Goblin Company: Goblin Company is a charming co-op mining survival adventure that successfully blends creative exploration, chaotic gameplay, and lighthearted fun into an enjoyable experience. While a few technical issues and the need for more content hold it back from greatness, its humor, freedom, and excellent co-op gameplay make it an easy recommendation. If you have a group of friends to play with, don't expect to stop after just one expedition. – NikolaOtasevic
When I tried the Goblin Company demo a few months ago, I immediately had a feeling that this game was onto something special. Now that it's finally launched (June 12, 2026), I'm happy to say it lived up to my expectations. BitBorne Studio has created a charming, chaotic, and surprisingly relaxing co-op mining survival game that manages to stand out in an increasingly crowded genre.
What Is Goblin Company?
In Goblin Company, you play as an overworked and highly expendable goblin employed by the ruthless WHAAG MINING INC. On paper, your job sounds simple: venture deep underground, mine valuable resources, build mining infrastructure, and return with a massive Giant Crystal.
In reality, almost nothing goes according to plan.
Unlike the fast-paced action of Deep Rock Galactic, Goblin Company takes a slower, more laid-back approach. Combat isn't the main focus. Instead, the game encourages exploration, creative digging, and solving the many problems you'll inevitably create for yourself.
Gameplay and Chaotic Fun
My favorite part of the game is the fully destructible environment. You can dig almost anywhere, carving out your own tunnels, massive caverns, or narrow passages leading to hidden resources. Before long, the underground turns into a giant maze of your own making.
Add mining tracks and mine carts into the mix, and things quickly descend into glorious chaos.
The cart physics ended up being one of my favorite features. I lost count of how many times I laughed out loud as an entire train jumped the tracks, tipped over, or disappeared into a pit carrying our precious cargo with it. Ironically, the moments when everything goes horribly wrong often end up being the most entertaining.
One expedition, in particular, stuck with me. After a long mining session, we finally found a Giant Crystal and started heading back, convinced the hardest part was behind us. Then the mine cart derailed, half our equipment fell into a hole, and creatures started emerging from the darkness. Instead of a heroic rescue mission, it turned into complete chaos filled with shouting and laughter—but somehow, we still managed to make it back with the loot.
Moments like that perfectly capture what Goblin Company is all about.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere left one of the strongest impressions on me.
Darkness feels genuinely oppressive, and with limited light sources, you're constantly keeping an eye on your supplies. The deeper you venture underground, the more dangerous things become. Monsters, cave-ins, and poisonous gas pockets all force you to think twice before pushing forward.
Despite that tension, the game never becomes too serious or overwhelming. Corporate radio announcements, hilarious goblin animations, and their constant chatter provide the perfect amount of comic relief, keeping the mood light even during stressful moments.
Co-op and Progression
Goblin Company truly shines in co-op with up to four players.
One player can focus on mining, another on building tracks, a third on driving the carts, while the fourth tries to protect the group. Of course, what usually happens is that everyone does a bit of everything, and the expedition turns into beautifully organized chaos.
The game is perfectly playable solo, but I definitely missed the shared improvisation and laughter that come with playing alongside friends.
Progression is satisfying and gives you a reason to keep coming back. Every successful trip back to base rewards you with resources to unlock new upgrades, whether that's a better drill, stronger lights, or improved mine carts. The feeling that every expedition contributes to your next adventure makes it hard to stop playing.
The Downsides
Of course, the game isn't perfect.
The camera can occasionally become awkward, cart physics sometimes work against you in frustrating ways, and mine cart pathfinding can break from time to time. Solo play may also feel a bit slow if you prefer constant action.
The launch version offers a solid amount of content, but it's easy to imagine how much more the game could grow through future updates. New biomes, monsters, tools, and expedition types all feel like natural additions.
Final Verdict
Goblin Company is a game that genuinely helped me relax while making me laugh more than once. It's not the most intense survival game out there, but that's exactly where its greatest strength lies. Its creative freedom, charming humor, and the satisfaction of building and surviving your own ridiculous mining expeditions give it a unique identity.
If you enjoy games like Deep Rock Galactic, Satisfactory, or Valheim but want something lighter, filled with goblins and chaotic mine cart disasters, this is an easy recommendation.
It may not end up being Game of the Year, but it's absolutely one of those games that turns a planned 30-minute session into several hours of laughter and co-op fun with friends.
A warm recommendation, especially if you have a group to play with. With its launch discount, it's hard to think of a better excuse to get lost in a goblin-run mine for a few hours.
