Early Access
Ongoing coverage on Early Access.
Latest coverage
Indie pirate survival game Windrose has sold 1 million copies
The indie pirate survival game Windrose has achieved a significant milestone, selling 1 million copies less than a week after its launch on Steam Early Access. The game offers players a pirate-themed survival experience.
All Windrose NPCs and how to recruit them
This guide details how to find and recruit all six NPCs available in the early access version of Windrose. Each NPC offers unique professions and bonuses, with some joining through quests and others requiring in-game currency and specific conditions to be met.
Monsters & Memories has delayed its early access from June to October
Niche Worlds Cult has delayed the early access launch of Monsters & Memories from June to October 1st, 2026. Studio lead Shawn Lord cited slower than hoped progress and a desire for further polish on class revisions, itemization, progression, and content as reasons for the delay. The game will now launch with Module I, also known as Descent into the Deep, doubling starting locations and adding two races.
Echoes of Elysium’s latest early access update ‘radically reworks’ the onboarding experience
Echoes of Elysium has received a major update that significantly overhauls the game's onboarding experience, making it clearer and smoother for new players. The update introduces new movement abilities like a Power Jump and a progression system for the glider, alongside performance tweaks and additional content.
Medieval Idler & Builder Tidehaven: Ale & Trade Now on Steam
The indie developer Bunch'o'Nerds has launched its medieval management sim, Tidehaven: Ale & Trade, on Steam in Early Access. The game blends simulation, management, and idle gameplay with deep customization options, allowing players to manage a tavern and build a town between the 15th and 17th centuries. Tidehaven: Ale & Trade is available on PC and offers hybrid gameplay that respects player time.
Windrose hits new peaks in sales (1M) and player concurrency (222K) as it addresses connection issues
The pirate-themed multiplayer survival game Windrose has achieved significant sales milestones, selling 1 million copies and reaching a peak of 222,134 concurrent players on Steam within its first 48 hours. Developer Kraken Express is actively addressing multiplayer connection issues with recent patches, including server selection options and direct IP connections.
Game Reviews
This article provides reviews for two games: The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon and Windrose. Windrose is highlighted as a pirate survival game entering Early Access.
This week in PC games: the "final" Molyneux game, Game Boy horror, ski resort management, and a glamcore heist sim
This week's PC game releases include early access titles Space Drilling Station and TownsFolk, the Game Boy-style horror game The Third Shift, and Vampire Crawlers, a roguelite based on Vampire Survivors. Masters of Albion, a god sim from former Lionhead and Bullfrog developers including Peter Molyneux, also launched in early access, alongside the factory game Factory 95 and the ski resort management sim Above the Snow.
Windrose: Struggling with 15 Men on a Dead Man’s Chest? Here’s a foolproof way to beat it first time
This guide provides a strategy for completing the '15 Men on a Dead Man's Chest' quest in the pirate survival game Windrose. It details how to use a fence to trap and defeat enemies, a method described as 'cheesing' the encounter, to ensure a successful first attempt.
Secret Forest World is an MMORPG promising a world of adventure, but it hasn’t had an update since last year
Secret Forest World, an upcoming MMORPG from Zelcar Games, is facing scrutiny due to a lack of recent development updates and concerns about its marketing practices. Despite promises of extensive customization and diverse gameplay, the game's dev blogs have not been updated since last year, and its other title, FeraPet, links to a non-functioning website. Founder's packs are currently being sold for the unreleased game, while community members report that alpha testing concluded last year with minimal communication from the developers.
In Moves of the Diamond Hand, the vibes so far are transcendent
Moves of the Diamond Hand, the early access sequel to Betrayal at Club Low by Cosmo D Studios, offers a transcendent experience centered around a mayoral election and the player's goal to join the enigmatic Circus X. The game expands on its predecessor with new talents, dice systems, and a larger city to explore, evoking a nostalgic yet complex feeling of place and self-identity.
Swordsmith RPG BLADESONG Gets First Major Content Update with ‘Chapter 2: The Shattered Mask’, Available Today
The swordsmith RPG Bladesong has received its first major content update, 'Chapter 2: The Shattered Mask,' available today for free on Steam and Epic Games Store. This update introduces a new story chapter with two factions, Replication Commissions challenges, and permanent forge upgrades. Bladesong is currently in Early Access and was developed by Sun and Serpent Creations, published by Mythwright.
ENDLESS Legend 2 gets major new patch and updated roadmap
Hooded Horse and Amplitude Studios have released a major update for the turn-based strategy game ENDLESS Legend 2, introducing a rework of the Kin of Sheredyn, controller support, and anomaly districts. This update marks the next milestone in the game's early access journey, which began last September. An updated roadmap detailing plans for the coming months has also been released.
This Windrose Mod Makes Fast Travel Way More Convienent
A new mod for the survival-crafter Windrose, created by yakuzadeso, significantly improves the game's fast travel system by allowing players to click on the map to travel between points. This mod removes the need to place multiple Fast Travel Bells and interact directly with them, making traversal across islands much more convenient. The game, developed by Kraken Express, is currently in early access on PC and has sold over a million copies.
PS5 Players Can Now Try Surprise Hit 2025 Games for Free
PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 owners can now download free demos for the games Marvel Cosmic Invasion and Nitro Gen Omega. Marvel Cosmic Invasion, developed by Tribute Games and published by DotEmu, is available with nine playable superheroes and two levels. Nitro Gen Omega, a sandbox RPG currently in early access on Steam, offers a demo for its upcoming PlayStation 5 release.
Windrose Sales Hit 1m in Under a Week
Kraken Express announced that its piratical survival-crafter Windrose has sold over one million units on PC via Steam Early Access in under a week. The game also surpassed 200,000 concurrent players. Windrose is expected to remain in Early Access for another 1.5 to 2.5 years.
Windrose sells 1 million copies in less than a week, and as the open-world pirate game passes 220,000 concurrent Steam players, devs say the support is "absolutely astonishing"
The open-world pirate game Windrose has achieved significant success, selling over one million copies in less than a week since its early access launch on April 14. The game also set a new concurrent player record on Steam, surpassing 220,000 players. Developer Kraken Express expressed gratitude for the "absolutely astonishing" support, acknowledging player patience as they work on fixes.
Pirate Game Windrose Sells 1 Million Copies, Passes 200,000 Concurrents On Steam
The pirate-themed survival adventure game Windrose has achieved significant success, selling over 1 million copies and reaching a peak of 222,134 concurrent players on Steam. Developer Kraken Express announced these milestones, noting that the game is also available on the Epic Games Store and Stove. While currently focused on its 1.0 release, the developer has not ruled out future console ports for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Piratical survival game Windrose sails past 1m copies sold, as player counts continue to rise
The piratical survival game Windrose, developed by Kraken Express, has sold over 1 million copies in its first six days of early access release. The game also achieved a peak of 200,000 concurrent players. The developer expressed gratitude for player support and feedback, highlighting the successful pivot from a free-to-play MMO concept to a premium title.
"Wind" i segeln – piratäventyret Windrose säljer 1 miljon
The pirate-themed PvE survivor adventure game Windrose, developed by Kraken Express, has achieved significant success since its PC early access launch on April 14. The game has sold one million copies and reached over 200,000 concurrent players within its first six days. Windrose features land and sea combat, building, crafting, exploration, and soulslike-inspired boss battles.