diff --git a/.changeset/embed-cli-version.md b/.changeset/embed-cli-version.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..136c6dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/embed-cli-version.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+"kit": patch
+---
+
+`shellcade-kit version` now reports the real release version instead of
+`(devel)`/`(unknown)`. GoReleaser builds the binary with plain `go build`, so
+`debug.ReadBuildInfo().Main.Version` was empty for the released artifact;
+GoReleaser now stamps the tag into `main.version` via `-ldflags`, making the
+"binary embeds the same kit version it ships under" claim true. In-tree
+`go build`/`go run` is unchanged (still falls back to build info). No behavior
+change for game authors.
diff --git a/.goreleaser.yaml b/.goreleaser.yaml
index 4c7e639..342cec7 100644
--- a/.goreleaser.yaml
+++ b/.goreleaser.yaml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ builds:
     env: [CGO_ENABLED=0]
     goos: [darwin, linux, windows]
     goarch: [amd64, arm64]
-    ldflags: ["-s -w"]
+    ldflags: ["-s -w -X main.version={{.Version}}"]
 
 archives:
   - formats: [tar.gz]
diff --git a/cmd/shellcade-kit/main.go b/cmd/shellcade-kit/main.go
index ebf4c8d..e5c2ad7 100644
--- a/cmd/shellcade-kit/main.go
+++ b/cmd/shellcade-kit/main.go
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ import (
 	"github.com/shellcade/kit/v2/host/sdk"
 )
 
+// version is the binary's own version. GoReleaser overrides it via
+// -ldflags "-X main.version={{.Version}}" so release binaries report the kit
+// tag they ship under; in-tree `go build`/`go run` leaves it "dev" and
+// printVersion falls back to the module version from build info.
+var version = "dev"
+
 func main() {
 	if len(os.Args) >= 2 && os.Args[1] == "version" {
 		printVersion()
@@ -117,6 +123,16 @@ func printVersion() {
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	// A real -ldflags value (the GoReleaser release path) wins over the empty
+	// bi.Main.Version that in-tree `go build` produces. Under lockstep the tag
+	// IS the kit module release, so the binary ships under that kit version too
+	// — adopt it for the kit line when build info couldn't supply one.
+	if version != "" && version != "dev" {
+		own = version
+		if kitv == "(unknown)" {
+			kitv = version
+		}
+	}
 	fmt.Printf("shellcade-kit %s\nkit           %s (github.com/shellcade/kit/v2)\nabi           v%d\n", own, kitv, gameabi.Version)
 }