Steam app 2063530 · updated 12 Sep 2026, 23:16 UTC
Methods: The Canada Files is a mystery visual novel. You play as a team of eccentric detectives in a mysterious crime-solving competition. To solve each mystery, you must use your team member’s unique detective methods, refute faulty theories with evidence, and find out the truth!
113 hourly samples, with the daily peak drawn over them. Weekends are shaded.
44 months, February 2023 to September 2026. The highest number of people in the game at once, each month, on a time axis -- a gap in the record stays a gap.
The highest number of people in the game at once, each month. Four, because four is as far back as the source keeps anything finer than one figure a month.
31 days, each one the highest figure that day. The source keeps no hourly detail this far back. Weekends are shaded.
25 days as the curve, each the highest figure that day. Behind it, 86 hourly samples from 16 Aug, which is as far back as the source keeps every hour. Weekends are shaded.
7 days, each one the highest figure that day. The source keeps no hourly detail this far back. Weekends are shaded.
Methods: The Canada Files was released on 5 Mar, 2026.
| Language | Full audio |
|---|---|
| English | |
| Simplified Chinese |
A blank audio cell means full audio was not marked in the returned language list.
1.0 Trailer
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Methods: The Canada Files CN Trailer
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Methods: The Canada Files Trailer
Watch on Steam61 achievements in total.
50 developer announcements, Apr 2024 to Apr 2026 · times in UTC
Changed Larika's "month of Sundays" line in Chinese translation Fixed a color error and size inconsistency in File 05 CG
Patch notesFixed Viu saying Larika's line in Chapter 16
Patch notesFixed error in evidence in File 06
Patch notesAdded additional explanation to Chapter 29 about mystery Cynthia apartment number fix Chinese translation typo fix
Patch notesFixed incorrect apartment number in File 06 Fixed suspect statement issue in File 06 Chinese translation typo fixed
Patch notesMissing/corrupted Chinese translations fixed Other small improvements
Patch notesAnother patch to address achievement unlocking
Patch notesFixed Steam achievement issue! Important note: If the game is failing to launch after the update, try uninstalling and reinstalling it.Fixed autopsy not appearing properly in Chapter 28English typo fixes
Patch notesNote: If you're having issues, fully uninstall and reinstall the game to make sure all the game files are properly updated. Loading from old saves may result in bugs after this update.To celebrate the 1.0 release, I've put together this…
LockedOnSixth & Final case of the Detective Competition.Detective Larika Downs v.s. Mastermind Joane Tremblay.Long-buried secrets await their reckoning. Methods: The Canada Files – Full ReleaseLaunching Mar. 5, 22:00 (UTC-5)
XinoelFile 06's development is nearing completion.What I worked on since the last update:Finished all backgroundsFinished all CGsComposed 4 new music tracksCompleted writing revisionsAs of yesterday, I've completed work on all the CGs in File 06…
LockedOnFile 06's development continues into the new year!What I worked on since the last update:Blocked out all backgrounds, finished 15Rendered placeholders for CGs, unfinished backgroundsMade another music trackConducted playtestsLast month my…
LockedOnCharacters are finished!What I worked on since the last update:Finished the designs and sprites for the charactersCoded the game to a "playable" stateFinished File 06 UI recoloringThis month went by super quickly, and after designing the…
LockedOnI have finished writing File 06!What I worked on since the last update:Finished writing File 06Created 2 music tracksDesigned 3 charactersWell, it took a little longer than I thought, but I finished writing File 06, which means that The…
LockedOnWriting has begun on File 06!What I worked on since the last update:Outlined the mystery for File 06Wrote Chapter 26Designed 1 characterFinished Part 2 of The Art of MethodsI've begun writing File 06, after outlining the mystery. I'm trying…
LockedOnFixed "Wrong Room" evidence number count
Patch notesBoth Hangout Four and Hangout Five have been released, which means that the Hangouts feature is now finished. Please note that the price of the game will increase soon now that the Hangouts are released, so now is a good time to get the…
