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Meccha Chameleon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Meccha Chameleon
A white humanoid figure on the right blending into a brick wall background with the multicolored text "Meccha Chameleon" on the left
Steam header
Developers
  • Lemorion_1224
  • Haganeiro
Publisher
  • Lemorion_1224
Director
  • Lemorion_1224
DesignerLemorion_1224
ProgrammerHaganeiro
ArtistLemorion_1224
EngineUnreal Engine 5
PlatformWindows
Release
  • WW: June 10, 2026
GenresCasual, friendslop
ModeMultiplayer

Meccha Chameleon[a] (pronounced /ˈmɛə/, ME-tcha) is a multiplayer casual video game developed by Japanese indie game developers Lemorion_1224 and Haganeiro. It was released for Windows on June 10, 2026. In the game, the player controls a white bipedal character playing the role of a hunter or a chameleon. The chameleons can paint themselves to match their surroundings and hide from the hunters, while the hunters must find all the chameleons before time expires.

Meccha Chameleon was developed in two months. It received positive reviews upon release and was a commercial success, selling more than 15 million copies by July 5 and a peak of 340 thousand players. It has been described as the fastest and best-selling video game of 2026.

Gameplay

[edit]

Meccha Chameleon is a hide-and-seek video game where the player plays as a white humanoid character. The game is split between the hunters and the chameleons, where the chameleons must hide and blend themselves into their surroundings by painting their characters, either as a blobby or cube character, using different color settings, such as a color picker and an eyedropper, and choosing different poses, such as curling up or lying down.[1] The chameleons can also create clones or select different sizes of the blobby character to help them hide.[2] The hunters must find the chameleons before the timer runs out.[3]

The game features three more modes: Infection, where a chameleon becomes a hunter upon being caught; Double, where everyone hides in the beginning, then everyone hunts, so whoever finds the most people, or finds everyone first, wins;[4][5] Reverse Chicken Race, where each player was given time to paint themeselves. After the timer ends, each player's paint job will be displayed on a pedestal, where other players will try to find the player after the observation time ends.[6]

The game has both public and private servers.[7] The chameleons can use a free camera mode to explore the map or spectate the hunter.[4] The chameleons can taunt the hunter by producing a whistling sound,[8] which helps the hunter locate the hiders. There is a setting called forced taunting that forces a taunt after a certain period of time.[4]

The game can support up to 24 players.[9] The number of players in the game is based on the internet connection of the host. The recommended number of players is 2 to 12.[10] The players can play various maps in the game such as Hide-and-Seek Mansion, Indoor Country, Sewer, Backrooms,[11][12] Penguin Hotel, Sugarland,[13][14] and Osaka.[15] The game can be modded by adding custom maps available at Steam Workshop,[16] such as Art Gallery, The Market, Swimming pool!, and Viking Market.[17][18]

Development and release

[edit]

The game was developed by Japanese indie game developer Lemorion_1224 with the help of Haganeiro.[14][7] The two previously developed games for Fortnite using the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) before moving to Steam. Lemorion previously released works such as the Penguin Hotel series and Link Penguins.[19]

The game was conceived after the two developers played various hide-and-seek style mechanics on Fortnite.[20] The game was Lemorion's idea after he remembered an artist on television painting themselves to blend into their surroundings. He handled the development of graphics, planning, background music, models, and maps, while Haganeiro handled system management and effects.[21][22][23] The game uses components and assets, including the back-end systems, from their previous games such as Penguin Hotel and Link Penguins.[24][25]

The game was created in two months,[26][14] but counting the development of the reused assets, the total development period last four to five months.[24][25] The game was developed on Unreal Engine,[21] and uses Epic Games' Epic Online Services, a free multiplayer networking tool, for matchmaking purposes.[27][25] According to Lemorion, the Hide-and-Seek Mansion map took the most time in development, while the entire development of modeling and designing the locale lasted one month.[25]

According to Lemorion, they focused on "avoiding complex controls for the user" and "ensuring the system itself did not become overly complicated".[22] A two-hour play test was performed by 100 randomly selected users from various countries.[19][22] Following the feedback from the play test, the two added three more maps two weeks before release.[25]

The game was announced on May 15, 2026, and released on Steam on June 10, 2026.[28][29][10] The game was made available on the cloud gaming service GeForce Now on June 27. Using this service, the game can be played on macOS.[30]

Reception

[edit]

