Crosswind Crew has officially announced that its debut title, Crosswind, will arrive on Steam Early Access sometime next year.
In a surprising shift, the studio is abandoning its original free-to-play MMO plan in favor of a premium, single-purchase survival experience.
The decision follows insights from the recent Alpha test, where player surveys revealed a preference for a more focused and polished approach. This change opens the door to features such as mod support and dedicated servers, which would have been harder to implement in a free-to-play structure. A new biome, enhanced crew systems, and other improvements teased in the summer preview are already in development.
Set in an alternate Age of Piracy, Crosswind blends classic survival mechanics-build, craft, and endure-with thrilling naval battles, intense boarding actions, and epic boss encounters. Players step into the boots of a betrayed freelance captain, stranded after a botched job, and drawn into a larger conflict involving empires, pirate factions, and supernatural threats.
The game allows seamless transitions between sea and land gameplay. Captains can bombard coastal forts from afar, then storm the beaches for close-quarters combat. Ships range from nimble cutters to mighty galleons, each with its own advantages. Resource gathering fuels a robust crafting system, letting players transform humble shelters into fully fortified outposts, recruit crew members, and accelerate production.
Combat offers depth and variety, with melee weapons, firearms, parries, dodges, and special strikes at the player’s disposal. Consumables like potions, food, and oils provide powerful buffs, while defeating formidable bosses yields valuable treasures. The co-op mode ensures friends can join the adventure when danger looms.
With its focus on quality, exploration, and player-driven progression, Crosswind aims to deliver a refined survival experience that rewards both strategy and daring.