Early Access
Ongoing coverage on Early Access.
Latest coverage
Survival-crafting colony sim Oceaneers washes up onto Early Access shores in April
The survival-crafting colony sim Oceaneers will launch into Early Access on April 13th. Developed by Oceaneers, the game features island hopping, raft construction, and survival mechanics in a flooded world. The developers plan to include the full story from day one and will continue to expand the game with community feedback.
You thought you were scared before?
Slitherine and Ice Code Games have released a significant update for their Early Access title, Nightmare Frontier. The update overhauls the 'Fear of Death' enemy with a new model and weapon, introduces 'Breaches' that spawn Dreadweavers, and adds new skill trees for player enhancements. It also includes new objectives, weapons, items, and sidequests to improve the tactical extraction looter experience.
This week in PC games: a new Hooded Horse city-builder, some PS2-style horror, a school-day RPG and an absolutely tremendous catfish
This week's PC game releases include a variety of genres, from city-builders like Nova Roma and PS2-style horror in No Vacation for an Executioner, to RPGs such as Mado Monogatari: Fia and the Wondrous Academy. Other notable titles include tactical pinball game Beast Breaker and the unique catfish-themed game The Wide Open Sky is Running out of Catfish.
The Last Caretaker Update 03: Curiosity Wakes Available Now
Channel37 has released Update 03: Curiosity Wakes for their sci-fi survival-crafting game, The Last Caretaker, now available in Early Access on Steam and the Epic Games Store. This update introduces orbital contact with a Council of Humanity, new ocean threats like Ram Sharks and ArchAngels, allied support units, and expanded Caretaker customization options.
Back from the cold: Snow War - Multiplayer FPS in Early Access 3rd April 2026!
Finnish indie developer Gnomecraft announced that their multiplayer first-person shooter, Snow War, will launch on Steam Early Access on April 3rd, 2026, for PC. Originally a Half-Life mod, the standalone version will be priced at $9.99 with a 30% launch discount. The game supports up to 16 players online and features character customization and power-ups, built on Unreal Engine.
DeckLand Early Access Launches March 23 — Dodge-and-Move Mechanics Redefine Deck-Building Roguelite
DeckLand, a position-based deck-building roguelite from indie studio JellySnow and publisher CFK, has launched on Steam Early Access. The game features over 1,000 cards, a unique dodge-and-move combat system, and will later release on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch consoles. A 20% launch discount is available for two weeks.
Slay the Spire 2 was review bombed due to an experimental branch balance test
Slay the Spire 2 experienced a significant review bombing on Steam due to an experimental branch patch that aimed to nerf "infinite" build strategies. Despite the negative reviews, the game's overall rating remains overwhelmingly positive, and the controversial patch is not yet live on the main version.
MMO Week in Review: EverQuest celebrates 27 years and a lawsuit settlement in its favor
EverQuest celebrated its 27th anniversary with a lawsuit settlement that favors Daybreak Game Company, keeping emulators offline. This week also saw layoffs at Amazon for Lost Ark developers, Facebook scaling back VR metaverse ambitions, and discussions around various MMORPG updates and industry trends.
Mega Crit responds to the panic over Slay the Spire 2's 1st balance pass, saying these changes are 'the first of many': 'No change is necessarily permanent'
Developer Mega Crit addressed player backlash regarding the first balance changes for Slay the Spire 2, stating that the adjustments are part of an ongoing process over the next 1-2 years. The studio emphasized that no change is permanent and that this iterative approach is typical for Early Access games.
Slay the Spire 2 reminds us that this week's patch "was the first of many to come over the next 1-2 years"
Developer Mega Crit has announced that the recent balance patch for Slay the Spire 2 is the first of many planned over the next one to two years. The studio emphasized its patching methodology, which involves experimental changes on a beta branch informed by player feedback and metrics, aiming to achieve a balance similar to the original Slay the Spire. The game has seen significant launch success, achieving 3 million sales and a high concurrent player count on Steam.
