Why Early Access?

“Gombo is a passion project that has grown a lot through community feedback, and we want to keep that going. Our demo has already shaped the game in meaningful ways: sprinting, an overhauled combat system, and a completely rewritten online co-op were all added based on player input. Going into Early Access lets us continue this collaborative approach as we build out the rest of the game.

We're entering Early Access to gather feedback on a wider range of systems, balance and tune difficulty, expand content based on what the community wants more of, and improve multiplayer stability across the variety of setups our players actually use. Gombo is the kind of game that gets better the more people play it, and we'd rather build it together with you than in isolation.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We're planning for Gombo to be in Early Access for roughly 6 to 7 months, with our current target for a 1.0 release toward the end of the year. That timeline could shift depending on player feedback and how much we want to expand or refine along the way. We'd rather take a little longer and get it right than rush out of Early Access.”

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

“We plan to grow Gombo significantly during Early Access. Some of the things we're working toward for the full version:

- More biomes - we plan to add two additional biomes, each with their own atmosphere, enemies, and secrets

- More story content - additional main story quests that expand the world and its mysteries

- More sidequests - both in the new biomes and added to existing ones to give returning players new reasons to explore

- Deeper crafting - expanding the crafting system beyond its current foundation with more recipes, materials, and progression

- A deeper pet system - more pets, more meaningful pet interactions, and more ways to bond with and develop your companions

- More customization options - additional outfits, styles, and ways to make your Gombo feel like your own

- More things to do and discover - more activities, secrets, and points of interest throughout the world

- Additional localizations - we plan to roll out more language support over the course of Early Access

- Ongoing polish - bug fixing, balancing, performance work, and quality-of-life improvements across the board

These are our intentions - the exact scope and final shape of each will depend on how development progresses and what we hear from the community.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Gombo's core experience is already playable on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Steam Deck, in both solo and online co-op. The fundamentals are all there: exploration, combat, crafting, building, the day/night cycle with the night-time infection, hand-crafted dungeons, bosses, character customization, the existing biomes, story quests, and the overall progression loop.

Our focus so far has been on building a solid foundation: the basics, online co-op, the story framework, and overall progression. That means some systems are intentionally still in an early state. In particular, the crafting and pet systems are functional but rudimentary, and they're high on our list to expand during Early Access.

As with any game in active development, some bugs may have slipped through, and we'll be patching and improving regularly based on what players report. If you jump in at the start of Early Access, you're getting a game we're proud of in its current shape - and an active role in helping shape what it becomes.”

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

“We plan to raise the price during Early Access. The first increase will come alongside a major content update - the launch of our third biome, which is a significant expansion of the world. The price will then increase once more when Gombo leaves Early Access and reaches its 1.0 release.

This way, players who join us early get the best price and the chance to shape the game alongside us, while the price grows with the game as more content is added.”

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

“Our Discord server is the heart of our community - it's where we gather feedback, discuss ideas, and stay in direct contact with our players. We're also active on the Steam discussion board for Gombo, so whether you prefer Discord or Steam, there's always a way to reach us and share your thoughts. Player feedback has already shaped Gombo in meaningful ways during the demo phase, and we plan to keep that going throughout Early Access. We read everything, and the community's input directly influences what we prioritize and how we develop the game.”