Overview
A new gameplay trailer has been revealed for Send in the Clown, an upcoming one-hour comedy role-playing game where players control an unappreciated clown attempting to save a 12-year-old child's birthday party from a troublesome brother.
Co-directors Nick Park and Jacques Mouledoux narrated the footage, which focuses squarely on the game's climactic and singular turn-based battle sequence.
The development team built an entire battle system dedicated solely to this single confrontation, reached through a series of comedic scenarios.
Gameplay and Recruitment Mechanics
Players step into the oversized shoes of Pockets to rescue Miranda's party from her brother Tad. Success requires recruiting various characters and gathering items to unlock distinct abilities.
Recruitment tasks include teaching a single father how to dance to unlock a dance troupe attack, helping a friend named Nasser to enable a protective hero move, and giving a mother a break by the pool so she can participate in combat.
Developer Mad Herons also teased additional methods to influence the final battle, such as finding baby photos, discovering religion, and waking up Nanna, though their exact rewards remain under wraps.
Release Details
Send in the Clown is scheduled to launch later this year on PC via Steam, and a playable demo is currently available.
For more from IGN Fan Fest 2026: Fall Edition, check out our main guide that explains how to watch, what to expect, and more.
Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.
