House of the Lost: Revived is headed to PC and Steam Deck with full controller support, couch co-op, and the biggest House we've ever built. Wishlist it today.

Earlier this summer we brought House of the Lost back from the dead on iOS and Google Play, and the response from returning players and new ones alike has been a blast to watch. But ever since the House reopened its doors, one question has kept coming up: "When can I play this on PC?"

Today we can finally answer it. House of the Lost: Revived is coming to Steam, and it's shaping up to be the best way to visit the House yet. You can wishlist it on Steam right now, and if you do, you'll be helping us more than you know (more on that at the end).

Here's what the Steam version brings to the table.

Bigger is Better - For Screens

House of the Lost was born on a touchscreen, and we love it there. But there's something special about seeing the House fill a monitor or a TV. Bosses that loomed large on a phone now tower over you. The four environments have room to breathe, the secrets hiding in the walls are easier to spot (well... slightly easier), and the chaos of a room packed with monsters lands the way we always pictured it.

Better Control - The way it was meant to be played

Longtime fans might remember that House of the Lost once appeared on the OUYA, and we've always said that version was the director's cut, largely because playing with a controller just fits this game better. Precise movement, directional shooting, no thumbs covering the action. The Steam version is built around that from day one, with full controller support alongside keyboard only controls. However you like to play, the House will meet you there.

Two players, one House

Here's the one we're most excited about: local 2-player co-op is back!

Couch co-op was the crown jewel of that old OUYA release, and it's been locked away ever since that little console faded into history. On Steam, you can once again grab a friend, pass them a controller, and head into the House together. Twice the firepower, twice the crafting experiments, and someone to blame when a run goes sideways. The House doesn't stand a chance. (But, It does. It absolutely does.)

A perfect fit for the Steam Deck

House of the Lost has always been a roguelike you could take anywhere, and the Steam Deck means it stays that way. Handheld screen, real physical controls, quick runs on the couch or on a plane; it's honestly like this game and the Deck were made for each other, just fourteen years apart. If the Deck is your go-to way to play, the House is going to feel right at home in your hands.

Help us kick the doors open

Steam is a whole new neighborhood for the House, and wishlists are how new players find us there. If you're even a little curious, here's how you can help us make some noise:

• Wishlist House of the Lost: Revived on Steam - it takes two seconds and it genuinely makes a huge difference for a small studio like ours.
• Watch and share the announcement trailer: Steam Launch Video
• Playing on mobile already? ( You can find it now on the iOS App Store and Google Play ) Tell a PC-gaming friend the House is coming for them next.
• Follow @f5games on X for release date news and development updates.
• Press & content creators: our press kit lives here, and you can always message me on X or email press at f5games.

And so the Legend of the House grows. Only one question remains: do you, and your friends, have what it takes to conquer the House of the Lost?

Back in 2012 we launched a little game called House of the Lost for iPad and iPhone. It had shifting levels full of Halloween monsters, screen-filling boss battles, weapon crafting, and secrets hidden behind almost every wall. It was one of the first roguelikes on mobile, and it proved the idea could work on a small touchscreen device. It was even called "the closest thing to iOS Spelunky" by TouchArcade, which if you were making mobile games in 2012, was about the highest compliment you could hope for.

Then, in 2019, House of the Lost disappeared

This is the story of how it broke, why we couldn't let it stay dead, and what it took to bring the House back, better than it's ever been. House of the Lost: Revived launches July 16th, and if you want the less than a minute version first, check out the announcement trailer below.

The original: a roguelike that fit in your pocket

The premise was simple: your sister vanishes into the House of the Lost, and the only way to get her back is to go in after her with a slingshot and a lot of nerve. Every run reshuffled the House with new layouts, new enemies, new ways to die. And let's be honest, you were going to die... a lot. It's not quite Dark Souls level hard, but we're in the neighborhood.

What made it click was the loop. Even though each run is different there is still a lot you can learn from each new attempt. Add in a weapon-crafting system that rewarded experimentation, and boss fights that punished sloppiness, and you have a game that can earn its way into a gamer's heart. It was fun and chaotic in the way the best roguelikes are, and because it ran in the palm of your hand, you could take it anywhere.

Unfortunately, while it did run in the palm of your hand, it didn't always run well. The mobile hardware we had in 2012 was nothing like what we have today, and on some of the older devices the game could slow down in busy rooms. There was even an issue with the skateboard item that could allow players to phase through walls if they timed it along with a slowdown in the game. Thankfully we were able to iron out all of those issues and get the game into a really good state for players.

The disappearance: how a game just... stops working

But, here's the uncomfortable truth about mobile: a game isn't a finished object. It's a thing that has to keep surviving on a platform that never stops moving underneath it. And so, in 2019 after several warnings from Apple, House of the Lost was removed from the store.

Throughout the years Apple has had several OS updates that have caused apps to be removed and lost from the store. One of those was the move away from apps built for 32-bit devices and on to 64-bit. This wouldn't have been an issue except that House of the Lost used an open source library to load its map, and that library wasn't being maintained any more.

While we tried several times to swap out the library for something more modern, or update the library ourselves, we just couldn't get a clean build of House of the Lost for modern devices. After several unsuccessful attempts we started to think that House of the Lost might really be lost for good.

There's been a lot of talk about game preservation lately, mostly framed around physical media, whether games survive when the discs stop shipping. House of the Lost is a look at what the future could hold for us, it was already digital-only. The Appstore didn't have to shut down for players to lose access to this game, it simply stopped working because the platform kept moving and the code stayed still. One day it was in players' hands, but then when they updated their OS or bought a new device, it was gone. Unfortunately, digital games don't need anyone to kill them, they rot by default.

Why revive it instead of moving on?

We've shipped a lot of games in 20+ years, so we could have let this one stay a fond memory. But House of the Lost kept nagging at us, for a few reasons.

First, the core still holds up. The roguelike loop we built in 2012 is the same loop players love in the genre's biggest hits today. Second, we have continually received messages from players wondering where House of the Lost has gone. Usually when a player upgrades to a new device and realizes they can't download the game from the store anymore. We hated not having a good answer for our players when they were asking to play our game again.

Finally, the tools and the audience have both caught up in 2026. What was a technical stretch on 2012 hardware is not an issue at all now, and mobile players who'd never have touched a roguelike a decade ago, seek them out today. We were also able to use the time away to come up with a new approach to get around the outdated libraries in the original game without completely rewriting everything from scratch.

You can see one of our work-in-progress shots from the rebuild above. It took some trial and error to get everything in the right place again, but eventually we were able to put the House back together.

The rebuild: what "Revived" actually means

This isn't just a re-upload of the original game. This is the definitive House of the Lost experience with every enhancement, bug fix, and new feature that we introduced throughout it's original 7 year run. Here is a look at the features you'll find inside House of the Lost: Revived.

* Random levels that stay fresh: No two runs are the same; the House reshuffles layouts, enemies, and challenges every time.
* Weapon crafting: Combine what you find into new tools of destruction, and discover the combos that turn a doomed run legendary.
* Multiple Control Styles: The game now defaults to directional shooting controls but you can also swap back to the original 'NES style' button controls if you want an extra challenge.
* Four boss domains: Each with its own enemies, hazards, and an epic battle waiting at the end.
* Secrets everywhere: Walk through walls, chase down clues, and pull the House apart.
* Leaderboards and Achievements: Challenge your friends to see who can set the highest score, or defeat the House quicker.
* Offline and all yours: No connection required, and no ads, no gacha, no energy timers. Ever.

How is it priced?

We've made it pretty simple; play the first two levels and the first boss completely free as many times as you like. Then, a single purchase unlocks the entire game forever. No ads. No gacha. No energy timers. You buy the House once, and it's all yours.

That's the deal we'd want as players, so that's the deal we're offering. Also, if you purchased the unlock in the original iPad version, you should be able to restore that purchase in this version without paying again.

It's our way of saying, 'If you were there in 2012, thank you. If you're new to the House, welcome; you picked a good time to knock'.

The House Reopens

House of the Lost: Revived is available now on the iOS App Store and Google Play

Here's how you can help us bring it back loud:

* Watch and share the trailer: House of the Lost: Revived - Announcement Trailer
* Follow @f5games for more details and launch-day updates.
* Press & content creators: our press kit lives here, and feel free to message me on X or email to press at f5games.

I guess only one question remains: do you have what it takes to conquer the House of the Lost?

Happy New Year! That's right, another year has already come and gone here at F5 Games. As always, that means it's time for the annual F5 recap post. We'll review the year for F5 Games and then hand out some awards to games that made an impact on us throughout 2025. So grab a coffee, or drink of your choice, and put your feet up. You've earned it!