Single-Player Action Roguelite Don’t Lose Aggro Entering Steam Early Access April 15
The single-player action roguelite Don't Lose Aggro will launch on Steam Early Access on April 15. Developed by Oren Koren, the game focuses on the 'tanking' role from MMOs, allowing players to protect NPC companions through various modes like Wave Defense, Dungeon Crawl, and Boss Rush. Koren aims to provide a low-risk environment for players to practice tanking and gain confidence in the role.
With Steam reviews at 'Mixed', the developer of Half Sword addresses differences between the early access game and its hugely popular tech demo: 'The final version of the game will differ from what has been shown previously'
Developer Half Sword Games has addressed player concerns regarding the differences between the popular tech demo and the early access version of their medieval dueling simulator, Half Sword. The team clarified that the demo showcased core mechanics and was not intended to represent the final game, with combat balance and features still evolving. They also acknowledged issues with technical performance and marketing expectations for the early access launch.
"This progress will not be linear": Mega Crit outline their patching process for Slay the Spire 2 after ruffling some feathers
Developer Mega Crit has explained their patching methodology for the early access game Slay the Spire 2, addressing player concerns about recent updates. The company stated that changes are based on player feedback, collected metrics, and their design philosophies, emphasizing that the game will undergo constant, non-linear changes over the next 1-2 years to achieve balance similar to the first Slay the Spire.
Heroes of Science and Fiction Released
Heroes of Science and Fiction has officially launched on Steam for Windows and macOS. The science fiction strategy game previously underwent a successful Early Access period.
If you simply cannot wait for the new Heroes of Might and Magic, this sci-fi take on HoMM just launched from Steam early…
Heroes of Science and Fiction, a sci-fi take on the Heroes of Might and Magic formula developed by Unfrozen and published by Hooded Horse, has officially launched out of Steam Early Access. The 1.0 release includes a new campaign, planet types, buildings, AI improvements, achievements, and multiplayer. Oxymoron Games is offering a 40% discount for a limited time.
The Last Caretaker's latest update embraces its inner Dr Evil by adding sharks with frickin' laser beams…
The survival simulation game The Last Caretaker has received a new update titled 'Curiosity Wakes', which introduces sharks with laser beams on their heads, deployable NPC companions like a mobile gun turret, and craftable spiderbots. Developer Channel37 has also added robot customization, new quests, locations, and performance optimizations, further solidifying its status as a dependable early access title.
Slay the Spire 2 devs respond to a flurry of bad Steam reviews aimed at its first balance patch: "This progress will not be linear, and no change is necessarily permanent"
Developer Mega Crit addressed player backlash following Slay the Spire 2's first major balance patch, which resulted in a surge of negative Steam reviews. The studio explained their approach to Early Access, noting that progress is not always linear and changes are not necessarily permanent.
Betawatch: Hollowed Oath is happening, The Cube Save Us will not save us
This article provides a weekly update on MMORPGs currently in various stages of testing and early access. It highlights new entries like Hollowed Oath and The Cube, Save Us, while also detailing the status of numerous other titles, including those with blockchain elements and those facing delays or potential abandonment.
Subnautica 2 chief says Krafton is still messing with him, because the May release date announcement was news to him and…
Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill has expressed concerns regarding Krafton's announcement of Subnautica 2's May early access release, stating it was news to him and potentially sabotaged marketing efforts. This follows a legal battle where a judge ruled in favor of Gill, reinstating him as CEO and extending an earnout deadline, which Krafton's announcement seemingly disregarded.
Slay the Spire 2 gets inundated with bad reviews on Steam as players decide they hate an optional balance patch:…
Slay the Spire 2 is experiencing a surge of negative reviews on Steam following the release of an opt-in beta patch, v0.100.0. Players are reportedly unhappy with the balance adjustments and the addition of a new 'Phobia' mode, despite the game maintaining a 'Very Positive' overall rating.
