I’m thrilled to announce that today Towerborne has officially released to Steam Early Access. This marks an exciting new chapter for Stoic, building on the foundation we laid with the Banner Saga trilogy. Empowered by our partnership with Xbox, we’ve brought a new Stoic adventure to life – where player feedback will directly shape the future of the game.
In our third Developer Diary, we dive into some of Towerborne’s coolest features—like the flexible combat system and loyal Umbra companions. We’re really excited to show how the game lets players shape their own experience, whether they’re seasoned pros or totally new to ARPGs, while staying true to our goal of building a world that grows and evolves with the community.
A Co-op Brawler RPG Adventure
Towerborne’s gameplay draws inspiration from iconic side-scrolling brawlers, blending familiar couch-co-op feels with a deeply customizable and modern action RPG core. You take on the role of an Ace, a hero tasked with defending humanity, where you’ll team up with fellow Aces to explore a vast, ever-expanding story-rich world. Battle monsters, gather loot, and grow stronger together as you uncover mysteries and protect the last remnants of civilization.
Towerborne’s core game loop is delightfully action-packed and consistently rewarding. In-game combat, shaped by decades of fighting game expertise, balances intricate button combos with intuitive, pick-up-and-play mechanics. True to Stoic tradition, the sights and sounds of Towerborne’s ever-expanding world have been meticulously crafted to bring your adventure to life – including a soundtrack by the legendary Austin Wintory, whose work in titles like Journey, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, and our own Banner Saga trilogy have set a high-water mark for music mastery in industry.
From our initial concept pitch years ago, we designed Towerborne to be free-to-play and committed to players that the only thing you’ll ever pay for — if you choose — will be cosmetic items and convenience features … never power progression. We intend to keep our game fair and fun – and delight you with what we build to heighten your experience.
With Towerborne, we are in it for the long haul. We plan to grow this game with you and support it for years to come with regular updates, new content, new classes, new weapons, new enemies, and new storylines.
The Partnership that Paved the Way
At Stoic, our relationship with our players is unique. We quite literally wouldn’t exist without you. From the very beginning, it was players who shared in our vision and invested in seeing it through that paved the way for us to deliver to the world the Banner Saga trilogy.
Today, Towerborne is playable in Steam Early Access. And while Towerborne is a markedly different game, it’s our connection and commitment to players that compels us still. It’s in our DNA. With Towerborne, our grand ambition would need a partner to match – and we found that partner in Xbox.
Working with Xbox Game Studios has been transformative, allowing us to push beyond what we initially envisioned, paving the way for Towerborne to evolve into something much bigger. Xbox didn’t just invest in our project—they believed in our philosophy: the importance of building – not just for players, but with them.
Early Access Means a Better Game
We chose Steam Early Access for two main reasons: first, it offers the ideal space for a studio like ours to gather feedback and iterate quickly — a process fully supported by Xbox, as it ensures the best experience for players. Second, starting with Steam helps us build a solid foundation before expanding to the larger, global audience that comes with Xbox Game Preview.
We’ve seen the value of player-driven development before, especially with Banner Saga, where early backers helped shape the game. This time, we’re taking it even further, making Steam Early Access a deliberate and strategic starting point. Steam allows us to build a meaningful relationship with our core, invested players, gathering feedback that will ensure Towerborne’s evolution is guided by player experiences. This phased approach isn’t about holding anything back—it’s about refining Towerborne to be as polished, fun, and content-rich as possible when we’re ready to release the full game.
Your Guide to Towerborne Steam Early Access
By purchasing a Founder’s Pack, you’ll unlock early access to the game, along with exclusive items like cosmetics, Umbra skins, and monthly rewards. These packs are designed to offer unique customization options for your Ace and will carry over to future releases. In Early Access, players get to experience the full core game loop, including missions, combat, and exploration. You’ll engage in dozens of hours of gameplay, experimenting with different weapon classes and Umbra companions.
By the time Towerborne arrives on Xbox and Windows PC via Xbox Game Preview in 2025, it will offer an immersive, fully realized experience from day one.
New Game, Same Stoic
The Banner Saga was a true labor of love—a journey we were as passionate about creating as you were about experiencing. With Towerborne, we’ve poured that same heart and dedication into every detail, carrying forward the spirit that drives everything we do at Stoic. Steam Early Access is just the first step in an exciting adventure. We’ve built something we’re immensely proud of, but none of it would be possible without the support of players like you.
After years of dedication, we’re handing this world over to you. And from here, it only gets bigger and better. We’re excited to see where you will take us next.
Jump into Towerborne on Steam today!