Why Early Access?

“If you’ve ever played games like Direct Strike, Mechabellum, Teamfight Tactics, Warcraft Rumble, or any other multiplayer autobattler, you already know the hardest part isn’t building the game—it’s making sure multiplayer holds up under real players.

After thousands of hours of development, ARB is at the point where the core game is there. The units work. The progression works. Ranked works. The different game modes work.

Now it needs something I can’t simulate on my own: hundreds (hopefully thousands) of real matches.

Early Access is about finding the weird edge cases that only happen when real people start experimenting. The occasional desync, unexpected interaction, animation bug, or crash might only happen once every few hundred games—but those are exactly the issues that separate a good multiplayer game from one people play for hundreds of hours.

That’s what this stage is for.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“The current plan is to leave Early Access sometime in 2026.

The biggest variable isn’t building new features—it’s multiplayer testing. If the community grows and players keep finding bugs, balancing issues, and edge cases, I’ll be able to polish the game much faster.

The goal isn’t to rush out of Early Access.

The goal is to leave only when multiplayer feels rock solid.
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How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“The biggest focus is multiplayer polish.

Ranked seasons, matchmaking, balance updates, stability, and overall game feel are already close, but that final stretch is what turns a game people try for an hour into one they come back to for hundreds.

Beyond that, I’d love to build a full campaign.

Not only would it tell the story behind each faction, it would also serve as a proper tutorial for the game’s mechanics. ARB has a lot of depth, and I think a campaign is the best way to help new players learn naturally before jumping online.

Longer term, I also want to continue experimenting with AI-powered features.

Today you can already create your own alien species inside the game. As AI continues to improve, I think there’s real potential to make custom content, enemy AI, and world-building even more interesting without ever replacing the core gameplay.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“If you only wanted to play against AI today, I’d honestly say the game is already complete enough to enjoy.

1v1, 2v2, 3v3, Survival Mode, Draft Mode, and Social Brawl are all playable from start to finish.

The reason ARB is entering Early Access isn’t because those modes don’t work.

It’s because multiplayer still needs battle testing.

I’ve played plenty of matches with friends and the experience is already a lot of fun. But I’ve also run into the occasional animation bug, desync, or rare crash caused by unusual interactions between units.

Those are exactly the kinds of issues Early Access is meant to uncover before the full release.”

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

“Probably—but I want the community to help answer that.

If players feel the game is worth the current $10 price during Early Access, I’ll likely keep it there as development continues.

If building a larger player base becomes more important than the purchase price, I may eventually move to a free-to-play model instead.

I’m a solo developer, and my biggest goal isn’t maximizing launch revenue.

It’s getting people into matches, improving the game with their feedback, and building a multiplayer community that keeps ARB growing for years to come.”

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

“Probably more than is healthy.

I’m a solo developer, which means there isn’t a community manager standing between us. If you send me an email, leave feedback, or hop into Discord, there’s a very good chance you’re talking directly to the person who built the game.

I want to hear everything—the balance complaints, the ridiculous strategies, the bugs, the “this unit is completely broken” messages, and especially the crazy ideas.

I’m particularly excited to hear from people who’ve sunk hundreds (or thousands) of hours into games like Direct Strike, Mechabellum, Teamfight Tactics, Warcraft Rumble, and other autobattlers. Those communities understand what makes these games addictive, and I want ARB to earn a place alongside them.

I’m also a huge sci-fi nerd. If you’re into aliens, UFOs, weird lore, or just enjoy imagining civilizations that shouldn’t exist, we’ll probably get along.

The tools available to indie developers today are incredible. A single person can build something that used to take an entire studio—but only if players are willing to help shape it.

So that’s the plan.

Let’s build something we’ll all still be playing years from now.”