Concerned Parent is available, but an unlock bug was confirmed
Concerned Parent is an unlockable Early Access character. If the character remains locked after you believe you have met its requirement, a missing secret is not the only possible explanation: Team Lazerbeam acknowledged a Concerned Parent unlock bug in September 2026.
Start with the requirement displayed for the character in your installed build, then check your progress against it. This page covers the confirmed unlock issue and how to investigate a locked character; it does not provide a guaranteed route through every required tunnel.
Compare the character requirement with your actual progress
Read the locked character’s requirement before planning another run. Keep a record of what the game currently displays and what you have already completed. An achievement appearing and a character becoming selectable are separate results to check.
If you have completed the displayed objective but the character remains unavailable, record both states. Repeating an unrelated boss fight or chasing a hidden reward is not a confirmed repair for the acknowledged bug.
What the developer confirmed in September
On September 13, Team Lazerbeam acknowledged the character-unlock issue and made a fix a priority for the next patch. They also asked affected players whether other characters were unlocking, which is useful information to include in a report.
On September 14, the developer said the bug had been fixed for an upcoming patch. That message is a development update, not a confirmation that every existing save has received an unlock. Check the notes for the version you actually have before treating the issue as resolved.
If the character is still locked
First, confirm that you launched Early Access and note the installed version. Then inspect the character requirement and its current locked state. Record any achievement or completion message separately, so the report shows which part of progression succeeded.
Finally, note whether other characters unlock normally on the same save. This directly addresses the developer’s diagnostic question. A screenshot of the requirement and a description of the last completed run are more useful than a statement that you have tried everything.
Send the details to the game’s bug forum
The developer asks players to use the Steam Bug Reports forum so issues can be tracked. Describe the expected unlock, the result you saw, and the steps leading up to it. Include your game version and whether the problem also affects other characters.
Keep a fix announcement separate from a workaround suggested by another player. This guide does not prescribe deleting a save, editing game files or carrying a particular hidden card to force an unlock.
What makes Concerned Parent different?
The official August character overview presents Concerned Parent as a character built around card draw and powerful mood effects. Parental Instinct, Hysterical Strength, Dad Reflexes and Mama Bear illustrate how drawing cards can feed into an aggressive turn.
That overview explains the playstyle, rather than the unlock route. When you can select the character, read the current starting decks and base Foresight together; a pre-launch demonstration is not a substitute for the effects on your own cards.