Some video games reward patience, while others encourage players to finish as quickly as possible. Love Locks wants to do both, with an unusual financial incentive for anyone willing to put their romantic feelings aside. This relaxing incremental cleanup game arrives on Steam on December 3, 2026, alongside a competition offering up to $5,000 toward a real-life wedding or divorce.
Developed by Collision Games and published by Blue Brain Games, the title presents an apparently simple assignment: remove 100,000 padlocks from a bridge in Paris. Naturally, getting rid of that much romance requires something more powerful than a little determination.
Love Locks turns a peaceful chore into a competitive challenge
Perhaps the most unexpected aspect of this release is how its launch competition contrasts with its relaxing gameplay. Between December 3 and December 10, 2026, eligible participants can compete to clear all 100,000 padlocks in the fastest verified in-game time.
The winner can receive up to US$5,000 toward eligible wedding or divorce expenses. Furthermore, participants can make multiple attempts, with only their best valid run counting toward the competition. Cheating in the game is prohibited.
According to the official announcement from Collision Games, registration is mandatory and can be completed before launch. Both registration and the qualifying run must be finished by December 10.
Entrants must also reside in an eligible country and have reached the age of majority. The complete rules and list of participating countries are available through the game’s Steam Community Hub. Valve neither sponsors nor operates the competition.
Love Locks makes every kilogram of metal count
Beyond its unconventional competition, Love Locks follows a familiar incremental gameplay formula. Players initially use a magnet to recover discarded keys from the Seine before searching for their corresponding padlocks. Every removal contributes to a growing collection of scrap metal.
However, matching keys to locks is only the beginning. Accumulating more kilograms allows players to unlock increasingly powerful equipment, gradually transforming a slow and precise activity into a large-scale cleanup operation.
The tools players unlock in order are:
- Lockpicks
- Pliers
- Saws
- Bolt cutters
- Angle grinders
- Blowtorches
- Lasers
Each technological improvement helps players tackle increasingly large groups of padlocks. Additionally, collecting 100 kilograms of metal unlocks Expendabot, an upgradeable robotic assistant that can take care of an assigned section of the bridge.
Much like the colorful cleaning challenges in PowerWash Simulator 2’s Barbie DLC, visible progress is part of the attraction. However, replacing precision tools with industrial equipment gives this particular cleanup project a satisfying sense of escalation.
Friends can share the bridge without sharing their progress
Removing thousands of reminders of other people’s relationships might sound like a lonely occupation. Fortunately, the game supports both solo play and online co-op with up to four friends.
Despite sharing the bridge, each participant has their own locks and individual progression. Moreover, progress is saved permanently, meaning removed padlocks stay removed when players leave and return to continue their assignment.
That flexibility could make the experience particularly appealing to fans of laid-back simulations such as Leaf Blower Co., where completing everyday tasks becomes a form of entertainment rather than an obligation.
There is also a narrative twist. Humorous relationship flashbacks reveal stories about the couples behind the padlocks, adding personality to an otherwise repetitive task. Apparently, not every romantic gesture ages particularly well.
The Paris cleanup begins on Steam in December
Love Locks will launch on December 3, 2026, for Windows and macOS through Steam. Neither Collision Games nor Blue Brain Games has announced the price yet.
Although its launch competition introduces a reason to chase faster completion times, its underlying mechanics offer a more casual alternative. Persistent progress, equipment upgrades and cooperative gameplay allow players to approach the enormous assignment at their own pace.
Ultimately, Love Locks combines the satisfaction of incremental games with a playful look at romantic traditions. Whether players are interested in financing their next chapter in life or simply unwinding after work, a laser might prove surprisingly effective at dealing with someone else’s sentimental baggage.
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