F5 Games in 2025

2025 was a good year for F5 Games, but not as great as we had hoped. We had plans to release a new RPG game in 2025 and that unfortunately did not happen. While we are still working on new projects, we just didn't have the resources to handle all of the development challenges we encountered this year, and that made us have to adjust our plans.

We were able to release BlackHearts in early 2025 for the Infinity Game Table, and it has been great to see players enjoy it. BlackHearts is actually 3 card games in one package; you can play the classics, Pitch and Hearts as well a newly designed game, BlackHearts that combines the rules of both games into something exciting and new! If you're a fan of card games, and looking for something to play this New Year's Eve, give it a try!

2025 F5 Game Awards

Before you run off and start playing BlackHearts, let's take a look at some of the best games to release this year. These are games that captured my playing time and stood out among the thousands of releases over the year. Here are my picks for the best games of 2025.

Best Action Game - SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance

In a year when we got a new entry in the DOOM franchise, it is saying a lot that a 2D ninja game is my pick for Best Action Game, but here we are!

Lizardcube's hand-drawn 2D platformer resurrected SEGA's ninja icon with precise katana combos, ninjutsu, and high octane action gameplay. Nominated for TGA Best Action Game, it excelled in nearly every aspect with flashy combat, great level design, excellent visuals and a standout soundtrack. It felt like the '2D Ninja Doom Eternal' that we didn't know we needed, and I loved every minute of it.

Best Indie Game - Ball x Pit

Keny Sun's roguelite brick-breaker stole my heart in 2025. In much the same way that Balatro consumed my gaming time in 2024, Ball x Pit sunk its talons into me early and never let go. The gameplay loop of diving into a run though the pit, which unlocks new buildings in the overworld, which improves your abilities in the pit just can't be beat.

It's the perfect game for Switch 2 or Steam Deck, and with 3 new content updates planned for 2026, I know it's a game I'll be playing for a long time to come.

Best Platforming Game - Donkey Kong Bananza

Donkey Kong made a triumphant return in this Switch 2 exclusive. It combined the joyful platforming of Super Mario Odyssey with amazing destruction physics that never got old. It also helps that no one knows how to build gameplay over the course of a game like Nintendo.

There is always something new coming DK's way as you delve deeper and deeper into the underworld. Pauline as the cute sidekick is just icing on the cake, and one more reason this is a must play.

F5 Game of the Year for 2025 - Hollow Knight: Silksong

Team Cherry's long-awaited sequel had crushing expectations to meet, and it could have been enough to doom this game before it was ever given a chance to shine. When your game release simultaneously crashes every digital storefront, you know expectations are running high. The fact that Silksong not only met the expectations heaped on it, but actually exceeded them, is a testament to the ability of Team Cherry.

Hollow Knight: Silksong was the best game of 2025, it tested us with difficult platforming and combat that gave no quarter, and made us better for it. If you made it to the end of Hornet's journey you will be a better game player, there is just no other way to accomplish the feat. Its art style and soundtrack are stellar, its world drips atmosphere from every area and enemy. It's a near-perfect game, with a world and story that you won't want to leave behind. Hollow Knight: Silksong cements Team Cherry as one of the greats, and we can't wait to see what comes next

Let's See What 2026 Has In Store

As this year comes to a close we want to say how thankful we are for all of our players. Your support allows us to continue doing something that we love, and we can't thank you enough for that opportunity. Thank you all so much for playing our games, reading our posts, and following us on social media. From everyone here at F5 Games, we wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year for 2026!

That's right, our awesome arcade block breaker is on sale from Oct 10 - Oct 13th 2025, for only $0.99!

In case you don't know, Block Breakerz is a fast paced, 4 player, arcade game that blends Breakout and Hungry Hungry Hippos into a party game you just can't stop playing. Compete solo or against up to three of your friends in 4 different game modes that will have you playing ‘just one more round’ for hours on end. Block Breakerz is a frantic and fun game for the whole family, and will be a great addition to your iPad!

Game Features

• Local Multiplayer: Play solo to set a high score or with up to 4 players at a time to make it a party.
• 4 Game Modes: Play Clear, Score Attack, Target Break, or Battle Mode with your friends.
• Fun for the whole family: Easy to pick up and play for all ages.
• Drop in and Drop Out: Players can quickly jump in or out between matches.
• 24 different levels across 4 game modes.
• Play at home or take the fun with you wherever you go with your iPad or iPad Pro!
• No Ads and No In-app Purchases, just a great time for you and your family

Click the icon below to check out Block Breakerz on the Appstore and start playing today!

