Why Early Access?

“Regular chess had millennia to balance itself. We added about twenty new pieces and we would like to figure out which ones are broken before telling you it's finished.

Early Access is what we specifically need in order to:

- Reach ideal balance: test the values of the new pieces with real matches and hard data, using the feedback of an active community.
- Polish the player experience: fix unexpected bugs and add the Steam features (Achievements, for one) as the game evolves.
- Listen to players: understand which modes and variants people care about most, so we can prioritise what comes next.

The game is already fully playable and the backbone is complete: the final tuning, though, works far better done together with you than on paper. We are fully committed to keeping Last Gambit in active development, listening to community feedback, and seeing the project through to its official release and beyond.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“A few months, or until the community is big enough to really put the balance to the test. We need the time to gather enough matches to see which pieces need adjusting and to close out the last fixes. Before the full version comes out we will give you advance notice, instead of vanishing.”

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

“Mostly in balance: piece values reworked based on match statistics. Plus the last fixes, maybe a few extra pieces or skins if the ideas hold up, and the usual polish nobody notices until it's missing.

During Early Access, the current version already includes:

- Story mode with a branching map.
- Online 1v1 PvP with cross-play between PC and Android (playable offline too).
- Free deployment, fusions, evolutions and unlockable skins.

For the full release we plan to add and refine:

- Definitive balance: full tuning of piece values based on the real data gathered during the tests.
- Platform features: complete integration of Achievements and Steam features.
- Cosmetics and variants: possible new skins and minor additions, weighed against community suggestions and feedback.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Playable and content-rich: story mode with a branching map, online 1v1 PvP with cross-play between PC and Android, free deployment, fusions and evolutions, unlockable skins. You can also play offline. Most of the remaining work is on balance, and some modes may still be reworked based on your feedback.”

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

“The game stays free for the whole of Early Access. We will announce how the full version works well in advance, before release, and whoever is playing now will not lose out.”

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

“Pieces only get balanced by playing against them. We'll use feedback and match data to decide what to adjust, and we'll read the complaints about which piece is "clearly broken" (spoiler: everyone has a different one). The community forums and channels are the right place to tell us where we're getting it wrong.”