The game was described by Sam Woods of TheGamer as "2026's Biggest Viral Sensation".[20] It was praised by Elie Gould of PC Gamer for its gameplay, adding that the game has the "potential to become one of the giants in the friendslop genre".[33] Edwin Evans-Thirlwell of Rock Paper Shotgun said that "one of the game's loveliest qualities is that, strictly speaking, you don't need to play it to play it."[34] Seungjin Kang of Inven Global praised the game, adding that the game's popularity was because its "high-quality, novel art and camouflage Mecchanics have resonated with live-streaming audiences".[35] Game producer Taira Nakamura of Sega commented on the fact that the game had sold two million copies in five days despite having no promotion, adding that it is an "unthinkable achievement for the game industry and game companies".[36]

It was described as the fastest and best-selling game of 2026,[37][38] outselling games like Resident Evil Requiem, Forza Horizon 6, and Crimson Desert.[38] It debuted in first place on the Japanese Steam sales charts, beating Forza Horizon 6 and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade.[39] It reached second place on the global Steam sales chart.[28] By June 16, the game earned around $6.9 million.[26]

On its release day, the game received 20,000 concurrent players on Steam[40] and by June 15, it had over 90,000 concurrent players.[41] Its all-time peak was over 340,535 players on June 22, making it the 44th most concurrently played game in Steam's history.[42][43]

Despite not spending on marketing, the game became a huge hit on social media due to various viral short-form videos and contents from streamers, as well as the low base price of the game and word-of-mouth marketing.[44][45][20] As of June 22, the game had a Very Positive rating on Steam from over 17,000 reviews and a peak of 340,000 people playing.[46][43][47] Fans of the game also recreated the character in the game by 3D printing and placing it in random public places in real life.[48]

Following the popularity of the game, various conspiracy theories have spread online, such as claims that the developers paid streamers before the game was released to boost its popularity and claims that they have wealthy backers, pointing out the cost of running servers for more than 200 thousand players at the same time. Haganeiro dismissed the rumors, adding that the game uses Epic Games' Epic Online Services.[27][49]

Sales

[edit]

It sold 250,000 copies by June 11, half a million on June 12,[50] 1 million on June 14,[3][28] 2 million on June 15,[51][52] 3 million on June 17,[53] five million on June 20,[54] 7 million on June 22,[44][55], 10 million on June 26,[56] and 15 million on July 5.[57]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. Japanese: めっちゃカメレオン, Hepburn: Metcha Kamereon; stylized in all caps; lit.'Super Chameleon'

