion

Parallel to the game, an adult animated series produced by Dogbone will adapt Hugh’s origin arc for streaming platforms, leveraging the game’s art team for continuity. Titan1 has also signed preliminary deals for a comic mini‑series and a line of collectible figures, signaling intent to build a merchandise ecosystem similar to Assassin’s Creed’s transmedia model.

Industry Context

Cat Assassin arrives at a time when animal‑protagonist titles are trending, following the commercial success of Stray (over $200 million in revenue) and the critical buzz around indie projects like Untitled Goose Game. By infusing that premise with mature stealth mechanics, Titan1 aims to occupy a niche between whimsical animal adventures and hardcore action franchises.

I walked into this story expecting another gimmick pet project and walked out convinced we might be looking at the next big stealth IP. If Titan1 can nail the balance between feline agility and deep assassination sandbox systems, I’ll be first in line, tail swishing, when Cat Assassin finally lands—whatever date ends up on that box. Until then, October 2027 can’t come soon enough.