Before you open the file.

The Case Desk is an online cold-case investigation game. You examine documents, photographs, recordings, witness statements and forensic evidence, organise what you discover and submit your final theory for scoring.

No. The cases, people, locations, documents and evidence are fictional. They are designed to feel authentic and use realistic investigative techniques, but they do not depict real victims, suspects or unsolved crimes.

It is designed for people who enjoy cold cases, true-crime storytelling, detective games, puzzles and evidence-based mysteries. You must be at least 18 years old to create an account.

There are currently five complete investigations. Case 1 is free. Cases 2–5 are included with Case Desk Unlimited.

Yes. New investigations are planned as the caseload expands. Every future case release is included with an active Case Desk Unlimited membership.

Yes. Later cases generally contain more exhibits, more persons of interest, more conflicting accounts and more complex conclusions. The first case introduces the investigation system before the caseload becomes considerably less cooperative.

Yes. Case 1 can be investigated from briefing to final theory without payment. It includes the evidence locker, investigative tools, DS Vale assistance, scoring and a completion certificate.

No. You only need to create a free detective profile. No card details are required until you choose to start a membership.

No. The Case Desk runs in your web browser. There is no separate application to install.

The Case Desk works on modern desktop, laptop, tablet and mobile browsers. A desktop or laptop provides the best experience for examining detailed evidence and arranging a busy investigation desk.

Yes. Sign in using the same account and your saved case progress will be available. Allow the current session to finish saving before switching devices.

Yes. A guided walkthrough introduces the evidence locker, investigation desk, analyst tools, objectives and theory submission. It can be closed at any time, and you can choose not to show it again.

Each case is released through a series of phases. You review newly released evidence, complete investigation objectives, question persons of interest, organise timelines and theories, and eventually file your conclusion.

No. DS Vale can summarise evidence, compare accounts, test an alibi and challenge your reasoning, but will not reveal the solution or decide what you should submit. The investigation remains yours.

DS Vale is your in-game investigative analyst. Vale helps you examine information already available in your case file, identify contradictions and test your thinking without providing the final answer.

The Evidence Locker contains every exhibit released during the investigation. You can filter exhibits by evidence type and view new, reviewed or unreviewed items.

New evidence has recently been added to the locker. Unreviewed evidence has not yet been opened. Reviewed evidence has already been examined. These labels help you manage larger case files without relying on a heroic memory.

Objectives guide you through the current phase of a case. They may require you to review evidence, question people, flag significant exhibits or complete other investigative actions before the next phase opens.

Flagging marks evidence you consider important. Some objectives ask you to identify exhibits that support a warrant, theory or significant line of enquiry.

It lets you place an exhibit or event into your working chronology. Building a timeline can expose gaps, impossible sequences and contradictions between accounts.

There is no fixed time limit. Most detectives will spend several hours on a case, while larger investigations may take longer. You can leave and return whenever you wish.

The timer records active investigation time. It pauses when you pause the investigation or sign out, then resumes when you return. Completed case times are saved to your profile.

Yes. Evidence can support more than one plausible interpretation, but each case has a sealed solution. Your report is scored against the facts, reasoning and evidence citations you submit.

Your score reflects the conclusions you reach, the reasoning behind them and the evidence you cite. After filing, you receive a case result and completion record.

No. Public help content and DS Vale are designed to explain the investigation system without revealing solutions, hidden evidence or future phases.

No. Audio evidence includes playback controls, and general sound can be muted. Some exhibits may contain recordings, but the overall game ambience is optional.

Yes. Evidence status, objectives, notes, timelines, theories, case time, scores and certificates are saved against your detective profile.

Yes, but each detective should create their own profile. Separate accounts keep case progress, scores, timers and certificates independent.

You can investigate together informally, but The Case Desk currently saves one investigation record per account. It does not yet provide a formal multiplayer or shared-desk mode.

Nothing is deleted. Progress, notes, timelines, scores, certificates and archived cases remain saved. Paid cases are sealed again when access ends and reopen if membership is restored.

Use the Account area to manage the profile information currently available. Your email address remains the primary identifier for signing in and protecting saved progress.

Contact hello@saasili.com from the email address connected to your account. Account-deletion requests are handled in accordance with the Privacy Notice and applicable retention requirements.

Unlimited includes Cases 2–5, every future case release and all available gameplay features. Case 1 remains free whether or not you become a member.

Membership costs £6.99 per month or £59.99 per year. The annual option saves approximately 29% compared with paying monthly for a full year.

Yes. Monthly and annual memberships renew automatically until cancelled. The checkout clearly displays the billing period and final applicable price before payment.

Yes. You can cancel through Account and Manage Billing. Cancellation stops the next renewal, and access normally continues until the end of the period already paid for.

Yes. Available subscription changes can be managed through the Paddle billing portal from your Account area.

No. Cancelling affects access to paid cases, not your detective record. Saved progress, scores, certificates and archives remain intact.

Payments are securely processed by Paddle, our Merchant of Record. Paddle handles checkout, applicable taxes, invoices, billing administration and refunds.

Refund requests may be made within 14 days where the applicable statutory or contractual right applies. Digital-content rules may affect withdrawal rights once access has begun with the required consent. Read the complete Refund Policy at /refunds.

The Case Desk does not store complete card numbers or card-security codes. Payment credentials are handled through Paddle’s secure checkout.

Charter Detective is permanent recognition for the first 250 paying members who join the Founding Case Unit.

Charter Detectives receive a numbered gold badge displayed alongside their profile and recognised across relevant certificates, archives and scorecards.

No. Charter Detective is a permanent founding-member status. Cancelling membership does not remove the badge or founding record.

The pricing and membership areas will show whether Charter Detective places are still available. Only the first 250 qualifying paying members receive the status.

First refresh the page and confirm that you are signed into the correct account. If the problem continues, contact hello@saasili.com with the case number, device, browser and a short description of what happened. Avoid including case spoilers in the email subject.

The Case Desk uses account authentication and server-side controls to protect profiles, progress and subscription access. Full details about collected information, service providers, retention and your rights are available in the Privacy Notice at /privacy.