LockedOnHangout Five has been written!What I worked on since the last update:Wrote Hangout FiveImplemented 3 OutfitsCoded all HangoutsThe biggest hurdle has finally been overcome — writing Hangout Five. The past few months, it was a bit of a…
LockedOnHangout Four has been written!Hangout Four has been written, and soon I can send it off for translation! As I was aiming for, it's about 5k words. However, my plan is to go ahead and create Hangout Five as well before the next release. I…
LockedOnTypo fixes in Chinese localization
Patch notesThe axe box originally had broken glass around the edges, however, the glass on the floor perfectly recreates the pane of glass, meaning no glass would've been left behind on the axe box. The broken glass edges on the box have now been…
Patch notes{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/25202db850f6ea755d4320c3acffebf3da8d240e.png In this update... File 05 {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/32fb00e9bd364374d47c9e75ffec4c61c2e1ce6e.png After last Stage's elimination, Team Tads is a bit shaken as they…
LockedOn{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/6fa134d64e6d2b5e34bc6306ea1fecd3da332a0e.png File 05 is already completed and we're finishing up translation! But how did I get it done so quickly??…
LockedOnFor some reason banner on Score section was displaying incorrectly, it's been fixed In Chapter 17, Struess mentions a "laptop" (which is no longer in the game) and other items that the player may have not seen yet, this has been corrected
Patch notesSome English typos/spelling errors in File 03 & 04 fixed "Unlock Chapters" button in Options was not available if you had finished File 03 or started File 04, this has been fixed "Evidence Needed" was not appearing in the Chinese…
Patch notesFixed game-breaking bug during deduction in File 01 Fixed certain spoiler from appearing too early in File 04 Fixed typo in English
Patch notes• Score did not reset properly for File 04 replays • "Play hangout three" pop-up was not translated
Patch notesNote: This update may break old saves as it contains improvements to previous Files! In this update... File 04 {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/7199a0676cb2d8013fad1aedde445f453e90d063.png In the final round of Stage Four, Team Tads investigates…
LockedOn{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/0971f324c34017447aaca852f438dcebf7bca292.png File 04's English version is done — now all that's left is the localization. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/83b02ace193ce407ef827e5a66a680650f3eac21.png Here's what I…
LockedOnAttention, Detectives! The Steam Visual Novel Festival is here, and both games in the Methods series—Methods: The Detective Competition and Methods: The Canada Files—are available at their lowest-ever discounts! Dive into a world where…
茕兔{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/32fce89da3ea7d3a950895b14519463dc988a727.png File 04 is getting closer to completion! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/2760acf656f7e4fd3d602daf02f41dcefac77e65.png Here's what I worked on since the last devlog!…
LockedOn{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/928704e244d0304c8f1c1eb36ba385d660ad85e7.png Happy Chinese New Year from Methods! The fifth and final mobile game in Methods: The Detective Competition series is coming soon! Pre-order it here: ⭐App Store…
LockedOn{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/a13e4fdd2be904547557a6be942f3a6ec0692ac0.png A devlog is definitely overdue, so here's the latest news! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/810a95a5ac55a1149841c83bb3566901167714df.png Here's what I worked on since the…
LockedOn{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/14e1862def0cfb8c236750d3c708f140965c3076.png File 04's backgrounds have now been modeled! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/763b5bdf5d8f27c1c8f8a6627826bb3bf8b838cc.png Here's what I worked on since the last devlog…
LockedOn{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/ae0eea318b789b6d466d80ea34aa4eaf8012673d.png File 04 is now roughly blocked out and coded. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/a72c72fb8d9e30058a9eb71e5b1ddf65ae4cdc29.png Here's what I worked on since the last devlog.…
