Why Early Access?

“* The description below will be updated at launch, work in progress

🎮 ☵ Hiraeth is an ambitious open-world indie game developed by a solo creator. Early Access is a crucial step that allows for broader testing and direct collaboration with players who choose to join the journey early. Their feedback helps shape the game in meaningful ways.

This process has already begun through Steam Playtest and the public demo, which launched on August 7. Since then, several updates have been released — many of them based directly on player reports and suggestions. Early Access will continue this dialogue, ensuring the game evolves with the community’s input and reaches its full potential.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“The duration of Early Access will largely depend on its success. If there's an opportunity to expand the team and bring in additional support, the game will move toward full release with the introduction of Story Mode — currently planned within two years of the Early Access launch. Ideally, this will happen much sooner, but realistically, at least one year of development is expected.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“🚀 The full release of Hiraeth will feature two distinct modes:

ETERNAL Mode – This is the survival sandbox experience already available in Early Access. It offers an endless, pickup-and-play challenge where the game ends only with the player's death. ETERNAL mode will test your skill, strategy, and resilience.

REVELATIONS – Story Mode – A fully crafted narrative experience unfolding across five chapters, released cyclically (approximately one per year). Each chapter delivers a satisfying conclusion, and the final installment will culminate in a grand finale — no cliffhangers. Hiraeth has always been envisioned as a complete, self-contained story, though the universe may expand in the future.

At the start of Early Access, players will explore Nesoi Island — a richly detailed environment offering hours of gameplay both on land and beneath the waves. As development progresses, the planet Ahra Prime will expand dramatically, ultimately becoming dozens of times larger, with new biomes and regions accessible via vehicles that will be introduced soon.

Additionally, the full version may include free DLCs set in entirely new environments — such as deep space and a massive derelict ship in orbit — all included in the base game.

As development progresses, support for macOS, Linux, and Steam Deck will be gradually introduced during Early Access. Work is also underway on additional language versions to make Hiraeth accessible to a broader global audience.

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What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“🌍 The Early Access version of Hiraeth offers a robust survival sandbox experience set on the hostile planet Ahra Prime. Key features currently available include:

🧬 Advanced survival mechanics that challenge players to manage hunger, thirst, temperature, and more

🛠️ Deep crafting system with a wide range of tools, weapons, and survival gear

🧗 Early character progression system with the foundations for future skill development

💾 Reliable save/load system to support long-term play

🌤️ Dynamic day/night cycle and weather system that affects gameplay and strategy

🐾 Rich gameplay loop featuring scavenging, hunting, predators, and combat

🔫 Variety of weapons and gear to help you survive the planet’s dangers

And that’s just the beginning — you can explore all of this in the free demo of Hiraeth. Join our community on Discord to share feedback, get updates, and be part of the journey!”

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

“💸 There are no planned price changes during Early Access. While it's impossible to predict how game pricing trends may evolve in the future, players who join during Early Access can rest assured — any potential price adjustments won’t affect them.”

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

“🤝 Community involvement has been a cornerstone of Hiraeth since day one. Players are invited to join discussions on Steam and on our long-standing Discord server, which features dedicated channels for bug reports, suggestions, and feedback.

We also host regular community meetups, where players can share ideas directly and help shape the game’s future. Much of Hiraeth’s progress is thanks to our passionate testers — many of whom I collaborate with closely on a daily basis.

Your voice truly matters here. Come be part of the journey.”