Why Early Access?

“Campfire Cozy Friends is a game that is the first of its kind- a cozy lifesim RPG built around a colorful cast of characters you can talk to about… anything! We have some inspirations to draw from for the cozy part, but we can’t fully deliver the promise of this title without direct input from our player base.

Everything from the main progression, island biomes, cast of characters, core game mechanics, all are based on player feedback. So Early Access is just a formalization of our development process in the private playtesting phase.

Campfire Cozy Friends is the first of its kind- a cozy life-sim RPG, centered around a vibrant cast of characters you can chat with about just about anything! We know that fulfilling the true potential of this experience requires direct input from our players.

From the core progression and island biomes to the characters and main gameplay mechanics, everything has been shaped by player feedback. Early Access is simply a continuation of this collaborative process that began in our earliest private playtesting, giving us a formal platform to work hand-in-hand with the community as we build the game together.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We are planning to be in Early Access at least through the first half of 2025, but that’s subject to change. We’ll decide on what’s best for the game and our players as development continues.”

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

“We expect the full version of Campfire Cozy Friends to include major features currently missing, namely: home decoration, island customization, co-op and multiplayer mechanics beyond lobbies, more islands and biomes, and a larger, more polished, and fleshed out cast of Villagers to unlock in comparison to the Early Access version. This list is in flux depending on several factors such as player feedback and strength of early sales, but that list is the baseline of our vision for a complete game.

During Early Access, our plan is to release a Major Update every month, slowly adding these features, as well as smaller patches and balance updates as we respond to player feedback.

During this phase the only way to get guaranteed access will be via our Founder’s Packs. After Early Access we expect the game to become available as a free-to-play title. We’ll be sharing more details about our development roadmap and our current priorities on our social channels and as part of regular update shows.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The game is currently in pre-alpha status, but the heart and soul of our vision for a life sim game with an open ended dialog experience with colorful characters is there! The current version allows players to try out some of the gameplay mechanics such as AI-powered NPC chat, forming memories and friendships, unlocking new visitors, resource gathering, unlock decorations & cosmetics, finish early story quests and level up friendships.

The economy and progression are unbalanced, there is lots of missing quest & character content, and despite our best efforts, there are a fair share of bugs all over the place.”

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

“In the early stages of our Early Access launch, the only way to secure guaranteed access will be through investing in one of our Founder’s Packs. Eventually, Campfire Cozy Friends will be available as a free-to-play title, either later in the Early Access period or once we hit the full 1.0 release.”

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

“Throughout our closed playtesting phases, we’ve consistently engaged with the community on Discord, and we’re committed to maintaining this open dialogue as we develop Campfire Cozy Friends. We actively seek player feedback, whether it's about what they love, dislike, or wish to see improved in the game. Regular updates will be posted to our Steam page, and our team remains highly involved on Discord, where we love sharing sneak peeks of our development process, including concept art and other behind-the-scenes content. Players who invest in the Founder’s Packs also gain access to an exclusive Discord channel where they can directly influence and shape the game’s roadmap.

Most importantly, our priority is to listen to our players. Even in the current pre-alpha phase, Campfire Cozy Friends wouldn’t be where it is today without their input. For instance, we initially designed customizable avatars as robots, but after receiving a flood of feedback on Discord, we reimagined them as human characters. As we embark on this Early Access journey, we’re excited to continue evolving the game alongside our community, creating a unique and enduring cozy life-sim RPG for everyone to enjoy together for years to come.”