As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I find Towerborne to be an intriguing proposition that resonates deeply with me. The freedom it offers, the emphasis on fun, and the commitment to evolve with its players – all these elements strike a chord in my heart.
Xbox Game Studios together with Stoic have revealed their launch strategy for the upcoming action RPG, Towerborne. Initially, the game will debut on PC through Steam Early Access on September 10th. Subsequently, a full release is scheduled for the Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Game Pass in the year 2025. Additionally, Stoic hinted that Towerborne’s Early Access would also be made available on Xbox Game Preview, though this will occur after its Steam Early Access launch.
It’s been announced that Towerborne will launch as a free-to-play game on PC and Xbox Series X|S, with the initial plan for an Xbox One release now appearing to have been changed or cancelled. This is suggested by the fact that the new trailer, its official website, and its listing on the Microsoft Store no longer mention the Xbox One.
During the Early Access phase on Steam, developers at Stoic plan to consistently refine the game according to community suggestions. Initially, the Early Access offers four character classes, four Danger Levels, 13 Venture Missions, and additional features; on its Steam page, Stoic states that players of Towerborne can anticipate spending around 30-60 hours exploring, with more content being added in the future.
Due to the game being entirely free to play upon its complete launch, early access participants can secure their spot by buying a Founder’s pack, which provides them with immediate access to the game. Here is the comprehensive information directly from Stoic on their Steam page.
Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?
During Early Access, Towerborne can be bought at a fixed cost. By acquiring a Founder’s pack, you will gain early access to play Towerborne. Your feedback will assist us in refining the game as it moves towards its full, free-to-play launch. To clarify, Stoic is dedicated to ensuring:
● To play during Early Access, players must purchase a Founder’s Pack.
As a Game Creator, I am instrumental in crafting the vibrant and engaging universe that players will dive into. Your backing empowers us to build a gaming experience that will keep players hooked for years, filled with excitement and enjoyment.
As a Founder, you’ll get a monthly in-game reward just by logging in during Early Access. This perk is our way of appreciating your continued backing and aiming to boost your gaming fun.
● When Towerborne exits Early Access it will be free-to-play.
Regarding both Early Access and Free players, all updates will always be complimentary, with no content or gameplay being restricted by paid Downloadable Content (DLC).
In our game, you’ll never need to pay for weapons, equipment, or ways to advance in power. Instead, we’ll offer enticing cosmetic items and essential convenience goods, but these won’t impact your character’s power growth.
Watch the new trailer for Towerborne down below, along with more information from Xbox Wire.
As soon as I dive into the vibrant, magical realm of Towerborne, it’s obvious that this place is all about having a blast! The combat system, reminiscent of brawlers, is so intuitive that even newbies like me can jump right in and enjoy the ride. And let’s not forget the witty banter between the characters in the Belfry – it adds an extra layer of fun to the experience, regardless if I’ve spent years gaming or just started yesterday.
The better news is that there’s not too long to wait. Towerborne starts in Steam Early Access on September 10. For the furrowed-browed among you, don’t fret; Towerborne will have a phased release starting with Steam Early Access, Xbox Game Preview following, and a full free-to-play launch planned for 2025. Towerborne will also include cross-progression, so your progress will carry over to whichever platform you prefer to play on. Stoic is eager to have players help shape the future of Towerborne by becoming Founders through purchase of either the Silver or Gold Towerborne Founder’s Pack, offering early access to the game and exclusive perks like cosmetics, emotes, and monthly bonuses.
Known mainly for creating the Banner Saga, Stoic is eager for something new – Towerborne represents a significant shift away from their established series. In a playful manner, Game Director Daniel McLaren affectionately calls this change a departure from the “depression simulator” that was their flagship series.
In McLaren’s words, “By the end of the last Banner Saga game, there was a feeling of emotional strain. After dedicating so many years to creating and developing such a project, there’s an immense burden that you carry. There came a time when the team sat together and expressed doubts: ‘I don’t believe we can create another one.'”
“It’d be wonderful if we created a game that’s a total contrast to The Banner Saga. Perhaps something more light-hearted and designed for playing together with loved ones right here on the couch?”
The colorful, playful atmosphere combined with straightforward yet fulfilling side-scrolling gameplay makes Towerborne easy to pick up for anyone. Designed intentionally to be both inviting and satisfying at all skill levels, Towerborne also presents challenging content for those seeking a tougher experience. Regardless of how you choose to play, everyone gets the same rewards for participating.
Choosing Early Access
The Banner Saga initially started through crowdfunding on Kickstarter. Regular dialogue with our early supporters played a crucial role in determining how we shaped the development of the game.
In a straightforward manner, McLaren expressed that Stoic’s history revolves around engaging with our players, and Kickstarter represents a promise. For Stoic, this approach was highly successful, leading them to a point where they can now say, “You don’t have to wait for us this time; we can deliver the game to you immediately.”
Through Early Access, the studio will carry on the practice of collaborating closely with players who are passionate about Towerborne’s story from the beginning. This collaboration ensures that the game is continually improved based on player input during the Early Access phase and beyond. Consequently, players on Xbox, PC, and Xbox Game Pass will experience the improvements made to Towerborne immediately. When Towerborne becomes available on Xbox Game Preview, it will welcome a larger audience across these platforms, enabling their feedback to continue shaping the game’s development.