Welcome to a very special post about a milestone that F5 Games has just passed, our 20th Anniversary as a company! It is hard to believe that we have been in business for two decades, but I suppose time files when you're having this much fun. To celebrate, I thought it would be nice to take a look back at the last 20 years of F5. We'll take a look at how and why we got started, the ups and downs we've experienced, and of course the games we've made along the way.

So, grab your favorite beverage and settle in as we take a journey through the first 20 years of F5 Games.

Humble Beginnings

F5 Games was founded on March 10th 2005, mainly as a way to get into E3. Don't get me wrong, it had been my dream to start a game company for years, and that was the plan once college was over, but when we realized that if we started the company in our last year of college we could take a trip out to LA and get in to E3, we decided to move up the time table.

After making the trek to E3 we were more excited than ever to start working on a real game that we could release into the market. Our first attempts were focused on the PC using the Torque Game Engine (or TGE) from a company called Garagegames. While we learned a lot about development during this time we quickly realized that we were not going to have the resources to develop the game we had in mind without a publisher or investor to help us bridge the gap.

House of the Lost was a great change of pace for us and a game that we all really enjoyed working on. It came together quickly and we were able to launch on iPad after just a few months of work. Over the next couple years we brought the game to several additional platforms, including iPhone, Kindle Fire, and even the OUYA indie console. Working with OUYA was a great experience and it made House of the Lost our first game to appear on a console!

The OUYA version of House of the Lost really ended up being the director's cut of the game. It had all the enhancements we had added since the initial launch, controller input which suited the gameplay much better than touchscreen controls, and it even had 2-player couch co-op! If you are lucky enough to still have an OUYA with House of the Lost installed, fire it up and you are sure to have a good time.

After House of the Lost, our next big release was an attempt to make a multi-player shooter that worked on mobile devices. There had been attempts to make FPS games on mobile by then but they just didn't fit the devices of the time. Our solution was to make a top-down multiplayer shooter that limited your visibility like an FPS. This game was 'The Hunted'

The Hunted - Released 11-20-2014

The Hunted has always been one of my favorite games to build. I can still remember the daily testing sessions that tended to run past quitting time because we just wanted to get in one more match. We built an exciting game with varied characters, lots of game modes, and 8 player cross platform multiplayer. It was a blast to play, and to this day, I brainstorm ways to bring it back for another round.

Also, how can you beat a land-shark character with a machine gun?

Time For Something New

After releasing The Hunted in 2014 I decided it was time to slow down and try to come up with some new ideas before launching anything else. The next several years were full of prototypes, studying the market, and learning new tools, but we didn't release another game until we kicked off our card game phase with Blackjack Masters.

Blackjack Masters - Released 12-20-2019

Blackjack Masters was something I built myself to try and better learn what worked in mobile gaming and what didn't. It allowed me to work on building new kinds of game loops, adding competitive social elements, and improving on our UI design. It's also a lot of fun to play, until you meet a bad run of cards that is. Blackjack Masters has been one of our most popular games and started a run of successful cards games on the App Store and on our latest platform, the Infinity Game Table by Arcade 1Up.

Bringing Players Together with the IGT

I first heard about the Infinity Game Table when I saw their Kickstarter video pitching a coffee table sized touchscreen device that focused on people playing together. I was instantly hooked, and I knew that I wanted to make games for it. We backed the Kickstarter, and not long after we received our table I contacted Arcade 1Up to see if F5 Games could build games for the IGT platform. We ended up being the first 3rd party developer to release a game on the IGT and we have had a great partnership with them ever since.

Blackjack Masters Party - Released 11-22-2021

Blackjack Masters Party took what was great about the mobile version of Blackjack Masters and blew it up to a full size casino experience for up to 4 players! It really captures the excitement of sitting around a table in the casino, but without all the regrets when your hand doesn't work out. Blackjack Masters Party was not only our first game for the IGT but along with the iPad version it has also been the most successful game in our history!

Block Breakerz - Released 06-13-2023

Our next release, Block Breakerz, hit both the iPad and IGT in the summer of 2023. Not only did the game find a great audience on the Infinity Game Table but we also received a feature from Apple on launch day! The fun action gameplay makes it easy to pick and play with your friends, family, or kids. Just try not to get too made when they start beating you.

