Welcome Back to the Meat Lab: SWAPMEAT’s Latest Playtest Drops July 17 – Here’s What’s Cooking

Step aside, science fiction. SWAPMEAT is here to reclaim the lab coat, wield a meat cannon, and slap some alien limbs onto your torso with a grin.

Developer One More Game has announced the next round of hands-on mayhem for its delightfully grotesque co-op roguelite SWAPMEAT. From July 17 at 10 a.m. PT to July 23 at 5 p.m. PT, players can jump into Meat Lab 6, a brand-new playtest packed with squishy surprises, chunky updates, and at least one legendary space beefcake named Carl Rangus.

Want in? Sign up at playSWAPMEAT.com—and if you bring three friends along, your whole squad gets guaranteed access (while supplies last, so hustle).

“Mutate smarter, not harder. The weirder your body parts, the stronger your strategy.”
— probably Carl Rangus, definitely us

For those just now hearing about SWAPMEAT (where have you been hiding?), it’s a third-person shooter where you literally swap body parts with alien weirdos to steal their abilities and create your ideal Franken-fighter. Think: co-op chaos meets bioengineering gone rogue. The game is in development for PC, macOS, and Linux, and it’s shaping up for a 2025 launch via Steam—wishlist it now or risk being underprepared for the Great Meat War.

What’s New in Meat Lab 6?

This meaty build is not just a reskin—it’s a full-fledged protein injection. Let’s break down what’s getting seasoned and seared:

• Revamped Tutorial & Prologue: Newcomers are finally getting the welcome they deserve with an onboarding experience that explains who the Hunters are, what Smart Meat can do, and why Carl Rangus might be your problematic fave.

• Elemental Condition System Overhaul: Now enemies have thresholds that trigger specific status effects based on how you hit them:

  • Fire → Burning

  • Electric → Electrified

  • Slime → Slimed

  • Kinetic → Staggered

  • Ice → Chilled
    Combine effects, chain chaos, and let the meat fly.

• Mutations Reimagined: You’ll now pick just three build-defining Mutations per run, each of which unlocks different item pools and elemental tricks. This means fewer decisions, but more impact.

• Boss Battles, But Juicier: Solar System 1’s fight with Franken Beans has been rebalanced for better pacing. Meanwhile, Solar System 2’s new boss—Monday Night Midterms—is looking fresher than ever with revamped mechanics and visuals.

• New HUD, Who Dis?: Cleaner, clearer, and full of useful UX upgrades like a compass, objective tracker, and improved interaction menus.

• Introducing Flair Gear: Passive bonus equipment you can unlock and equip in your loadout. It’s not just fashion—it’s function.

• Quality-of-Life Feast: Over 20 new items, tons of balance tweaks, and elemental synergy boosts round out the update.

Curious about the full ingredient list? Check out the official patch notes via the SWAPMEAT Discord—it’s a buffet of behind-the-scenes brilliance.

Watch It Live, Ask Your Meat Questions

The devs are hosting a live Twitch stream on Friday, July 18 at 4 p.m. PT, where they’ll show off Meat Lab 6 in action. Expect gameplay, juicy dev talk, and probably a few limb jokes. 

Still Not Sure if You’re Ready to Swap Meat?

Then do yourself a favor and read our exclusive PAX East developer interview with One More Game. We got the inside scoop on what inspired this alien meat circus, what the future holds, and just how wild the Mutation system can get.

“Our goal is to build a co-op shooter where the weirdness is part of the strategy. Every limb is a choice. Every enemy is an opportunity.”
— One More Game, from our PAX East chat

Final Thoughts

With every new Meat Lab update, SWAPMEAT grows leaner, meaner, and meatier. This isn’t just about guns and goo—it’s a strategy game in disguise, where every limb matters and every run tells a weird, wonderful story.