Why Early Access?

“We’re bringing Home Before Winter to Early Access so players can jump in early, play together, and help shape the game as it grows. HBW is built for replayability, whether you’re playing solo, teaming up with friends or competing against them and AI opponents. While we have a bigger vision for the project, Early Access lets us develop alongside our community, using player feedback to guide new game modes, features, and the future of the game.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We expect Home Before Winter to be in Early Access for around 8–14 months. During that time, we plan to release larger updates every 1–2 months, including new game modes and maps. We’ll also be pushing out smaller, more frequent updates on a weekly to bi-weekly basis, focused on polish, balance, visuals, and UI improvements.
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How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“On Day 1 of Early Access, players can jump straight into Home Before Winter in singleplayer against AI, battle friends in multiplayer, or challenge online opponents using matchmaking. The game launches with one medium-sized map inspired by the historic WW1 Battle of the Somme, designed to support strategic, replayable matches from the start.

Beyond the Day 1 Early Access experience, we plan to grow Home Before Winter in phases, adding new systems, modes, and polish over time while responding to community feedback.

Early in Early Access, we plan to focus on improving combat clarity and game flow. This includes adding more visual autobattles to better communicate how battle dice work, as well as additional options for retreating from combat. We also plan to introduce a new victory condition and a Forts Mode, allowing players to place defensive structures on the map that provide bonus troops and roll additional defensive dice, further increasing strategic depth and replayability.

Midway through Early Access, we plan to expand player interaction and pacing. This includes adding communication and diplomacy tools for online play, such as emoji-based messaging and other ways for players to coordinate, negotiate, or form alliances. We also plan to introduce anti-stalemate systems designed to help matches resolve more cleanly and keep games feeling fast and action-packed.

Later in development, our focus shifts toward expanding scope and long-term replayability. We plan to add more game modes and allow players to mix and match them, introduce character customization options, and release additional maps both smaller and larger than the launch map. We also plan continued UI improvements and AI enhancements to make computer-controlled opponents more challenging and engaging. Throughout this phase, we intend to take time to incorporate community feedback, ensure stability, and polish the overall experience as we work toward the full release.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The current Early Access version of Home Before Winter is fully playable and feature-complete for its core gameplay. Players can play against AI in singleplayer, battle friends in multiplayer, or challenge online opponents using matchmaking. The game includes one medium-sized map inspired by the historic WW1 Battle of the Somme, designed for strategic, replayable matches. Each round concludes with an engaging trench defense minigame that rewards players with bonuses and adds an extra layer of strategy to every match.”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“Yes. We plan to price Home Before Winter lower during Early Access to reward players who join early. At launch, Early Access will offer a close-to-50% discount off the planned full release price. As development continues and new features are added, the discount will gradually decrease to around 20%. When the game reaches full release, it will be listed at full price, with a small launch-week discount for new players.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“Community feedback will play a central role in shaping Home Before Winter as we develop it. We’ll be listening closely to the Steam community through the discussion boards and feedback channels. After implementing our planned updates, we intend to incorporate player suggestions wherever possible - including new game modes, map ideas, balance adjustments, and other features - to help guide the direction of the game and build a community-driven experience.”