KOSMOS are a board game publisher best known for bringing out cozy games. Whether it's Catan, My City, or The Crew, their most well known hits all provide accessible fun for the whole family. Dig a little deeper, though, and you'll find a few titles with darker themes. Some of their escape room inspired EXIT games play like interactive horror movies, while Masters of Crime: Shadows is exactly as edgy as its title would imply. Well, now KOSMOS is working on what may be their darkest release yet… Perfect Murder
Perfect Murder was announced by Kosmos Games on Instagram. It's described as a "gripping head-to-head game" with one player controlling a detective hunting for clues, and another player controlling a murderer attempting to evade justice.
The game is due for a Spring 2o26 release. No official rules have currently been announced, beyond the fact that there are nine suspects, twelve weapons, and eight rooms available.
This focus on finding out not only who-dunnit, but also how and where they did it brings Clue (or Cluedo if you're a Brit) to mind. With its cat and mouse hea- to-head gameplay, Perfect Murder looks set to introduce a bit of asymmetry to this setup. Hopefully, the game also won't incorporate Cluedo's archaic roll to move mechanics.
Despite the game's bloodthirsty premise, it's listed as appropriate for ages 10 and up. So maybe my initial assumptions were wrong, and Perfect Murder will become a surprisingly heartwarming family classic.
Other upcoming KOSMOS games include several new EXIT titles, a reimagining of the 1996 Catan card game, and Ubongo Flex, a block sliding puzzle game.
What are some of your favorite murder mystery board games? Let us know in the Wargamer Discord, or take a look at our list here. You can also browse our list of the best Catan expansions if you're looking to expand your Catan collection.