Co-op pirate survival game Windrose is launching in early access on April 14 for $30 on Steam, Epic Games Store, and Stove. The game gained massive traction during Steam Next Fest, with over 850,000 demo downloads and 1.5 million wishlists on Steam alone. Developer Windrose Crew revealed the release date during Thursday's Triple-i Initiative showcase.

Players can explore a procedurally generated open world solo or with friends, featuring over 90 handcrafted points of interest including dungeons, temples, and shipwrecks. The game offers naval combat where crews can share weapon control and board enemy ships for close-quarters fighting using swords, muskets, and other weapons. Beyond piracy, Windrose includes farming, fishing, crafting, trading, reputation systems, base building, and crew management with hireable NPCs.

Windrose Crew expects the early access period to last 1.5 to 2.5 years, with plans to add 50 percent more content including new biomes, enemies, ships, and gear. The main story will take players between 50 and 70 hours to complete. The game positions itself as a grittier alternative to Sea of Thieves and Skull and Bones, targeting players seeking more hardcore pirate survival mechanics with friends.