Why Early Access?

“
Magic Shop Simulator features deeply layered systems — potion brewing, wand crafting, multi-currency payment mechanics, seasonal economies, secret society dynamics, and more. The best way to refine an experience this complex is to build it alongside our players. Community feedback will directly shape everything from the difficulty tuning of our mini-games (the mixing and line-tracing mechanics) to how the Round Table vs. Watchers faction balance actually feels in practice.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We're planning around 6–12 months in Early Access. During this time, we'll be building on top of the existing core loop — shop management, potion & wand crafting, co-op, and the faction system — adding seasonal holiday events, expanded NPC quest chains, new license tiers, and the full story arc. Our goal is to bring Swanford to its full potential by the time we launch the complete version.”

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

“In Early Access, the core gameplay loop is playable: shop management, potion and wand crafting systems, gold/silver/bronze currency mechanics, 4-player co-op, thief-catching, and the Round Table vs. Watchers faction system. For the full release, we plan to add all 12 seasonal festivals (from Ostara to Yule), the complete license system up through Level 7 and specialty licenses (Candle Master, Telepathy, Broom, etc.), expanded NPC quest networks, full integration of the Magic Ministry and Swanford College into the story, and the complete Prophecy Orb system at full capacity.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The game's core is playable. You can open your shop, serve customers, grow herbs in your greenhouse, brew potions using the cauldron mixing mini-game, craft wands through the line-tracing mini-game, and handle transactions in gold, silver, and bronze currency. 4-player online co-op is active, the theft system and cursed item mechanics are functioning at a basic level. Some content is still in development — a portion of the seasonal festivals, additional NPC quest chains, and higher-tier license products have not yet been fully implemented.”

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

“We plan to gradually raise the price as we approach and reach the full release. Those who support us during Early Access will get in before that increase, as a thank-you for being part of the journey early on.”

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

“We'll be sharing regular developer logs through the Steam discussion forums and our Discord server. We plan to run community polls and surveys on topics like mini-game difficulty curves, the balance between the Round Table and Watchers factions, and which license content gets added first. Bug reports and balance suggestions will always be a top priority for us.”