All-In Texas Hold'em - Released 10-31-2023

Later in 2023 we released All-In Texas Hold'em for the Infinity Game Table and iPad. This game had a couple firsts for us, it was our first 6 player game for the IGT and we also decided to write our own Poker AIs that players could compete against. This ended up taking a lot of research and work to pull off, but the quality of games you can have with computer opponents makes it all worth it. Texas Hold'em has been one of our fastest growing games and looks like it will surpass Blackjack Masters in the next year as our most successful game.

Euchre Masters - Released 05-21-2024

Just last year, in 2024, we released Euchre Masters to the Infinity Game Table and iPad. Euchre is a great classic card game that is very popular in the mid-west and we wanted to make it easy for new players to learn and enjoy. We also really refined our presentation and UI for Euchre Masters and it shines through in the finished product. This is one of the most attractive games we have ever made.

BlackHearts - Released 01-14-2025

And that brings us back to 2025! Earlier this year, we released BlackHearts for the Infinity Game Table and it has been doing well over its first couple months. BlackHearts was our attempt to create a brand new card game, one that takes inspiration from the classics like Hearts and Pitch, but delivers something new and fun to play. This was also our biggest card game release yet as it includes 3 games in 1, so it took a little more time to polish but we are very proud of how it turned out.

What Does the Future Hold for F5 Games?

Now that we have finished our look at the last 20 years of F5, what comes next? How do we take the next step and reach new players all across the world with our games? What propels us to continue on and still be around in another 20 years?

Looking back over our history has helped me to realize just how far we have come in our ability and knowledge of how to make a great game. There was so much to learn about game development and the business aspects of releasing a game that it feels like we have been building on our success, and learning from our mistakes, all to get us where we are today.

With that in mind, we have decided it is time to take a chance and swing for the fences once again. We are going back to one of our favorite genres and building not one, but two new role playing games! We are developing a tactical RPG that is focused on large screen devices as well as a new twist on the dungeon crawler that will be targeting mobile, and we are hoping to release both of these games in the next year! You can see a very early screenshot below of the tactical RPG and we plan to share more information about both of these games here on the website and on X over the coming months.

Thank You and Happy Anniversary F5 Games!

Thank you for reading this, very long, look back at the history of F5 Games; I hope it was interesting for you. I believe it is important to look at where we have been so that we can get to where we want to go. And I hope you'll come along for the ride. Here's to the next 20 years!

What do you get when you combine the classic card games Hearts and Pitch? BlackHearts, an all-new experience that will knock your next game night out of the park!

Oh, and just in case you love those classic games like we do, you can play them as well. That’s three awesome card games in one for your Infinity Game Table and Game Board! Grab 3 of your friends, or let our AIs fill any empty seats, and take a swing at the all-new BlackHearts, or the classics Hearts, and Pitch.

It's time to take your card night to the next level with BlackHearts for the Infinity Game Table™ by Arcade1Up!

Gameplay

BlackHearts is a team-based trick taking card game for 4 players. It plays out over 9 rounds, kind of like a game of baseball. In each round you score points by winning tricks but lose points for every heart card you get stuck with. You’ll have plenty of back-and-forth battles before the end.

You can customize all three games by mixing and matching the tabletop, card back, and deck style to your liking. We have included How to Play sections for BlackHearts, Pitch, and Hearts in case you need to brush up on your game. We also help you out by highlighting cards that are valid to play and fading out cards that aren't playable.

Put all this together and BlackHearts is pick up and play fun for the whole family.

Features

• Multiplayer- Play 1-4 player Hearts, Pitch, or BlackHearts with our AIs filling any empty seats.
• Gameplay Helpers - We make sure that only valid cards are played, so it’s easy to get started and learn as you go. You also don’t have to worry about ‘that one’ friend cheating.
• 3 in 1 - You get our brand-new card game BlackHearts as well as the classics Pitch and Hearts, all in one package.
• Family Game Night - All three games are great for players of all ages.
• Built for the in-person multiplayer of the Infinity Game Table and Game Board

How to Purchase

It couldn't be easier to get the party started. Just fire up your Infinity Game Table™ and look for the icon below in The Store. Tap on the icon and then tap on the price button to start the purchase process. BlackHearts is 3 games in 1 and priced at only $6.99. It's fun that you and your friends can enjoy for years to come.

We can't wait to hear how much fun you have with BlackHearts on the Infinity Game Table™. If you grab the game, let us know what you think and share some of your experiences with us on X or Facebook.