„Nothing is what it seems” Thick As Thieves is a PvPvE heist game full of sabotage and illusions

Before Summer Game Fest, I would have had a hard time recommending a heist game to you. But now, even just from the Day of the Devs showcase alone, there are three great options. One of those options comes from legendary game developer Warren Spector (Deus Ex) and his studio OtherSide Entertainment. Thick As Thieves is a PvPvE heist game. Players take on jobs and venture into the early 1900s city night, avoiding guards, grabbing loot, and sabotaging the other players. During Summer Game Fest, I had the opportunity to sit down with a few members of the development team to get an early look at an alpha build of Thick As Thieves. I can already tell that this could become the next multiplayer sensation.

Thick As Thieves turns stealth gameplay into a competitive multiplayer sandbox

As a member of a thieves guild, you take on jobs. This is the classic heist situation. Break into a mansion, sneak around the guards, and make it out with your prize. This would all be well and good on its own, but as the team mentions in their Day of the Devs trailer, other players will usually throw an unpredictable wrench into those plans. The guards are predictable. They have patrol routes that they follow. However, you can never predict exactly what another person will do.

At the time of my SGF demo, there were three primary character options, each with a unique skill. One character has a grappling hook that adds a significant amount of verticality to the gameplay, while another can temporarily create an illusion to appear as a guard or other NPC. The only character that wasn’t ready for the alpha gameplay apparently was able to use one respawn if they got knocked out. The development team explained that they wanted to make sure each character’s signature ability felt like it could break the game in some way. The last thing they want is for the grappling hook character to be the obvious choice every time, just because that tool was so valuable.

Caught in a tight spot.Thick As Thieves, Developer: OtherSide Entertainment

Thankfully, these characters do not have a static set of abilities. Players can mix and match certain skills depending on the situation or their preference. Personally, I think this is an excellent idea because it makes each matchup slightly less predictable. This can hopefully avoid a rock-paper-scissors matchup situation and give players some elements of surprise. As with any multiplayer game, a “meta” is bound to evolve, but it’s great that there is always at least some flexibility from character to character.

From moment to moment, there are many choices to make. Players leave behind temporary footprints wherever they walk, with different colors signifying different players. So, you need to be careful and strategic about what kind of trail you’re leaving behind. A fun customization element is calling cards. Anytime you grab some loot, you leave behind a small, folded card to let other players know who’s taken the item. You can completely design that card, so I can already imagine the fun I could have leaving an infuriating call card when playing with friends.

To add to that frustration, though, a fun detail is that you can re-lock chests after you’ve opened them and taken everything inside. This forces other curious players to go through the trouble of lock picking only to find that it was a waste of time. But this calling card also has a downside; now the other players know who to look for. You can try to escape with your loot or stash your prize somewhere on the map. Players might find the stash, but if they find you instead, at least your treasure is safe.

The tools of a thief.Thick As Thieves, Developer: OtherSide Entertainment

I would also like to take a moment to discuss the sound design of Thick As Thieves. In a stealth game like this, where every sound you hear means something and every sound you make could give you away, it’s not an element to be brushed over. Thankfully, the audio director, Matthew Pablo, was present to discuss it. He explained that every background noise is created by something. If you hear a train horn in the background, you can follow it to the train tracks and the train passing through. While I haven’t had the chance to play the game or use headphones for it, this approach to sound design gives me confidence that it will be done well.

The best moment during the demo was when we ran into another player. At first, we didn’t realize it. We walked into a room and were immediately spotted by a guard. But the guard didn’t immediately give chase. Instead, they backed up when they saw us. We could all immediately tell that this guard wasn’t who they appeared to be. We threw a smoke bomb, a poison dart, and in a flash of chaos, got out of there. The “guard” was actually a player using the appearance to sneak past other NPCs. This kind of unexpected, random situation is an example of the type of surprising moments that will happen naturally in Thick As Thieves.

Casing the joint.Thick As Thieves, Developer: OtherSide Entertainment

Thanks to OtherSide Entertainment and Megabit Publishing for the opportunity to get an early look at Thick As Thieves at Summer Game Fest. If this multiplayer stealth game looks interesting to you, the development team is looking for playtesters. You can sign up on Megabit’s website for a chance to participate. I’ve already signed up, so if you see a guard acting strange, it could be me. When Thick As Thieves eventually releases, it will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

Thick as Thieves

2026

Want It!

• Overview

• indie games
• multiplayer
• stealth games
• Warren Spector
• OtherSide Entertainment