Why Early Access?

“We want to shape Lightyear Frontier into the best game it can be by collaborating with our community and using your feedback to guide the development.
Early Access allows us to re-evaluate and revisit features that in a full game would be set in stone, so we can make the changes necessary to deliver the game our players deserve.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Our timeline continues to evolve according to the game's needs and community feedback. We have decided to extend our original timeline of 18 months of EA in order to make more substantial changes to the core gameplay and planet. Our current estimate sees us exiting Early Access in 2026, but we are willing to extend that further if it means a better game for our players.”

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

“The Early Access version represents only a portion of the full game. The full game will feature several new environments, plants, resources, animals, and hazards, as well as multiple new mech parts and mod chips. We're also not averse to reworking game features or adding completely new ones before the game reaches 1.0.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“As of the Shifting Gears update, nearly every game feature has been updated or reworked, including the entire game map, the main progression system, the mech customization system, and many others.
We see this as the starting point of a new chapter of development, and will build off of the groundwork set here to further expand the game over the course of Early Access.”

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

“As the game will vastly increase in content over the course of Early Access, the full release will come with an increase in price. However, we will clearly communicate the specifics of the price change well ahead of release to give players the opportunity to purchase before it happens.”

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

“We chat directly with our community on our Discord and keep a close eye on our Steam Discussions to keep an open dialog with our players and incorporate your feedback.
We also hold occasional dedicated tests using Steam Beta branches in order to let you try out and get a say on upcoming features and changes.”