MOUSE: P.I. For Hire Pushed to Early 2026, New Date Expected at Galaxies Gaming Showcase

Fumi Games has confirmed that MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, its 1930s cartoon-style noir shooter, will no longer arrive this year. The independent studio announced the delay on October 22, stating that the title will now release in early 2026. A new launch date will be revealed tomorrow at the Galaxies Gaming Showcase, an event set to feature upcoming indie and mid-size projects.

Originally expected in 2025, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire has drawn attention for its distinct hand-animated look and mid-century detective aesthetic. The game follows private investigator John Mouston through a city gripped by corruption and chaos, where justice is less a principle than a risk. Its style, drawn from the rubber-hose animation of prewar American cartoons, pairs nostalgic imagery with first-person action — an unusual combination for a genre dominated by realism and high-budget spectacle.

Players take on the role of Mouston as he navigates a labyrinth of crime, betrayal, and political intrigue. The developer has emphasized the game’s balance between story and play, blending traditional noir elements — moody lighting, terse dialogue, moral ambiguity — with a playful tone that mirrors its animated inspirations. Enemies behave with exaggerated cartoon logic, bending and bouncing under fire, adding a strange levity to a world otherwise heavy with menace.

Combat draws from mid-20th century arsenals: revolvers, Tommy guns, and improvised weapons like hammers and dynamite. A grappling hook, helicopter sequences, and whimsical power-ups such as “Spinach” expand the game’s scope beyond the typical detective shooter. Fumi Games and publisher PlaySide have shown short gameplay teasers, but much of the campaign remains unseen. The developers have said the focus is on narrative cohesion rather than scale, suggesting a tightly designed experience rather than an open-world sprawl.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire has gathered a modest but steady following since its first trailer. Its visual signature — high-contrast black and white tones with smooth, looping animations — recalls both classic Disney and early Fleischer cartoons. This aesthetic sets it apart from the saturated realism of most shooters, lending it a peculiar warmth even in scenes of violence. The delay, while disappointing to some, may reflect the studio’s effort to refine that intricate balance between charm and grit.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire PC Minimum Requirements:

• CPU: Intel Core2 Duo E8400 or AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+
• RAM: 4 GB
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce 9800GT
• Storage: 2 GB available space
• API: DirectX 9.0

The game’s modest hardware demands suggest a broad reach across PC systems, widening access beyond the high-end market. For an independent studio, such accessibility can be as strategic as artistic — ensuring that its carefully stylized world reaches the widest possible audience when it finally arrives in 2026.