Screenshots
Watch trailer on Steam ↗Contact Protocol
Cold Zephyr Games · Published by Kinetic Publishing · Official site ↗
Content notice: Our game takes place in a dark, late-stage capitalistic future where the value on human life has shrunk in response to corporate needs/power. Depending on the encounter, you'll find ships that use profanity. One of our planned NPCs will be depicted smoking in all his appearances. Cigarettes may also appear on the player's work station. The only violence present in our game is the torpedo ship combat that can result in the deaths of all crewmembers on board either ship during an encounter. The full game may include themes of mental health issues and suicide.
Last updated 28 Sept 2026
Contact Protocol is a starship job simulator set aboard a corporate vessel bound for Jupiter. Investigate incoming ships, uncover suspicious activity, and make impossible choices as you protect your crew - while the company watches your every move.
Indie, Simulation · 2027 · More free games
Explore a starship's life as you investigate ships and make critical choices to protect your crew. Navigating the complexities of space and corporate politics in Contact Protocol from Cold Zephyr Games.
About this game
Get to Ganymede
Contact Protocol is a starship job simulator taking place in a gritty, cassette-future. Humanity has spread throughout the solar system and started extracting its natural resources.
You play as the security officer aboard PALE HORSE - a Galileo Corporation vessel carrying miners set for Ganymede, Jupiter's biggest moon. It’s your job to assess the intentions of approaching ships, decide their fate, and keep your crew alive. The company is watching.
Do your Paperwork
Your new role will require you to...
Investigate: Cross-reference incoming data bursts against company records
Interrogate: Prod for answers to explain discrepancies
Engage: Destroy incoming ships with inconsistent data or suspicious communications
Multi-task: Fix contact frequencies, check hull images, and recover corrupted data - all while answering comms
Meet shipmates: Talk to the crew in an effort to stay sane in the depths of space
Document: Mismanaged paperwork can expose your employer to legal action. We wouldn't want that, would we?
Time is of the Essence
As ships approach, you'll have limited time to uncover their intentions and act. Contact Protocol will test your multi-tasking skills, but also your instincts; thinking takes time that you don't have. What decisions will you make?
You are not always in control, but you are always accountable.
The Journey Changes With You
Procedural ships: Every encounter will be different
Choices matter: Your decisions will affect your relationships with the crew, and their narratives
Multiple endings: Your choices will have knock-on effects throughout the solar system
Custom moral profile: Get a shareable breakdown of your actions when you finish the game
Customisable workspace: Don't enjoy the colour of your console text? Change it! Don't like how that bobblehead is looking at you? Chuck it out the airlock!
System Requirements
Will my PC run this? →Minimum
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: Core i5 4690K or AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 460
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 5 GB available space
Recommended
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 11
- Processor: Core i3 9100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1300X
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia Geforce GTX 960 or AMD RX 470
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 5 GB available space
Supported Languages
Latest news
Patch NotesOfficial
Demo Update
Patch NotesJust a small update about the demo after that HUGE announcement the other day of our signing with Kinetic Publishing (video at the bottom for anyone who missed it!). Splash ArtThere's some new parallax scenes (the thing where the background moves separately to the character so it looks a little bit 3D). Thanks Peter! UIWe've changed the 'Archive' button to 'View Archive'. Some streamers thought the button would archive everything in front of you, when it actually takes you to the archive. Hope someone here at CZG is fired for that blunder. New CreditsAfter realising how far we've come, we thought we'd give a proper thanks and shout out to everyone who helped us. If you're a friend of the dev team, check the credits! You may just find your very own name...What's NextMore little bits of polish (it never ends.)???More videos over on our YouTube channel PS: Don't forget to join our official Discord server if you have suggestions! - James (Marketing guy) "Mrrr" Kinetic Publishing Showcase:Read full article on Community Announcements (Daft Lump)AnnouncementsOfficial
We have a publisher!
