Content Warning is a co-op horror comedy game where you and up to three friends descend into the Old World to film spooky content for SpookTube, a YouTube-like platform for horror videos. Your goal is to get as many views as possible by filming monsters up close, capturing audio with boom mics, and surviving long enough to extract with your footage. The game deliberately balances horror and humor — monsters are genuinely threatening, but the absurdity of your crew filming each other getting chased creates constant comedic moments. It briefly became the most-played game on Steam at launch due to its viral co-op appeal.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. Follow this path to avoid common traps that stall most players.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Old World | camera recording basics | Scout | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Underground | monster encounters mastery | Scout | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Monster Den | SpookTube views + gear | Camera Operator or Scout | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | SpookTube Studio | Build optimization | Camera Operator | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Equipment Shop | Min-max | Camera Operator or Editor | Ongoing |
Phase 1: Getting Started — Old World
The main dungeon — a procedurally generated underground complex with multiple floors of increasing danger. Each floor has different monster types and environmental hazards. The deeper you go, the more valuable (and dangerous) the footage. Most runs explore 2-3 floors before extracting.
Level/Difficulty: All difficulty levels Key Rewards: Monster footage, SpookTube views, equipment from found items
What to Do in Old World
- Learn camera recording. One player carries the camera, which records everything in frame. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Scout as your starting build. It's the most forgiving option.
- Film monsters up close for dramatically more views — a distant, blurry shot of a monster scores 10x less than a close-up with visible details. Risk equals reward in Content Warning.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade — Flashlight or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand camera recording fundamentals
- Scout selected and functional
- Old World main content cleared
- Ready for Underground
Phase 2: Early Game — Underground
Sub-levels beneath the Old World with unique monster types not found on regular floors. Underground sections are darker and more cramped, creating claustrophobic filming conditions. The tight spaces make monster encounters more intense and footage more valuable.
Level/Difficulty: Deep exploration runs Key Rewards: Rare monster footage, unique encounters, highest view potential
What to Do in Underground
- Work on monster encounters. The Old World contains various monsters with different behaviors — some chase on sight, others lurk in darkness, and some mimic player actions. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Flashlight if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Views = money for better equipment, which enables higher-quality footage, which earns more views. The progression loop is: film > upload > earn > upgrade > film better.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Monster Den.
- Consider whether Camera Operator might suit your playstyle better than Scout.
Phase 2 Checklist
- monster encounters integrated into gameplay
- Flashlight acquired
- Underground fully cleared
- Ready for Monster Den
Phase 3: Mid Game — Monster Den
Specific rooms within the Old World where monster concentration is highest. Monster Dens are marked by environmental cues (strange sounds, organic growth, darkness). Filming in a Den is extremely dangerous but produces the highest-rated footage.
Level/Difficulty: Mid-deep floors Key Rewards: Highest footage quality, most dangerous encounters
What to Do in Monster Den
- Master SpookTube views. After extracting, your recorded footage is uploaded and other players (NPCs) rate it. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Camera. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Run when the big monsters show up — some monsters are simply too fast or lethal to outrun. Learn which monsters you can film safely and which require immediate evacuation.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in team survival for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- SpookTube views mastered
- Camera acquired or in progress
- Monster Den fully cleared
- Ready for SpookTube Studio
Phase 4: Late Game — SpookTube Studio
The surface hub where you upload footage, buy equipment, and prepare for runs. The studio contains the upload station (where views are calculated), the equipment shop, and the team's living quarters. Between runs, manage your equipment and plan the next expedition.
Level/Difficulty: Hub area Key Rewards: Equipment purchases, footage upload, team management
What to Do in SpookTube Studio
- Finalize your build. You should be running Camera Operator or Scout with optimized gear.
- Camera should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Audio equipment (Boom Mic) captures spooky sounds for bonus views — monster roars, eerie ambient sounds, and player screams all contribute to view score. Always bring a boom mic.
- equipment upgrades optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Equipment Shop.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Camera upgraded to max
- SpookTube Studio fully cleared
- Ready for Equipment Shop
Phase 5: Endgame — Equipment Shop
Located in the SpookTube Studio, the shop sells cameras, flashlights, boom mics, sound players, and cosmetics. Equipment purchased here is lost if you die during a run, so balance investment against risk. Better equipment enables higher-quality footage for more views.
Level/Difficulty: Between runs Key Rewards: Camera upgrades, tactical equipment, cosmetic items
What to Do in Equipment Shop
- Equipment Shop tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Vote on video titles together after extraction for a view multiplier — funnier or more dramatic titles score better. Title selection is a group decision phase that adds comedy between runs.
- The endgame loop: run Equipment Shop, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Editor for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where equipment upgrades mastery separates good players from great ones.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Equipment Shop fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Everyone trying to film at once — only one camera records at a time, so having multiple players scramble for footage is counterproductive. Designate one Camera Operator per run.
- Going too deep without equipment — deeper floors have better monsters but worse survival odds. Bringing only a camera and flashlight to floor 3+ guarantees death.
- Not extracting when you have good footage — greed kills in Content Warning. A run with 30 seconds of excellent footage beats a run with 5 minutes of footage that you die with.
- Ignoring audio capture — the boom mic contribution to views is significant. Teams that only record video miss a substantial portion of potential view income.
- Running from every monster immediately — some monsters are slow or non-aggressive and can be filmed safely from close range. Learn which monsters are actually dangerous versus which are just scary-looking.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Film monsters up close for dramatically more views — a distant, blurry shot of a monster scores 10x less than a close-up with visible details. Risk equals reward in Content Warning.
- Views = money for better equipment, which enables higher-quality footage, which earns more views. The progression loop is: film > upload > earn > upgrade > film better.
- Run when the big monsters show up — some monsters are simply too fast or lethal to outrun. Learn which monsters you can film safely and which require immediate evacuation.
- Audio equipment (Boom Mic) captures spooky sounds for bonus views — monster roars, eerie ambient sounds, and player screams all contribute to view score. Always bring a boom mic.
- Vote on video titles together after extraction for a view multiplier — funnier or more dramatic titles score better. Title selection is a group decision phase that adds comedy between runs.
For detailed build optimization, see Content Warning builds. For quick wins, check tips & tricks.
