Map Map Demo Brings Cozy Exploration and Puzzle Solving with Map Building

German indie developer Pipapo Games has announced the launch of the free Steam Next Fest demo of Map Map, the studio’s debut title. The game is about creating maps by exploring and puzzle-solving. The game puts players into the shoes of a cartographer, part of a small adventure crew who must use proper navigation tools and chart out maps while exploring unknown islands.

The February 2026 edition of Steam Next Fest is now live, where players can find and try thousands of free demos of upcoming titles. The Steam Next Fest is a special place for indie games because it gives them a platform where they can showcase a small slice of their game and let players try it out. If interested, players can further support their favourite games by adding them to their wishlist or buying them if they are available.

Map Map Demo Brings Cozy Exploration and Puzzle Solving with Map Building

In Map Map, every island starts as an empty outline, and your goal is to explore the island and use different tools to create maps for it. Unlike most exploration games, there are no markers, icons, or revealed terrain on the map at the beginning. As you start exploring these places, you will measure distances, align landmarks, and record discoveries by hand-drawing your custom maps. As you continue to explore these islands and curate their maps, different locations will start appearing based on your findings on them.

The tools in the game are inspired by real-world cartography tools, which are used for different purposes like triangulating positions, interpreting elevations, and refining their understanding of each environment. These puzzles are spatial and observational and are built around interpretation rather than instruction. The game features cozy gameplay, which means there are no challenges or time limits, and it actually rewards patience and curiosity.

The new demo brings new content and some quality-of-life improvements. Players will find a brand-new island to explore with three new missions and an additional tool to explore. Two new characters are also in the game with their own unique dialogues. Treasure hunters can find a new treasure and also see a brand-new intro cutscene. New features added to the demo range from controller support, button remapping, a save system, mission retires, fast travel to previous islands, among many others.

Players looking forward to trying the new Map Map demo can head over to its official Steam page to try out its Steam Next Fest demo. It will remain live until March 3, while the full release of the game is slated for a Q2 2026 release window.