Berlin-based studio Paintbucket Games and Germany’s Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb) have released the first trailer for SOKO 1977: Anti-Terror Task Force. The historical-political deduction game puts players in charge of a special police task force in the Federal Republic of Germany during the 1970s, working through procedurally generated investigative stories built from fictionalized, plausible scenarios grounded in real historical events.
What the Trailer Shows
The trailer offers a first look at the real historical events of 1977 that inspired the game’s setting, and introduces the office of the special unit in Cologne at the center of the story. Set during a period of political tension, social upheaval, and escalating conflict, the task force’s job is to uncover left-wing terrorist networks, identify suspects, and coordinate operations, all while facing pressure from political authorities, the public, and the press.
Release and Gamescom Plans
SOKO 1977: Anti-Terror Task Force is planned for release in early 2027 and can now be wishlisted on Steam. Attendees at this year’s gamescom will be able to play it for the first time at the Indie Arena Booth in Hall 10.2.
About Paintbucket Games
Paintbucket Games is a Berlin-based studio founded in 2018 by former AAA developers Jorg Friedrich and Sebastian St. Schulz, focused on games that explore political themes, memory culture, and socially sensitive topics. The studio’s debut, Through the Darkest of Times, put players in charge of a civilian resistance group in Nazi-era Berlin, while its follow-up, The Darkest Files, explored the legal investigation of Nazi crimes in postwar Germany and won the German Computergame Award 2026 for Best German Game and Best Serious Game.
