Though my love affair with Ball X Pit earlier this year was relatively short, it was intense—I ended up giving it 80% in our review, and I’d definitely count it as one of my most memorable roguelike experiences in a year where I’ve played the hell out of the genre.
Given the huge success the game has gone on to enjoy, ongoing support seemed inevitable. According to PC Gamer’s official data partner, Newzoo, Ball X Pit has accumulated at least 744,000 players (with a majority on Xbox, where the game was available on Game Pass). But even still I’m surprised how much developer Kenny Sun has announced for 2026. Coming soon is not just one update, but three, spread out over the first half of the year.
We’ll be getting the Regal update in January, the Shadow update in April, and the Naturalist update in July—all of them free. What each one will specifically contain is still a mystery, but between them we’re promised they’ll add new balls, characters, buildings, evolutions, “and more”.
Will all that lure me back? I could definitely see it. For me, the fun of Ball X Pit was in the novelty—steadily unlocking more and more game-breaking features and seeing how far they’d push my builds. New characters will be particularly welcome, I think, as they can radically change the feel of the game. I’d love to see more ideas as creative as ones in the base game like the Tactician, who makes runs turn-based, or the Physicist who changes the direction of gravity.
And more balls and evolutions will certainly add to the variety of runs, especially in the endgame where you’re often able to create a full arsenal of evolved balls.
I do hope, though, that the “and more” might include new levels or modes. With only the existing New Game Plus to play around in, going back for these updates may feel repetitive. In other words, more ball is great, but how about a bit more pit?
But that’s awfully close to griping about what sounds like it’s going to be a generous offering of new stuff that’s absolutely free. Overall it’s really cool to see so much announced for the game in 2026—and Kenny Sun is promising we’ll hear more about the details in “the very near future”, so watch this space.
It’s exciting to hear that Ball X Pit will have three free updates coming in 2026! The addition of new characters and features sounds like a great way to keep the game fresh and engaging. Looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds!
new characters and buildings sounds like a fantastic way to keep the game fresh and engaging. I’m curious to see how the new evolutions will impact gameplay strategies. It seems like these updates could really enhance the overall experience for both new and returning players!