Why Early Access?

“You can see this as a symbiotic relationship: you, the gamer, receive the game earlier than it would otherwise be released, for a reduced price, and on top of that you'll get periodic updates to the story. It enables us to invest more time and energy into the game, and we'll get feedback sooner, when it matters.

Early Access unlocks the whole game. You'll receive every chapter, and periodic updates when they are finished. These updates are estimated to be every 3-5 months and should contain 2-4 hours of gameplay each. The full game story will take an average player about 30+ hours to finish.
The Early Access version consists of the first two chapters, which comes down to 4-6 hours of gameplay:
1) Incident at Gering Village
2) Perilous Journey to Nimwe Town”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“1-2 years.”

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

“The Early Access version will launch with the complete core JRPG gameplay loop and the first half of the story, approximately the first 4-6 hours of content (Chapters 1 and 2). This includes:

- Full mechanics: pre-rendered backgrounds, random encounters, classic menu turn-based combat (commands, magic, skills, items, row positioning), overworld exploration, NPC interactions, gear/equipment systems, and towns and dungeons.
- Story arc: Strata's initial involvement in the Gering Village incident, teaming up with Leonel and escorting Lamina, early revelations about the decades-long conflict, and the rising suspicion that not all is as it seems.

The full version will complete the remaining story and polish:
- Post-launch major updates (roughly every 4 months): Each adds two new chapters (~2 hours each, total ~4 hours per update), introducing new regions, allies, bosses, deeper intrigue, moral choices, and escalating threats as the group works to unravel secrets and avert war.
- Final chapters: The latter half focuses on higher-difficulty enemies, ultimate confrontations, resolution of the central conflict, and full ending FMV sequences, bringing total playtime to 30+ hours.
- Additional content/polish: Balance adjustments, extra side quests/gear/options, quality-of-life improvements (e.g., travel shortcuts, difficulty tweaks), bug fixes, and refinements based on player feedback.

Early Access gives players the full intended combat/exploration feel from day one, with story progression building toward the complete narrative. Major content drops will extend the campaign gradually, leading to full release once the story concludes and polish is finalized (estimated 12–18+ months in Early Access, depending on feedback and iteration).”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The Early Access version will contain all features of the full game, such as:
- FMVs with orchestral music
- pre-rendered backgrounds
- class systems based on JRPG games of the PS1 era
- random encounters, and the 3D battle environment you will recognize from PS1 era JRPGs
- save points you're used to from the PS1 era
- original soundtrack, composed specifically for Harbingers of Destiny”

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

“Yes, we plan an uptick in price, albeit modest, when the game releases.”

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

“The community can follow us on X and YouTube where we post almost daily about Harbingers of Destiny; its art, graphics, modeling, music, gameplay and more, and we actively ask for, and welcome comments on our progress!”