[Discussion] 7 Days to Die Prepares Full Launch After 11 Years in Early Access

[Uncrowned Guard]

7 Days to Die Ends a Decade of Early Access

With 11 long years in gaming spent in early access, 7 Days to Die is finally preparing to fully launch. The final 1.0 version of the survival FPS game is knocking on the door after an extended beta testing phase. Following a return from a test session on the previous weekend that saw several streamers and YouTubers sample the game, everyone who owns it can now access the experimental beta branch on Steam. Activating this is straightforward: locate the betas tab under the game's properties and turn it on.

A Living Piece of Gaming History

It's hard to grasp the monumental legacy of 7 Days to Die. KickStarted, it won a place in the now-defunct Steam Greenlight process before transitioning to Steam Early Access. It even had interactions with the now-closed Telltale Games studio. As the game has received 11 years of updates, there's a wealth of material to explore. Its 1.0 version signifies not the end of support, but the dawn of a new, post-alpha phase of life.

What to Expect from the Full Release

The full game version brings with it exhaustive patch notes, which address numerous areas where fans have previously shared feedback. Player characters have been completely revamped with more detailed models and enhanced animations for a more realistic feel. Armor and clothing have undergone similar revamps, leveraging the upgraded player character models. The game now boasts new animals, a renovated challenge system to support new players, updated vehicle models, new points of interest, and even improved gore effects.

Upon its launch into version 1.0, developer The Fun Pimps has several sizable updates in the pipeline. A roadmap for 2024-2025 highlights plans for an updated weather system, UI advancements, story mode, and much more to anticipate.

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