Goat Simulator 3 ragdolls onto PC this November

Goat Simulator 3 is the second Goat Simulator game; don't let the name fool you. This time around, the physics comedy will have four-player co-op, a full island to mess around in, and a heap of stuff to pointlessly destroy. Announced in June, Goat Simulator 3 now has a release date of November 17, when it will awkwardly ragdoll onto the Epic Games Store.

The original Goat Simulator released in 2014, back when making ridiculous simulator games was in vogue. Those were the days when we'd publish stories about a game called Rock Simulator entering Steam Greenlight, and people would find it funny. What astounding innocence. Just last month, a VR Rock Simulator released on Steam, so the vibe evidently caught on.

Will Goat Simulator 3 thrive in 2022? Well, Coffee Stain Studios seems to be treating Goat Simulator 3 much more like a game than the parody the original launched as (it subsequently got more "fun", and even received substantial expansions). It's set on a large open world island called San Angora, and there will be extensive goat customization too—you can deck your goat out in "ability-infused gear" if you want. You can even drape your goat in toilet paper.

The aforementioned co-op play will let you cause havoc in any way you see fit, though there are also "7 fun multiplayer mini-games" if mindlessly destroying things becomes boring. Oh, and the goats can drive, and set things on fire.

Pre-orders are open now and grant you a bunch of extra stuff. If you opt for a physical version, you'll get a goat plushie, a goat house, the soundtrack, a poster, and various digital goat skins. The digital version is called the 'Digital Downgrade Edition' and is markedly less interesting, but has stuff like "Full Tank Armour" and even 3D printing files if you want to print a goat. Maybe worth the price of entry alone?

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.