September 21, 2026
1 min read
Cairn: Free Deep Water DLC Secures October Release Date
Falling off a massive cliffside is about to get a lot wetter—and significantly less fatal—in The Game Bakers' climbing survival adventure.
The short version
The Game Bakers will launch the first free DLC for Cairn, titled 'On the Trail: Deep Water,' on October 29. The update introduces three new climbing areas and water soloing, removing the threat of fatal falls.
By Chuy, Senior Staff Writer
Sep 21, 2026 · Reviewed by the Nexzy newsroom
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TL;DR — what matters
• Three new climbing areas
• Water soloing mechanic removes fall damage over water
• Marco and Aava can now climb with players
Water Soloing — Allows players to climb over water without plummeting to their death.
Three New Climbing Areas — Fresh challenges following the trail of a legendary climber.
Marco and Aava — Players can now climb alongside these characters instead of them watching from the sidelines.
What it means for the meta
The introduction of water soloing gives players a low-consequence environment to practice difficult routes without losing progress.
The Game Bakers will launch "On the Trail: Deep Water," the first free downloadable content for its climbing survival game Cairn, on October 29. The announcement locks in the arrival of the game's next major challenge, which swaps unforgiving rock faces for slightly more forgiving splash zones.
The expansion is the first in a planned series of free updates following the trail of a legendary climber, according to the developer. The headlining feature is "water soloing," a mechanic that lets players climb directly over water. Instead of a fatal plunge to the mountain floor, a missed grip now simply means an unexpected bath. The update also adds three new climbing areas and allows players to climb alongside characters Marco or Aava, rather than leaving them to watch from the sidelines.
The details
- Release date: October 29
- Price: Free
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG)
- Switch 2 release: Early 2027
By removing the penalty of instant death for missed grabs over the new zones, the update lowers the friction of the game's climbing mechanics. For players who have already conquered the base cliffs, it offers a damp, slightly more forgiving runway to test their grip.
Are you ready to trade fatal falls for a quick swim?
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