The indie studio Smiley Dog has announced Don’t Stop Smiling, a unique horror game focused on exploring an abandoned, haunted school where the key to survival is simple — keep smiling. The game is set to release in the second quarter of 2026 for PC and will require a webcam or similar device to play.
Don’t Stop Smiling isn’t a long game — according to its Steam page, it lasts about an hour. The main character must explore a haunted school, uncovering secrets, surviving strange events, and ultimately trying to escape. However, there’s a catch: the game constantly tracks the player’s facial expression through the webcam. If the player stops smiling — whether from fear, shock, or even a scream — the character dies, and the game ends instantly.
A first trailer has been released, showing how exploration works and displaying a small on-screen indicator that monitors the player’s current facial expression. The video demonstrates what happens when that expression changes — the avatar on screen begins to cry, and the player can even hear sobbing sounds through the speakers.
The price hasn’t been announced yet, but if you’re interested, you can wishlist the game on Steam now.
You can also watch the first trailer of the game below.