FINALLYThis news has been brewing for a while now, and we've been itching to tell you all - Contact Protocol is being published by Kinetic Publishing! We're so excited to not only be part of the Kinetic Publishing family, but to be the first game released in their starting lineup. Together, we'll make Contact Protocol the best game it can be. A huge thank you to all the fans, playtesters and demo replayers that have been raving about Contact Protocol since day 1. It's you that helped us get this far! Now that the cats out of the bag (no pun intended), we'll be eagerly pressing on, making Contact Protocol. In the meantime, if you haven't seen the first ever Kinetic Publishing showcase where this partnership was revealed, then go check it out! All details below... Game Name: Contact ProtocolRelease Date: Spring 2027Platform(s): Steam, PS5, XBOX, Switch 2Published by: Kinetic PublishingRead full article on Community Announcements (Daft Lump)AnnouncementsOfficial
We're in Festivals This Week
Festivals!Hello dear employees. We're taking part in 2x festivals this week and we couldn't be more excited! Yogscast Tiny Teams FestivalFirst is the Yogscast Tiny Teams festival starting right now over on their channels! They're streaming Contact Protocol literally as we speak so go check it out :D 📅 Date: The festival runs from August 6th - 13th Exclusively featuring games from solo devs or micro studios, it is a week-long celebration on Steam, Twitch, and YouTube, highlighting the power of the solo and tiny teams. 🔗 YouTube link: 🔗 Twitch link: Telltale Choices Matter FestivalSecond is the Choices Matter Festival run by Telltale games! Soo many cool games taking part, so please go check out as many as you can :D 📅 Date: The festival runs from August 10th - 17th Celebrate narrative games w/ the first-ever CHOICES MATTER FEST on Steam! 🔗 X post: https://x.com/telltalegames/status/2084674501468369001 🔗 Insta post: https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbn-_A2xwv6/Read full article on Community Announcements (Daft Lump)Patch NotesOfficial
Music!
Patch NotesMusicCrank up that volume slider because we've just added adaptive music to ship encounters! There's some tweaking to do before it's absolutely perfect but for now, there's a whole new layer of stress for all you dedicated employees. VisualsAdded new splash screens for conversations with Nigel, Ms Jones, Harriet.Cool new effect on scrolling text.Animations changed to 12fps for a slightly more stop-motion look. Let us know what you think! MechanicsNew buttons and desk items.Too many tiny polish changes to mention.Someone installed a non-functional button on your desk. We've removed it for now. Pay no heed... I'll miss you... Bug FixesThere was a bug which stopped Rox-E from dancing when players clicked on her too enthusiastically. We're proud to announce nothing will stop Rox-E from dancing now!Lots and lots of under the hood changes. The game should feel a little smoother and a little faster. Known IssuesSome assets do not colour-swap when colours are changed in options (highlighting, save/intel indicators)Our 16:10 aspect ratio support involves cropping rather than black bars. It's on our list - we're sorry for any 16:10 users who can't see Rox-E's full dance. What's NextWe have a system we're really excited to introduce you to. It just needs a bit of tutorialisation, and then it'll be ready to go in the demo. PS: Don't forget to join our official Discord server if you have suggestions! - James (Marketing guy) "Mrrr"Read full article on Community Announcements (Daft Lump)AnnouncementsOfficial
Read SCORCHED-EARTH now!
SCORCHED-EARTHOur incredibly talented fans have created the first Contact Protocol fan comic! Community legend Roose has adapted a specific encounter from our demo, with an original take on our faceless protagonist. > Contact Protocol: SCORCHED-EARTH is available to read for free! Link below...- READ IT HERE (Bluesky) - READ IT HERE (Instagram) CreditsStory - Roose Art and letters - Liv Nimbe We're blown away by the creativity of our faithful employees fans and implore you to give it a read. In the meantime, stay sharp out there in the space lanes, and look out for more news soon!- James (Marketing & Communications) "Miaow" PS: Don't forget to join our official Discord server!Read full article on Community Announcements (Daft Lump)
