Quick Facts
| Developer: | Aardman Animations |
| Publisher: | Outright Games Ltd. |
| Genre: | Action-Stealth / Puzzle Platformer |
| Platforms: | PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S |
| Release Date: | October 24, 2025 |
| Messe/Event: | Gamescom ’25 |
Picking up right where Aardman’s hit 2023 movie Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget left off, Chicken Run: Eggstraction throws players back into the feathers of Molly, Rocky, Ginger, and the rest of the brave flock. In a brand-new original story penned by movie contributor Larry Rickard, chicken-kind is once again in grave peril. The sinister, greedy corporate nugget industry is still operating, and it’s up to our feathered heroes to infiltrate five heavily fortified farms, outsmart bumbling guards, and rescue captive chickens from becoming breaded snacks.
At its core, this is a top-down, real-time heist game where stealth and clever team coordination are your best weapons. You will have to avoid watchful security cameras, dodge hawkeyed human patrols, solve environment-based puzzles, and employ hilarious, franchise-authentic gadgets. Ever wanted to hide from a guard inside a giant traffic cone or trigger a ridiculous chain reaction of chicken-propelled explosions? This game has you covered, perfectly capturing the signature stop-motion humor and wit that Aardman is internationally famous for.
Gamescom Hands-on: Surprisingly Challenging Feathered Hijinks
During our exclusive B2B appointment at Gamescom ’25, we got to extensively test the game’s core feature: the 2-player local co-op mode. We teamed up on the couch to plan and execute a daring heist, and our main takeaway was immediate: do not let the colorful, cartoonish, and kid-friendly aesthetic fool you!
Behind its charming, family-friendly exterior lies a game that is surprisingly challenging. To successfully pull off these rescues, both players must work in perfect harmony. While one player distracts the security guards or deactivates a camera system, the other must sneak past, grab the key items, and free the captive chickens. It requires genuine coordination, spatial awareness, and quick-thinking puzzle-solving. That being said, everything felt entirely manageable and fair, never crossing the line into frustrating territory—providing a wonderfully satisfying loop of “plan, fail, laugh, and try again.”
However, our playthrough also revealed that the preview build we tested still had some rough technical edges. The game seemed quite buggy in its current state, and we found ourselves getting stuck in the environment’s geometry and collision boxes more often than we should have. These collision bugs occasionally forced us to restart sections, adding a bit of artificial difficulty to the experience. It is clear that the game’s build still needs a solid pass of technical polish to ensure that navigating the tight vents and crowded barns feels as smooth as silk.
Powered by Unreal Engine 5: Claymation Comes to Life
Visually, Chicken Run: Eggstraction is an absolute treat. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, the game does an incredible job of translating Aardman’s tactile, stop-motion claymation aesthetic into a fully interactive 3D digital world. The character models look like they were hand-sculpted out of physical clay, complete with subtle imperfections, and the dynamic lighting creates wonderfully moody shadows that fit the high-stakes heist theme perfectly.
Despite the technical bugs we encountered during our hands-on, the game’s heart is definitely in the right place. The charm, the humor, the stellar voice work (including Bella Ramsey as Molly), and the satisfying co-op mechanics make for a highly enjoyable package.
Our Verdict: A Flock Worth Joining
If the developers at Aardman and Outright Games can use the remaining weeks before the October 24, 2025 launch to squash the collision bugs and iron out the technical kinks, Chicken Run: Eggstraction could easily become one of the most delightful and engaging local co-op games of the year. It offers a rich, humorous, and mechanically deep experience that is perfect for friends and families looking for their next great couch co-op challenge!
Ready to hatch your escape plan? Take a look at the official trailer for Chicken Run: Eggstraction below to see the feathered heist action in motion:
