All articles tagged with #early access
Slay the Spire 2 will launch in early access on March 5, 2026 via Steam, bringing four-player online co-op from day one alongside new cards, relics, abilities, events, and alternate acts while polishing visuals and keeping the core roguelike deck-building gameplay.
A lineup of new releases arriving Feb 16–19 across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, iOS and Android, including early-access Astrobotanica, Virtual Boy library reissues on Switch, Avowed (RPG), Under the Island (2D adventure), Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown (survival strategy), Styx: Blades of Greed (stealth), Neva: Prologue, Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse, and Demon Tides, spanning action-adventure, RPG, strategy, and platforming experiences.
February’s turn-based RPG and strategy scene features a crowded lineup: remakes like Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, new sci‑fi strategy MENACE in Early Access from Overhype, ACE Strategy: Mecha Nova demo, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection’s trial version, The Bell Echoes in Early Access, Queen Slayer reaching 1.0, and a slew of indie titles in Early Access or full release (Hermit and Pig, Master Of Piece, Dead Grid) plus Monster Train 2: Destiny of the Railforged DLC.
Intrepid Studios’ leadership for the MMO Ashes of Creation has largely exited the company after internal disputes tied to its Early Access debut. Co-founder Steven Sharif resigned in protest as the board took control and WARN notices were issued, leading to mass layoffs of the roughly 240-person development team. The situation follows a rocky Early Access period, with a shrinking player base (about 6,600 peak in the last 24 hours on SteamDB) and estimated Kickstarter-backed sales around 239,000, signaling significant challenges ahead for the title.
Starsand Island, an anime-inspired cozy life sim from Seed Sparkle Lab, will launch on Steam Early Access and Xbox Preview in February, with a full 1.0 release planned for mid‑2026 on Steam, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and macOS; early access won’t include online multiplayer, but cooperative crafting and expansive DIY systems are slated for the full release, along with NPC relationships, animal companions, and vehicle-based exploration. The developers have been transparent about the process and the community currently maintains a stance against AI-generated content.
Starsand Island will launch in Early Access on February 11 for PC via Steam and Xbox Series, with a full release across PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, and PC planned for this summer. The Early Access period features two editions (Standard and Deluxe) and focuses on finalizing content and the end‑game, with multiplayer unavailable until the full release. The game promises over 100 hours of life‑sim gameplay centered on ranching, farming, exploration, fishing, crafting, and customizable building, all wrapped in a storybook-inspired world and crossovers with My Time at Portia and Yueyang Tower. The developer, Seed Sparkle Lab, aims to actively incorporate player feedback to refine stability and content before the full launch.
Moon Studios says No Rest for the Wicked will cost $60 when Version 1.0 leaves Steam Early Access, with the game currently on a 40% off sale (about $23.99). Creative Director Thomas Mahler explains the price hike reflects a premium-title price and that early supporters deserve extra love, contrasting his approach with Baldur's Gate 3's Early Access pricing.
Ex‑Diablo and Torchlight veterans have announced Darkhaven, a co‑op isometric ARPG inspired by classic titles like Diablo, Torchlight, Hellgate London, Marvel Heroes, and Nox. The game features a procedurally generated, persistent world with deformable terrain and buildable structures, seasons and weather that alter combat and traversal, and PvP-enabled realms. Combat emphasizes movement, timing, and terrain awareness alongside stat progression. A Kickstarter is planned, Steam wishlists are open, and a demo is expected around Steam Next Fest before early access.
Emberville, an action-adventure RPG from Cygnus Cross, will enter Early Access on PC via Steam this summer, featuring a two-button combat system expanded with weapon-bound combos, inherited class skills, a dynamic UI, a customizable creative area, and a procedurally generated world, with CohhCarnage heavily involved in development and upcoming voice actors announced.
This week’s PC releases blend big ambitious projects with a wave of early-access titles: Highguard, a sci‑fi raid shooter by ex-Apex/Titanfall developers, and Winnie the Cthulhooh, a cosmic horror roguelite in early access, sit alongside Code Vein 2. The slate also features numerous early-access releases across genres—Calyx (plant-based RTS), Echoes Of Elysium, The Spirit Lift, Nova Antarctica, Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator, Cairn, I Hate This Place, Don't Stop, Girlypop, Front Mission 3 remake, and more—making for a dense week of PC gaming with releases spanning action, roguelites, survival, and strategy. Plus, a community poll about Xbox availability rounds out the week.
Star Citizen, Cloud Imperium Games’ sprawling space RPG funded by crowdfunding (over $900 million), is inching toward an early-access release next year with a longer-term 1.0 launch on the horizon. A gameplay snippet from Digital Dreams hints at ship customization, space combat, NPC interactions, bounty quests, and a law system across a vast universe, though Squadron 42 remains without a release date. While fans of Mass Effect and Starfield are excited, some observers warn the project could be heavy on visuals with limited substance, with a few labeling it a potential scam.
Kotaku reports that Forza Horizon 6 raises the cost for early access: Premium Edition is now $120, and even Game Pass Ultimate subscribers must pay $60 to upgrade for four days of early play (up from $50). The article argues this ‘early access tax’ is steep, especially since Horizon 6 is a $70 title and the delay is only a few days. The game launches May 19 on PC and Xbox, with Premium access on May 15 and a PS5 release planned later this year.
Enshrouded exits Early Access and will launch this fall on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam, with a spring 2026 final major update (Version 0.8) adding Adventure Sharing and balance/optimization improvements; the Fall 2026 full launch will introduce more content, console release, and ongoing patches, with Keen Games thanking over five million players who participated in Early Access.
Hytale's long-awaited early access release, after Riot Games briefly canceled the project and Hypixel Studios reacquired it, is described by Hytale's boss Simon Collins-Laflamme as the most challenging yet rewarding experience of his life, signaling a major milestone as the team moves forward with ongoing development.
KLETKA, a cooperative horror game from Sobaka Studio and Callback, exits Early Access and launches on February 19 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Switch, and PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store). It first debuted in PC Early Access on December 13, 2024. Players form a team of up to six to descend into a vast Gigastructure, feed the hungry elevator to survive traps and a mysterious anomaly called Samosbor, and rely on teamwork to stay alive.