A Stray release date could be on the cards soon, if a recent ratings leak is to be believed. A Korean ratings board listing has appeared for the upcoming cyberpunk feline adventure, suggesting that its launch could be just around the corner.
What does this ratings leak tell us about the Stray release date?
The Korean ratings board is often a good litmus test for when games might release in the West. Listings for the GTA Remastered Trilogy and Mass Effect Legendary Edition betrayed the existence and impending release of those games prior to official release date announcements, and now, it looks like the same could be happening for Stray. The upcoming kitty cyberpunk adventure has been officially rated in Korea, potentially paving the way for an impending release in the West as well.
This is in addition to the SteamDB update carried out last month, whereby the developers updated the API release date of the game to April 19th. This can be a pretty reliable method for gauging release dates; also on March 15th, Dune: Spice Wars was noted to have a release date of April 26th, which was then announced by Shiro Games. In this case, however, it's worth noting that the April 19th date for Stray is likely aspirational rather than realistic. Still, it makes sense that we'd see it in the next month or two, and that an announcement should be forthcoming in the next couple of days. After all, Valve has a deadline for developers changing release dates on their own (10 days out), and doing so after the deadline has passed would require conversations with the Steam team, which can be time-consuming and difficult for publishers.
We're using machine translation for the Korean ratings board listing, but it looks like the game has been rated at 12 for "minor expressions of violence" against non-human enemies. There are also references to drugs and alcohol, with bars appearing throughout the game. However, it doesn't look like these references are strong or detailed enough to warrant a higher age rating for the game. It makes sense; the premise for Stray is inherently adorable, so naturally, it should be appropriate for young'uns to play as well.
What is Stray?
Originally announced back in June 2020, Stray is a cyberpunk-inflected adventure about an adorable little cat trying to find their way home. The Steam page for the game describes it as a "third-person cat adventure game" in which you'll need to use your feline skills to navigate a labyrinthine and occasionally dangerous world. You'll also have a little drone friend by the name of B12, and together, you'll need to discover a way out of the city. Frankly, the game looks cute as heck, although there's definitely an undercurrent of danger to it as well.
You'll likely be able to get your hands on Stray soon; the game currently has a rather vague release window of 2022, but this Korean listing likely points to an imminent announcement. When it does launch, you'll be able to check out Stray on both PC and PlayStation consoles. Between this and games like the upcoming Little Kitty, Big City, developers are really keeping cat lovers like me happy. We'll bring you more on this, including any potential official release date announcement, as soon as we get it.
