SouthWest Games has scheduled the pixel-art cinema sim's 1.0 release for 9 November 2026, priced at $14.99 on Steam and the Epic Games Store. The studio also plans four major DLC expansions.
Cinema Theater Tycoon starts in 1906, then follows more than a century of cinema history. Players build and customise theatres as the film industry moves from silent movies toward modern technologies. SouthWest Games has not said how quickly players will move between eras.
The two-person French studio has worked on the pixel-art management game since 2024. Its full 1.0 release is set for 9 November 2026, when the game arrives on Steam and the Epic Games Store for $14.99 USD.
Running a theatre means managing staff. Owners will schedule screenings and organise special events, then design venues and expand their businesses. SouthWest Games has not spelled out the individual management systems or the size of the film catalogue.
The studio released an official release-date trailer with the launch announcement. It has not said whether the footage was captured from gameplay, so the trailer does not establish final performance or show the full set of systems.
The announced release is for PC. SouthWest Games has named no console version or other platform, and has not specified regional pricing or differences between the two storefronts.
November already has another independent PC release on the calendar. Table Knight Games has set UnderMire's Steam debut for 13 November 2026, four days after Cinema Theater Tycoon. The games occupy different genres, making their dates a useful comparison for that month's indie releases.
The announcement provides no system requirements or technical performance figures. It also does not say whether review access or a demo will be available.
SouthWest Games says development will continue after version 1.0. The roadmap names four major DLC expansions and promises free content updates. The studio has also alluded to further surprises, but has not announced what they are.
The developers say community feedback helped shape the game during development. That work has included more than two years of development and improvements, though the studio has not identified specific changes made in response to players.
SouthWest Games has not named the planned expansions. It has yet to describe their features or set release dates.