LockedOnJust for Halloween, here's some special illustrations of the Detective Game-masters from Canada Files in costume! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/8fa4cb06e8cdf5db329cea1da93462fabc0425ef.png Conver as a Mad Scientist!…
LockedOn{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/db68a1ecb51f9f2a84b14c6f6f535876a944759d.png I've finished File 04's sprites! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/ae04a6a10675cc71d9082eb0cd0b390d782bad4b.png Here's what I worked on since the last devlog. Finished the…
LockedOn{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/4c30dba9c8be180ff99697d1a08d21377678a424.png I've finished writing File 04! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/cf359b079bf264b47a44c14e71d8b7e20f208883.png Here's what I worked on since the last devlog. Finished Chapter…
LockedOn{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/a133eeb37f6b3dfb66359c323e075b58ee10a566.png Writing continues on File 04. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/2eb7f5dade553c128e682ef02d93effbc154da0f.png Here's what I worked on since the last devlog. Finished Chapter…
LockedOn{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/4bd9ab10e2003e4388baf29d905b2e7920560d74.png File 04 is now being written. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/cd17cdf4d15a0b9287addcea6df1b7291fa1bb64.png Here's what I worked on since the last devlog. Outlined the…
LockedOnGood news for everyone: the demo for Methods: The Canada Files is now LIVE on Steam! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/c6aa9e82d597fc5c8c1a03767baf27dfbbdf1454.jpg Time to meet distinctive detectives and storm through the thrilling competition!…
茕兔{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/af38bd0a5956da71a9fbebad17c647df216f1a90.png File 04 begins development. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/68c858c767c88fead0484be2969ff3832184bfa5.png Here's what I worked on since the last devlog! Outlining the…
LockedOnImportant bug fixing update! Larika's method crash fixed Hangout Three icon misplacement fixed
Patch notesHangout Three was just released recently — it took longer than the other Hangouts, so I'm really glad to have finally gotten it out there. I think it's time to properly announce File 04!…
LockedOn{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/67318cd4a710592d9e1863ed2038adc8c83d0208.png {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/84a243cdb969be7da1e9b1a60c862393138b1017.png Hangout Three has finally been added to the game in both English and Chinese! Just like File…
LockedOn{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/89ca960e828ac53d99af335adc767bb3d63192cd.png Hangout Three is still in the works — but coming later this month! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/1ad7eac56e52b26f6cff2afcf06a208d285b2037.png Here's what I worked on…
LockedOn{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43128595/9a30799227100c5d2fa78903ad2ea525000d7a1e.png Well that sure was a lot of work last month! Hope you enjoyed the new File and updates to Methods! Since then I've been working on Hangout Three. Time for another…
LockedOnFor Chinese translation: Casefile — wrong font fixed CGs in Chapter 9 and Chapter 15 updated with Chinese translations
Patch notesFixed spacing issue in text history screen
Patch notesFixed File 02 remaining locked Score will now properly reset when replaying File 03
Patch notesEverything Steam lists as add-on content for this game, newest first. Prices are left out on purpose: the store answers this page in one currency and it is not the reader's.
| Name | Platforms | Released |
|---|---|---|
| Methods: The Canada Files Soundtrack | WindowsmacOSLinux | 06 Mar 2023 |
What Steam runs, and with what. Straight from the app configuration.
| Description | Executable | Arguments | Platform | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | MethodsTheCanadaFiles.exe | windows | ||
| Launch | MethodsTheCanadaFiles.app | macos | ||
| Launch | MethodsTheCanadaFiles.sh | linux |
The folders Steam Cloud syncs. The root is a token Steam uses for a location on your own machine, not a path this page can know.
| Root | Folder | Files |
|---|---|---|
gameinstall | game/saves | * |
It runs on public data and somebody's spare time.
https://paypal.me/KintaroPalPay[email protected]0x4d559C765AA8BFe336E36d5b76024926767eD38dTJtctWU9uetJaTBoSybd1RErW7n9duTKVG