Why Early Access?

“Rustlers Online is a multiplayer game, and a multiplayer game is only as good as the matches people actually play. The core is already in place and fun: third-person gunfights, six modes, eleven arenas and a full rank progression. What we can't learn on our own is how it holds up across thousands of real matches, with players of every skill level.

Early Access lets us tune weapon balance, map flow, matchmaking and server performance with real data and real feedback, and decide together with our players which modes, maps and features deserve the most attention before the full release.

We are a small team and we update often. Since our first public test we have shipped more than a dozen updates, and we want players to be part of that process from here on.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We expect Rustlers Online to stay in Early Access for roughly 6 to 12 months.

This is an estimate, not a fixed date. The actual length depends on player feedback and on how the plans described below come together. We would rather extend Early Access than call the game finished too early, and we plan to keep players informed through Steam announcements as development moves forward.”

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

“We plan for the full version to build on the current foundation with more content, more depth and more polish. These are our current goals, not guarantees:

• Ranked seasons with seasonal rewards
• Daily and weekly challenges
• New arenas, game modes and characters
• New weapons and cosmetic items earned through play
• English localization of the game, with more languages considered based on player demand
• Additional server regions if the player base grows
• Ongoing work on balance, performance, netcode and anti-cheat

These plans may change based on what players enjoy most and what they tell us is missing. Please judge Rustlers Online by what it offers today, not by what we hope to add later.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Rustlers Online is fully playable online today. The Early Access version includes:

• Six game modes: Wanted, Duel, Team Duel, Team Deathmatch, Loot and Wild Herd
• Eleven arenas
• 20+ period firearms, plus melee weapons and throwables
• Playable sheriff and outlaw characters
• 67 ranks, ranked matches with skill rating, player and clan leaderboards, clans and clan wars
• Quick Play, bots with three difficulty levels, a guided tutorial, spectating and reconnecting
• Vote kick, in-game reports and a chat filter

As with any Early Access game, expect bugs, balance changes and some rough edges. The game's interface and text are currently available in Turkish only; English localization is in progress. Our servers are currently hosted in Turkey, so players far from the region may see higher ping.”

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

“We plan to raise the price gradually as major content is added on the way to the full release, and to announce any price change on Steam before it happens.

Buying Rustlers Online during Early Access gives you the game itself: you will not need to buy it again when it leaves Early Access, and the updates we release during Early Access are included.”

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

“Players will have a direct line to the team throughout Early Access:

• Steam Discussions: we read bug reports, balance feedback and ideas there and reply to them.
• Patch notes: we post Steam announcements for our updates, explaining what changed and why.
• Polls: we plan to ask players to help decide which maps, modes and features come next.
• In-game reports and optional crash reporting (can be turned off in the settings) help us find and fix problems quickly.

Much of the game's current shape already comes from playtest feedback, and we want to keep building Rustlers Online that way.”