References

[edit]
  1. Multiple sources:
  2. Huebner, Alex (June 26, 2026). "Change Your Size and Shape in Meccha Chameleon!". GameRant. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  3. 1 2 Wagner, Justin (June 14, 2026). "Hide-and-seek game where you paint your body to blend in sells a million copies in four days". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on June 14, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Huebner, Alex (June 18, 2026). "Tips For the Best Hiding and Seeking in Meccha Chameleon". GameRant. Archived from the original on June 18, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
  5. 「めっちゃカメレオン」体に絵を描いて擬態する、注目のかくれんぼゲームが6月10日に発売決定.鬼が増えていくモードなど3つのルールでプレイ可能 ["Meccha Chameleon," a highly anticipated hide-and-seek game where players camouflage themselves by drawing on their bodies, is set to be released on June 10th. It will be playable with three different rules, including a mode where the number of hunters increases.]. Famitsu (in Japanese). May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on May 27, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  6. Huebner, Alex (July 3, 2026). "Reverse Chicken Race in Meccha Chameleon is a Lot of Fun if You Know What to Do". GameRant. Retrieved July 8, 2026.
  7. 1 2 Allsop, Ken (June 14, 2026). "Hide-and-seek game Meccha Chameleon is the latest indie hit to boast a million sales as it soars up the Steam charts". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on June 16, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  8. Zwiezen, Zack (June 23, 2026). "Steam's Latest Viral Multiplayer Game Is A $6 Janky Indie Game That Is Like Prop Hunt, But Good". Kotaku. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
  9. Cochran, Allyson (June 16, 2026). "How To Play With Friends In Meccha Chameleon". TheGamer. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  10. 1 2 Haruka (June 10, 2026). "画力が生存の鍵.体に色を塗って環境に溶け込むマルチプレイ対応のかくれんぼゲーム「めっちゃカメレオン」, 配信開始" [Drawing skills are key to survival. "Meccha Chameleon," a multiplayer hide-and-seek game where you blend into your environment by painting your body, is now available.]. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  11. Sarkar, Arka (June 13, 2026). "Best areas to hide in Meccha Chameleon". Destructoid. Archived from the original on June 18, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
  12. Cochran, Allyson (June 11, 2026). "Best Hiding Spots In Meccha Chameleon". TheGamer. Archived from the original on June 18, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
  13. Rothery, Jen (June 20, 2026). "All Maps in Meccha Chameleon - Meccha Chameleon Guide". IGN. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 Yokoyama, Keiichi (June 18, 2026). 大ブームのお絵描き隠れんぼゲーム「めっちゃカメレオン」さっそくアプデで新マップ「シュガーランド」実装.ペンギンホテルの拡張も実施 [The hugely popular drawing-and-hide-seek game "Meccha Chameleon" has already received an update, adding a new map, "Sugarland," and expanding the Penguin Hotel.]. Automaton (in Japanese). Retrieved June 18, 2026.
  15. Katamari (June 22, 2026). 「めっちゃカメレオン」"日本"が舞台の新マップ「大阪」が登場、最新アップデートが本日配信.そのほか「通報機能」も実装 [The latest update for "Meccha Chameleon" is available today, featuring a new map set in Japan, "Osaka." A reporting function has also been implemented.]. Denfaminicogamer (in Japanese). Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  16. Sakurai, Akihiro (June 17, 2026). お絵描き"擬態"かくれんぼマルチ「めっちゃカメレオン」Steamの売上ランキング1位に.「連日100万本」の世界的大ヒットで、大作・人気作ごぼう抜き [The drawing-based "camouflage" hide-and-seek multiplayer game "Meccha Chameleon" has reached number one on Steam's sales rankings. With "1 million copies sold daily" worldwide, it has become a massive hit, surpassing many other big-budget and popular titles.]. Automaton (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 18, 2026. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  17. Yu, Johnny; Lee, Julia (June 22, 2026). "Best custom Meccha Chameleon maps". Polygon. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  18. Huebner, Alex (June 23, 2026). "These Community Made Meccha Chameleon Maps Are a Must Try!". GameRant. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  19. 1 2 Horie, Akira (June 19, 2026). 「ユーザー目線で面白く思える作品を」話題沸騰、世界的人気のお絵かきかくれんぼ「めっちゃカメレオン」開発・レモリオン氏インタビュー!"PC版以外"の可能性にも言及? ["We want to create something that users will find fun": An interview with Remorion, the developer of the wildly popular drawing-and-hide game "Mecha Chameleon"! He also mentions the possibility of versions other than the PC version?]. Game*Spark (in Japanese). Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  20. 1 2 3 Woods, Sam (June 22, 2026). "A 2026 Indie Game Has Shifted 7 Million Copies In Two Weeks, Selling Faster Than Resident Evil And Crimson Desert". TheGamer. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  21. 1 2 「めっちゃカメレオン」開発者インタビュー!たった2人・約2か月で生んだ、世界的大ヒットの裏側 [An interview with the developers of "Mecha Chameleon"! The story behind the global hit created by just two people in about two months.]. GameWith (in Japanese). June 23, 2026. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  22. 1 2 3 「めっちゃカメレオン」販売本数1000万本突破記念インタビュー!開発者に直接話を聞いてみた.SNSでの動画拡散は狙い通り、お気に入りは「天井に張りつくスパイダーマン」 [An interview celebrating the 10 million copies sold of "Mecha Chameleon"! We spoke directly with the developers. The video's viral spread on social media was exactly as planned, and their favorite is "Spider-Man clinging to the ceiling."]. Denfaminico Gamer (in Japanese). June 30, 2026. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  23. Kang, Seungjin "Looa" (June 26, 2026). "'Mecha Chameleon' Hits 10 Million Sales — A Miracle Created by Two People in Two Months". InvenGlobal. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
