Early Access
Ongoing coverage on Early Access.
Latest coverage
BitCraft’s early access 2 launch (and $8 price tag) generated its highest concurrency since last fall
BitCraft launched its early access 2 phase with a price tag of $7.99 for the launch week, generating its highest player concurrency since last fall. The update includes revamped quests, account tweaks, new structures, and an overhauled Empire system. Player reviews on Steam remain "mostly positive," with most understanding the nature of an early access sandbox.
Valheim’s ‘looking to the future’ dev blog bewilderingly does not actually look to the future
Iron Gate's latest developer blog for Valheim, titled 'looking to the future,' has caused confusion among players by not providing concrete launch details. The blog reiterates that the game is coming to Nintendo Switch this year, but not the original Switch model. Players are reportedly frustrated by the lack of a firm release date after years in early access.
Equinox Homecoming caps off week of launch and business model announcements with a new dev blog
Blue Scarab announced that the horse mystery MMO Equinox Homecoming will launch on March 5th, following a free demo and the reveal of its business model. The studio plans to support the game with future content and has detailed its cave design approach in a new developer blog.
Betawatch: Marathon slams, Gloria Victis returns
This week's Betawatch covers numerous MMORPGs in various stages of testing, including Marathon's server blitz and Gloria Victis's return under Gamigo. Several games like Nakwon, Fractured Conquest, Spellcaster Chronicles, BitCraft, and Equinox Homecoming are highlighted for their ongoing alpha, closed beta, or early access periods.
Not So Massively Roundup: Early access release news for Nested Lands, ’83, and Everwind
This roundup covers early access news for several multiplayer titles. Nested Lands, a medieval survival game, has launched its early access and is already addressing player feedback. The tactical shooter '83 has discussed its Commander role mechanics and plans to reveal its 'road to early access' soon. Finally, the voxel-based co-op RPG Everwind will launch its early access on PC on March 17th, with a console release planned for later.
Fellowship attacks a sudden infrastructure bug that was gobbling up character progression and rewards
The early access co-op game Fellowship experienced a critical infrastructure bug that affected character progression and rewards. Developer Chief Rebel implemented emergency maintenance and released patches to fix account data corruption and restore progression, allowing players to keep any doubled rewards earned during the outage.
MMO Week in Review: The clock strikes Midnight
This week's MMO news roundup covers the early access launch of World of Warcraft: Midnight, BitCraft entering its second early access phase, and Gamigo reviving Gloria Victis. The article also touches on layoffs at Corepunk, Discord's postponed age verification rollout, and various updates and issues across numerous other MMO titles.
A Colorful Competitive Extraction Shooter - No Love Lost @ PAX East 2024 - The Game Fanatics
No Love Lost is a new extraction shooter from Ratloop Games Canada, currently available in early access on Steam. The game drops players onto an alien world where they must compete against both enemy teams and the environment, with a focus on team-based elements and extensive customization options. Game director James Anderson provided further details in an interview.
Undisputed at PAX West 2024 - The Game Fanatics
Undisputed, a boxing simulation game developed by Ash Habib, is currently in early access and aims to provide a technical and fun experience. The game will feature over 70 boxers, character creation, and a deep career mode. It is scheduled for full release on October 11th for console and PC.
Extraction Shooters Explained – What Kind of Game is Marathon? - IGN
The extraction shooter genre, popularized by games like Escape from Tarkov, is explained as a gameplay loop where players enter a map to find loot and complete objectives, then must extract before dying to keep their gear. Bungie's upcoming Marathon is highlighted as a new entry in the genre, alongside other notable titles like Arc Raiders and Hunt: Showdown. The article discusses the core mechanics, the risk of losing gear upon death, and the evolution of the genre.
This week in PC games: Marathon, Slay The Spire 2, a promising Disco-like RPG and a monastic garden mystery
This week's PC game releases include Bungie's Marathon reboot, the early access launch of Slay the Spire 2, and a variety of indie titles. Notable releases span genres from life simulation and CRPGs to roguelikes and survival RTS games, offering diverse experiences for players.
World of Warcraft Midnight will boost profession knowledge gains to counter any early access advantage
Blizzard Entertainment is implementing a temporary boost to profession knowledge gains in World of Warcraft Midnight for the first full week of launch to compensate players who did not purchase early access. This change aims to close the gap in profession specialization between early and regular players, though some early access players feel it devalues their initial investment. The update also addresses several bugs, including issues with item level requirements and shop item pricing.
Laysara: Summit Kingdom Leaves Early Access For V1.0 Launch On PC And Console
Laysara: Summit Kingdom has officially launched its Version 1.0, exiting Early Access on PC and consoles including Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. Developed by QuiteOK Games and published by Nejcraft, this city-builder challenges players to construct settlements on treacherous mountain terrains, focusing on logistics and survival against environmental hazards like avalanches.
New Frostrail video delivers more survival train horror shooting plus weird underground Tomb Raider temples
The new gameplay overview for Frostrail, a co-op horror survival game from the developers of Barotrauma, reveals more than just train-based combat. The video showcases exploration of underground ruins with lush vegetation and Tomb Raider-esque architecture, adding a layer of mystery beyond the initial ice zombie encounters. The game is set to release in early access this year and will support both solo and co-op play.
Skate developers Full Circle lay off an unspecified number of staff, claim this'll somehow help them "better support" the game
Full Circle, the studio behind Electronic Arts' early access skateboarding game Skate, has announced a studio restructuring that involves laying off an unspecified number of staff. The company claims these changes are intended to better support the long-term future of Skate and focus the team on key features. The studio also detailed changes to its roadmap communication, prioritizing social features like Meetups and Turn-Based Competitive Modes.
EA makes layoffs at Skate developer Full Circle
Electronic Arts has conducted layoffs at Full Circle, the studio developing the skateboarding game Skate. The company stated that these changes are necessary to better support the free-to-play title, despite its strong initial player engagement. The exact number of impacted employees has not been disclosed.
Tears of Metal Reveals Ruadh Stonecrusher, Confirms Spring 2026 Early Access on Steam
Paper Cult has revealed Ruadh Stonecrusher, a new playable character for their hack-and-slash roguelike Tears of Metal, in a new trailer. The game is set to launch on Steam Early Access in Spring 2026, with a playable demo currently available. The title features co-op gameplay, character progression, and a medieval setting influenced by a Dragon Stone Meteor event.
Valorborn Release Date Promises a Fully Persistent Sandbox World in April
Laps Games announced that its sandbox RPG Valorborn will launch in Early Access on PC via Steam on April 15th. The game features a persistent world where systems continue to simulate player actions, including faction struggles and environmental dangers. Valorborn will also incorporate permadeath as a core feature, with planned updates to add more kingdoms and origin options.
Fallen Tear: The Ascension Launches in Steam Early Access March 2026 — Too Much Gaming | Video Games Reviews, News, & Guides
Winter Crew Studios announced that their action-adventure metroidvania, Fallen Tear: The Ascension, will launch on Steam Early Access on March 18, 2026. The Early Access version will include 35% of the game's content, featuring 10 major regions, 6 main bosses, and 15-20 hours of gameplay. The developers plan to exit Early Access by Q4 2026.
Seafarer: The Ship Sim – Second update available now, introducing new vessels and more missions
Seafarer: The Ship Sim has released its second major update, the Rescue Update, introducing new missions, two new vessels (Salvation and Grace), and a vessel editor. This Early Access simulation game also saw the release of a Supporter Edition with additional content and a soundtrack.
