Отделение 38

Отделение 38 is a Russian-language visual novel currently in Early Access, having launched on October 10, 2024. The game tells the story of a student named Alexander navigating a bureaucratic afterlife, and was released with only the first chapter of its narrative available, with further chapters and content clearly intended to follow. Development activity after launch was limited: a bug-fix post went out on October 18, 2024, and a more substantial Chapter 1 update with new locations and quality-of-life improvements was posted on November 16, 2024. After that, there was a long silence until July 16, 2025, when the developer issued a significant statement: they revealed that investor support had been withdrawn since development began, and that the team is now operating purely on the passion of its members. To compensate for delays and attract new players who could help fund continued development, they temporarily lowered the game's price. The developer acknowledged "technical delays and a shift in the release schedule" but provided no concrete timeline or roadmap for future content or a 1.0 release. Since that July 16, 2025 post, there has been no further communication from the developer. The game remains in Early Access with its story unfinished, and the studio's disclosed funding difficulties raise real questions about whether development can continue at a sustainable pace. This is a small, self-funded team working on an ambitious narrative project without outside investment, and the absence of any updates or announcements since July 2025 adds to that uncertainty.