  24. 1 2 Fenlon, Wes (July 1, 2026). "Based on Meccha Chameleon's incredibly short 2-month dev cycle, its creators have already earned $1 million per day of work". PC Gamer. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 Sada, Akira (June 30, 2026). "Meccha Chameleon developers say the secret behind their 2-month dev cycle is asset reuse and a "make it exist first, perfect it later" approach". Automaton. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  26. 1 2 Hernandez, Patricia (June 16, 2026). "Steam viral hit made in 2 months earns nearly $10 million in less than a week". Polygon. Archived from the original on June 19, 2026. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  27. 1 2 Zotomayor, Carlos "Zoto" (June 17, 2026). "Japanese viral indie hit Meccha Chameleon sells 3 million copies in a week as creators reveal they spent nothing on advertising". Automaton. Archived from the original on June 19, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
  28. 1 2 3 Kang, Seungjin "Looa" (June 15, 2026). "'Meccha Chameleon,' the Hide-and-Seek Game Streamers Love, Hits No. 1 in Steam Sales". InvenGlobal. Retrieved June 16, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  29. Yawaragi (May 15, 2026). "勝利へのカギは"画力"!? 体に色を塗って擬態するかくれんぼゲーム「めっちゃカメレオン」, 2026年6月に発売予定" [The key to victory is drawing ability!? 'Meccha Chameleon,' a hide-and-seek game where you disguise yourself by painting your body, is scheduled to be released in June 2026.]. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Archived from the original on May 16, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  30. Nagomi (June 27, 2026). 「めっちゃカメレオン」がGeForce NOWに対応、Macや非ゲーミングPCでもプレイ可能に.6月26日には売上1000万本を突破した話題作 ["Mecha Chameleon" (Metcha Chameleon) now supports GeForce NOW, making it playable on Macs and non-gaming PCs; the hit title has surpassed 10 million units in sales as of June 26.]. Denfaminicogamer (in Japanese). Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  31. Stechman, Door Sjaak (July 3, 2026). "Review: Meccha Chameleon". IGN Benelux (in Dutch). Retrieved July 4, 2026.
  32. Carpenter, Lincoln (June 26, 2026). "Meccha Chameleon review: A wonderful, rough-edged playground of creativity and psychic violence". PC Gamer. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  33. Gould, Elie (June 15, 2026). "Meccha Chameleon lives up to the hype as the next great party game—so if you haven't played it yet take this as a sign to check it out". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on June 16, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  34. Evans-Thirlwell, Edwin (June 16, 2026). "Please help us find the players hiding in these screenshots of million-selling painterly stealth game Meccha Chameleon". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on June 17, 2026. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  35. Kang, Seungjin "Looa" (June 17, 2026). "1 Million More in a Day: 'Meccha Chameleon' Hits #1 in Steam Sales'". InvenGlobal. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  36. V, Amber (June 16, 2026). "Japanese developers marvel as self-published indie hit Meccha Chameleon sells 2 million copies in just five days". Automaton. Archived from the original on June 16, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
  37. Barovic, Andrej (July 5, 2026). "We have 2026's best-selling game so far—and it's a single-dev indie". Destructoid. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
  38. 1 2 Serin, Kaan (July 5, 2026). "Viral indie hit Meccha Chameleon sells a massive 15 million copies in less than a month, becomes the fastest and best-selling game of the year". GamesRadar+. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
  39. 新感覚かくれんぼゲーム「めっちゃカメレオン」が1位!セール中の「FFVIIリメイク」2作品がダブルランクイン【Steamランキング】 [The innovative hide-and-seek game "Meccha Chameleon" takes first place! Two "FFVII Remake" titles, currently on sale, also rank in the top spots [Steam Ranking]]. ASCII.jp (in Japanese). June 15, 2026. Archived from the original on June 16, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  40. Cripe, Michael (June 15, 2026). "Viral Hide-and-Seek Paint Game Meccha Chameleon Promises New Map After Reaching 2 Million Copies Sold". IGN. Archived from the original on June 17, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  41. Katamari (June 15, 2026). 【大人気】「めっちゃカメレオン」早くも売上本数「100万本」を突破!Steam最大同接は"9万5000人"を記録する大盛況、6月13日には新マップ「ペンギンホテル」も追加 [[Hugely Popular] "Meccha Chameleon" has already surpassed 1 million copies sold! It's a huge success, with a peak concurrent player count of 95,000 on Steam, and a new map, "Penguin Hotel," was added on June 13th.]. Denfaminico Gamer (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 16, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  42. Lucas, James (June 26, 2026). "Popular New Indie Meccha Chameleon Breaks Seven Million Record In Less Than A Week". TheGamer. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
