How to Play Funnel Runners

The Twenty-Minute Escape Loop

Funnel Runners is a first-person co-op survival game where every session is a race against an approaching EF5 tornado. Supernova Studios LLC structures each run into roughly 20 minutes of escalating danger. You spawn near a disabled van in a procedurally generated American Suburbs map, scatter to loot buildings, and return to fix mechanical problems before the storm closes in.

The game launches on Steam July 16, 2026 at $14.99. Up to 8 players can share a single run online. Whether you play alone or with a full squad, the loop stays the same: gather resources, repair, drive, survive.

Step-by-Step First Run

• Survey the van: Inspect the vehicle to learn which problems block departure—engine, tires, fuel, and more.
• Loot the suburb: Search houses, gas stations, and yards for tools, gadgets, and consumables.
• Repair systems: Use found items to complete repair minigames at the van.
• Watch the sky: Weaker tornadoes and debris storms arrive before the EF5 finale—read our tornado guide.
• Escape: Start the van once repairs are done and exit the map before the EF5 hits. See win conditions for details.

Looting and Risk Management

Maps are generated fresh each run via procedural layout systems. Buildings contain randomized supplies, but lingering too long in distant neighborhoods costs repair time. Environmental threats—power lines, fire, and debris—can injure players or block routes back to the van.

Destroyed structures cannot be looted again. When a funnel touches down near a house you have not searched, that opportunity is gone. This risk-reward tension is central to difficulty scaling and pushes teams to coordinate instead of wandering solo without a plan.

Co-op Roles and Communication

In multiplayer, players split tasks naturally. One runner loots distant blocks while others stay at the van for repairs. Proximity voice chat and the van's broadcast radio keep squads aligned without always opening a map. Review team strategies for advanced role splits before your first eight-player lobby.

Controls and Interface Basics

Movement and interaction bindings are documented on our controls page. Pre-release builds expect WASD on keyboard; controller support is a community-requested feature to watch at launch. Inventory management separates tools, gadgets, consumables, and collectables into distinct item classes.

Where to Go Next

Study the van overview to understand every system you must restore. Check system requirements if you plan to host friends, and wishlist on Steam if you have not purchased yet.