According to Trisha Stouffer, CEO and President of Stoic, the process begins with our Founders – individuals who have chosen to be part of the initial team shaping the entire game. After going through Steam Early Access, followed by Xbox Game Preview, and ultimately launching as a free-to-play game, we aim to keep the doors wide open for everyone to join. However, this can make it challenging to distinguish between mere noise and valuable feedback. Consequently, our objective during Early Access is to ensure that the game is both stable and enjoyable to play before we welcome a larger audience.
Xbox, similarly, fully endorses Stoic’s pioneering strategy of involving players right from the beginning during Early Access and maintaining this approach historically.
As a passionate gamer and an Executive Producer at Xbox Games Studios Publishing, I’m all about creating games that people adore for years. From day one, we knew Towerborne would take a unique path. By focusing our efforts initially on a specific group and gradually expanding, it gives our team the freedom to continually refine and optimize those intricate systems, ultimately making them as enjoyable as possible for everyone who plays.
Free To Play
During Towerborne’s Early Access and Xbox Game Preview phases, the team will greatly benefit from the extra time and user feedback to create an outstanding final product. Offering the full game for free aligns with Towerborne’s mission to ensure accessibility for everyone.
“The Founder’s pack offers two primary benefits: firstly, it allows us to gradually identify issues and address them promptly; secondly, it invites enthusiastic gamers who support Stoic, giving them a chance to contribute to the development of Towerborne.”
As a gaming enthusiast, I dived into Banner Saga: Factions – a captivating free-to-play spinoff from the main series that dropped in 2013. The concept was simple yet revolutionary: offering gamers like myself an opportunity to join the fun without any upfront cost, while giving us a sneak peek of the combat mechanics before the full game’s release. Developers Stoic were overjoyed at the prospect of welcoming as many players as possible into this creative process, shaping Banner Saga together.
According to Arnie Jorgensen, one of the co-founders of Stoic, they were actively involved in constructing our combat system and overall enhancing the game daily. We’d receive feedback and make updates regularly, with me spending approximately three hours each day communicating with the community. After shifting back to developing a single-player game, we truly missed that interactive element, so we’re thrilled to reintroduce it.
A Second Game
In essence, many contemporary games primarily require your time rather than money. Although Towerborne offers captivating gameplay and endless progression, allowing you to invest as much time as desired in its universe, Stoic stands out by challenging traditional design aspects that tie a player to a single game. While Towerborne might become your primary game, it can also serve as a secondary option for casual play, with little difficulty in jumping back in whenever desired.
Jorgensen advises, “You don’t need to dedicate countless hours monthly to match others’ gaming pace. Enjoy yourself, take breaks, explore other games, and return when ready. It’s crucial to remember that everyone’s gaming habits differ. A few minutes could feel like a significant achievement, or you might play for hours.”
Stouffer adds: “It really is the manifestation of ‘just one more mission.”
A Living, Breathing Belfry
Towerborne is a game that’s always alive – the developers plan to keep expanding its story, offering fresh content, and growing its universe for as long as possible. As you move forward in the game, the world will adapt to your character, creating a dynamic setting perfect for an engaging, immersive experience tailored just for you, the player.
McLaren explains that the multiplayer aspect of our game offers a sense of freedom that’s hard to achieve in a solo experience. He highlights the extensive world-building happening, which allows us to easily introduce new narratives, weapons, or character classes without being bogged down by other responsibilities, thus enabling us to swiftly incorporate these updates into the game.
Getting that second perspective is also crucial when it comes to seeing what your game can do. Oftentimes, a new set of eyes can be a great asset in scoping for bugs, sparking new ideas, and making an entire team say: “why didn’t we think of that?”
Stouffer notes that players enjoy testing limits, and this unpredictability is part of the excitement. He explains that while you may have a sense of what players might do, their actions can be surprising until they’re put into practice. Sometimes, even well-intentioned players will perform actions that we didn’t anticipate, making us exclaim, “Who knew that could happen?” In other words, anything goes.
Stoic is also looking to collect more than just technical feedback from the initial players of Towerborne. Recognizing the keen eye for compelling narratives and innovative concepts within their community, Stoic views these players as nearly collaborative developers, contributing significantly to the development process of Towerborne.
“Jorgensen mentions that while we have our own thoughts about the story’s direction, we’re open to suggestions from the community. In fact, we’ve experienced numerous instances where a fantastic idea emerged from the community but was impractical to incorporate in a single-player game at the last minute, similar to our experience with Banner Saga.”
“We see this as our chance to collaborate with the players once more in crafting an exceptional game. We’re confident about our concepts, and we hope our players share our enthusiasm, but what truly excites us is that they’ll bring their creative ideas to the table too. To me, that’s what makes Towerborne a dynamic, living game.”
It’s Still Stoic
Stoic acknowledges that Towerborne deviates significantly from The Banner Saga, but they’ve got more stories to tell within that series. Regardless, the team intentionally chose to develop an engaging multiplayer game that encourages everyone to join in on the fun and enjoyment.
“Over a prolonged period, those familiar with Stoic are aware that we’ve been creating the games that truly interest us – this does not imply that we’ll always produce the identical game.” (Jorgensen)
There’s a strong sense of enjoyment in the team’s work on Towerborne, which is evident in our chat. This joy they feel will undoubtedly be reflected in the game itself.
“McLaren acknowledges that some individuals may require time to adapt to the change, which is perfectly fine. Essentially, we’re not altering who we are as a studio; instead, we’re channeling our enthusiasm in a fresh direction, revitalizing our creative energy.”
On September 10, Towerborne commences its Early Access phase on Steam. For updates on the game’s development, visit the Towerborne website or join the official Discord group to learn more about the Early Access Founder’s Packs.
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2024-08-21 00:56