  43. 1 2 Katamari (June 22, 2026). 【超人気】「めっちゃカメレオン」売上本数「700万本」を突破、Steam最大同接は「34万人」を記録し大盛り上がり.「日本」がテーマの新マップも実装予定 [[Super Popular] "Meccha Chameleon" surpasses 7 million copies sold, and recorded a peak of 340,000 concurrent players on Steam, creating a huge buzz. A new map with a "Japan" theme is also planned for implementation.]. Denfamicogamer (in Japanese). Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  44. 1 2 Makar, Connor (June 22, 2026). "The latest indie mega-sensation is Meccha Chameleon, an artsy hide-and-seek game, which has sold an astronomical amount in only two weeks". Eurogamer. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  45. Kang, Seungjin "Looa" (June 22, 2026). "A Triumph of Ideas! 'Mecha Chameleon' Sells 7 Million Copies". InvenGlobal. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  46. Koselke, Anna (June 22, 2026). "Meccha Chameleon flies by 7 million sales in under 2 weeks as Steam's latest viral hit continues to go to the moon, devs celebrate by teasing a "Japan-themed map"". GamesRadar+. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  47. Townsend, Verity. "Steam Hit Meccha Chameleon Was Made by Just 2 People in 2 Months — and Now It's Sold Over 10 Million Copies With Zero Marketing". ign. IGN. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  48. Shepard, Kenneth (June 29, 2026). "Meccha Chameleon Fans Bring The Hide-And-Seek Game To Real Life". Kotaku. Retrieved July 8, 2026.
  49. Zotomayor, Carlos "Zoto" (June 22, 2026). "Meccha Chameleon to get Japan-themed map as sales top 7 million". Automaton. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  50. Yokoyama, Keiichi (June 12, 2026). Steamマルチ"お絵描き擬態"かくれんぼ「めっちゃカメレオン」早くも売上50万本突破.止まらぬグローバル人気、発売からわずか2日で達成 [Steam multiplayer "drawing camouflage" hide-and-seek game 'Meccha Chameleon' has already surpassed 500,000 copies sold. Its unstoppable global popularity achieved this milestone in just two days since release.]. Automaton Media (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 16, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  51. マルチお絵かきかくれんぼ「めっちゃカメレオン」200万本突破!100万本達成報告からわずか1日で [Multiplayer drawing hide-and-seek game "Meccha Chameleon" surpasses 2 million copies sold! Just one day after announcing it had reached 1 million copies sold.]. GameBusiness.jp (in Japanese). June 16, 2026. Archived from the original on June 16, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  52. Iwase, Kento (June 16, 2026). "体に色を塗って隠れるかくれんぼゲーム「めっちゃカメレオン」が売上200万本を達成.発売1週間足らずでどんどん伸ばす" ["Meccha Chameleon," a hide-and-seek game where players paint their bodies to conceal themselves, has achieved 2 million copies sold. Sales have been steadily increasing in less than a week since its release.]. GameWatch (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 16, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  53. かくれんぼゲーム「めっちゃカメレオン」売上300万本に到達.新マップの追加はもうすぐ [The hide-and-seek game "Meccha Chameleon" has reached 3 million copies sold. A new map will be added soon.]. Game Watch (in Japanese). June 17, 2026. Archived from the original on June 17, 2026. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  54. TsushimaHiro (June 20, 2026). 「めっちゃカメレオン」売上「500万本」を突破!発売から"10日"で異例の人気を見せたインディーゲームとして国内外で話題に.Steamでは同接数「24万人」を突破し1万件以上のレビューが寄せられ「非常に好評」を記録 ["Meccha Chameleon" surpasses 5 million copies sold! This indie game, which achieved exceptional popularity just 10 days after its release, has become a hot topic both domestically and internationally. On Steam, it has surpassed 240,000 concurrent players and received over 10,000 reviews, all rated "Very Positive."]. Denfamicogamer (in Japanese). Retrieved June 20, 2026.
  55. 「めっちゃカメレオン」売り上げ本数が700万本を突破.アップデートで隠れるプレイヤーのサイズが変更可能に ["Meccha Chameleon" surpasses 7 million copies sold. An update allows players to change the size of the player who hides.]. Famitsu (in Japanese). June 22, 2026. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  56. Yokoyama, Keiichi (June 26, 2026). 大ブームのお絵描きかくれんぼゲーム「めっちゃカメレオン」売上1000万本突破.リリースからわずか16日、超爆速で大記録達成 [Sales of the smash-hit drawing and hide-and-seek game *Metcha Chameleon* have surpassed 10 million units—a massive milestone achieved at lightning speed, just 16 days after release.]. Automaton (in Japanese). Retrieved June 26, 2026.
  57. Kim, Soojin "Eonn" (July 5, 2026). "'Mecha Chameleon,' the Hide-and-Seek Game with a Splash of Color, Hits 15 Million Units Sold". InvenGlobal. Retrieved July 5, 2026.

Further reading

[edit]