Imagine Dragons’ New Shooter Last Flag Reinvents Capture-the-Flag with Hide-and-Seek Chaos
Last Flag is a new 5v5 multiplayer shooter from Night Street Games that mixes classic capture-the-flag with hide-and-seek mechanics, and it was shown in an alpha playtest during a recent digital preview.
- Covers gameplay rules and tower radar mechanics
- Describes character roster and unique abilities
- Compares two previewed maps and match length
- Notes progression, development team, and planned 2026 launch
Gameplay basics
Last Flag is presented as a “5v5 multiplayer shooter” that centers on capture-the-flag but adds a hide-and-seek phase. To begin each round, teams have one minute to hide their flag and gather cash to upgrade abilities. Then, most of the match is spent searching for the other team’s hidden flag while trying to protect your own.
Towers and radar
Each map features three towers in the center. They scan one map square about every 30 seconds for whichever team controls them. When a tower scans, it reveals whether the opposing team’s flag is on that square or not. This scanning mechanic is a key way teams narrow down hiding places during a match.
Characters and abilities
The playable roster mixes familiar archetypes with more unusual characters. There are mid-range rifle users, stealth-focused thieves, and close-combat fighters. Additionally, previews showed a hulking lumberjack who uses nature and hatchets, a ninja with advanced jump mobility, and a character armed with two sawed-off shotguns plus a Gatling gun who can trap a single target in a safe.
Even standard roles have twists. For example, an engineer has a warp gun that can teleport an enemy to a location where the engineer previously placed turrets or simply send them far from an objective. The thief’s invisibility can be used to hide near the capture point and then slip away, a tactic demonstrated successfully in the preview session.
Maps and scale
Two distinct maps were shown in the playtest. The first is an autumnal forest with a rundown mining town, disused tunnels, and an abandoned house; it was described as compact and full of interesting nooks. The second is a large winter map with an ice castle, a frosty village, and glittering caves.
Matches on the winter map took noticeably longer. In one preview match, a single round on the larger map lasted roughly as long as three rounds on the forest map, which affected pacing and made searching feel more drawn out on that layout.
Progression and player experience
Progression in Last Flag is tied to each match: players spend cash found on the battlefield to upgrade abilities during the round. During the alpha playtest there were no persistent daily objectives or forced systems pushing players to play more. Consequently, the design emphasizes short-term match choices and a lower-pressure experience. Team cooperation matters, but the game also supports players splitting off to act independently.
Development and release
Night Street Games was co-founded in 2025 by brothers Dan and Mac Reynolds, both associated with Imagine Dragons. Last Flag was announced during Summer Game Fest 2025 and Night Street has indicated a planned 2026 launch. The version shown in the preview was described by the studio as an alpha playtest.
Overall, Last Flag aims for a straightforward capture-the-flag experience with additional exploration and hiding mechanics, match-based upgrades, and a roster of characters that mix the familiar with the unexpected. The game remains in development ahead of its 2026 release window.
