Warren Spector’s studio has announced a new game called Thick as Thieves, a four-player multiplayer Thief game coming in 2026. The game is a PvPvE first-person stealth game that focuses on player creativity and strategic gameplay. It is set in a dense city during the early 1910s in the UK. The game encourages players to use deception and cleverness to outsmart their opponents rather than relying on combat. The lead designer, David McDonough, emphasizes the importance of finding unique solutions to problems and thinking creatively. The game is designed to empower players to choose their own tools, abilities, and routes through the level. Thick as Thieves aims to adapt the intricate design of immersive sims to a competitive format. The game will feature a fictional UK city with indoor areas, sewers, train stations, offices, dwellings, and rooftop ledges for players to explore. The setting combines an old-world aesthetic with elements of modern technology. Players will take on the role of rival thieves who are members of a guild. Each thief will have a unique signature item that only they can bring into a match, such as a grappling hook. The game will also incorporate narrative elements, allowing players to pursue quests related to the guild, political forces, and other actors in the city. While the game features magic, it is grounded in realism and practicality. Players will have access to tools and devices that provide strategic advantages, but there are no flashy magical abilities with cooldowns. The focus remains on stealth and cunning rather than supernatural powers. In terms of gameplay, Thick as Thieves emphasizes the contest of craftiness, where players must outsmart both AI security and other rival thieves. The game discourages direct confrontation with guards and instead encourages players to use stealth and environmental manipulation to achieve their objectives. The developers acknowledge that attracting a large player base for a game in this genre may be challenging. They point to the limited success of previous multiplayer stealth-robbery games as evidence of the niche appeal of these types of experiences. The team behind Thick as Thieves hopes to differentiate their game from previous attempts by focusing on competition rather than combat. They aim to provide a wide range of gameplay options beyond simply “killing” other players, including ambushing, stalking, hunting, and using the environment to gain an advantage. Overall, Thick as Thieves promises to offer a unique and strategic multiplayer experience that prioritizes creativity and player agency. The game’s emphasis on stealth, deception, and outwitting opponents sets it apart from traditional combat-focused multiplayer games. With its immersive setting and focus on player-driven narratives, Thick as Thieves is poised to attract fans of the immersive sim genre and offer a fresh take on competitive multiplayer gaming.