•As part of IGN Fan Fest 2026: Fall Edition, a new gameplay trailer for Send in the Clown, an upcoming one-hour comedy RPG, was revealed. In the game, players take on the role of history’s least-appreciated clown as he tries to save a 12-year-old girl’s birthday from her bratty brother.
Co-directors Nick Park and Jacques Mouledoux walk through the latest look at Send in the Clown, focusing squarely on the game’s climactic, one-and-only turn-based RPG battle. The team built an entire battle system for just a single fight, with all the roads leading to it described as pretty hilarious.
Players will step into the oversized shoes of Pockets as he tries to save Miranda’s party from her brother Tad. To do so, he’ll need to recruit characters and gather items, which unlock each character’s unique ability.
If he can teach a single dad how to dance, he’ll unlock a dance troupe attack. If he helps hype up Miranda’s friend Nasser, the team will be able to use the ‘Be a Hero’ move that protects an ally from damage. Lastly, if you are able to give a mother a break from watching her baby so she can lay by the pool, she will be able to throw said baby at an enemy for ultimate damage.
According to a report by Adam Bankhurst for IGN
The trailer also teased other ways players can turn the tide of the final battle in their favor, including finding Tad’s baby photos, finding religion, and waking Nanna. Developer Mad Herons wouldn’t reveal what happens when you find those things, but said the rewards will surely be useful.
Send in the Clown is set to debut later this year on PC via Steam.
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.
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