Why Early Access?

“We're a five-person team and we genuinely believe the community is the most important ingredient in making Coal Duty the best game it can be. Early Access is how we get the game into the hands of real players while it's still being shaped, so community feedback directly influences what we build next.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We expect Coal Duty to stay in Early Access for roughly 12-18 months. The exact timing will depend on community feedback, the scope of the content updates we add, and the overall state of the game. We'd rather take the time the game needs than rush to 1.0, so if it needs longer to feel genuinely complete, we'll take that time.”

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

“We plan to expand Coal Duty significantly during Early Access. Our current roadmap includes ideas like additional escape routes and endings, new creature types, new biomes, expanded hub activities, and a range of new items, tools, and features. Exactly what makes it into the full release will be shaped by community feedback, so priorities may shift as we learn what players want most.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Early Access launch includes the full core extraction loop: procedurally generated mines across multiple biomes, a persistent hub with a shop and progression, and two complete endings to work toward. The game features a variety of creature types and around 5 hours of gameplay to reach the first ending, with more for players who explore deeper or pursue the alternate route.”

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

“We currently plan to keep the price the same when we transition out of Early Access.”

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

“Our community is at the center of our development process. We'll be actively gathering feedback through our Discord server, feedback forms, Steam discussions, and social media. We read everything. Updates during Early Access will be directly shaped by what players tell us, whether that's balance issues, new content requests, or bugs. We want Coal Duty's players to feel like they're part of the team.”