Guardians of the Wild Sky News

[p]Ahoy, explorers of the wild skies![/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for taking part in our demo, this is our first public release and a special soft launch ahead of Steam Next Fest. Please note that the game is still in pre-alpha so you may see some bugs or unfinished elements, but everything you experience here helps shape the future of the game.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]What is included in the demo[/p]

• [p]Explore the demo freely within an 8 hour play window, this is an 8 hour cap per world[/p]
• [p]Progress your character up to level 20[/p]
• [p]A significant portion of the world is open to explore, roughly 30% of the world explorable [/p]
• [p]Experiment with multiple weapon types to find your preferred combat style[/p]
• [p]Most building types unlockable, allowing you to create everything from functional bases to ambitious sky bound structures[/p]

[p][/p][p]8-Hour Demo Overview [/p][p]For the demo, we’ve chosen an 8-hour playtime window per world to ensure the experience stays true to what Guardians of the Wild Sky is about: exploration, creativity, and discovery.[/p][p]Rather than cutting features or locking down systems, we’ve opened up multiple islands and given players the freedom to build a ship, leave the starting island, and sail in any direction they choose. That moment of setting sail and discovering a new land is core to the game experience, and we wanted the demo to fully capture that sense of adventure.[/p][p]The 8-hour limit applies per playthrough, so players who want to continue playing can start a fresh character and explore again. From fortified castles to epic airships and even flying pagodas, the demo is designed to support a wide range of creative builds without shrinking the systems that make the game what it is.[/p][p]The full game world is massive, spanning roughly 800 sq km. We’ve opened up a meaningful portion of it while still holding back plenty of surprises for the full launch.[/p][p]You’re free to explore in any direction, encounter unique creatures & characters, embark on quests, build a modular ship and experience a full survival crafting gameplay loop.[/p][p][/p][p]Play Together[/p][p]You can play together with friends or open up your world to new explorers. [/p][p][/p][p]Setting up your world[/p][p]Make sure when making your game world you set the player count higher than 1. Note that the max number of players in a single world is 10.[/p][p][/p][p]Private or Public[/p][p]Public has the server show on the server browser, whereas private will only appear if you’re Steam Friends and know the correct server name and password. [/p][p][/p][p]Patch Notes[/p]

• [p]Moved the stamina bar to the left to avoid adding noise to the center of the screen[/p]
• [p]Updated main menu music[/p]
• [p]Improved guardian attack SFX[/p]
• [p]Improved wood and stone structure snap points and collision[/p]
• [p]Improvements to dungeon navigation[/p]
• [p]Increased structure health values[/p]
• [p]Cave lighting improved[/p]
• [p]Improvements for AI ship combat[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the player could lose guardian special abilities[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where storage containers could go invisible[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where heart wisps would go invisible on low effect setting[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where base guardians could fail to eat[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where custom game player count was not correctly setting[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where too many pirate ships were spawning[/p]
• [p]Fixed a delay on Luminara appearing[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where placing a blueprint only placed a partial structure[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the selected Language was not applying on launch[/p]
• [p]Fixed some issues with custom game settings not saving correctly[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the map was unable to be closed after fast traveling[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue with emotes[/p]
• [p]Crash Fixes[/p]

[p][/p][p]We want to hear from you![/p][p]If you have feedback for the game we definitely want to hear it. Please join our official Guardians of the Wild Sky Discord channel and send us your thoughts. We have a new channel for bug-reports and development-feedback.[/p][p][/p][p]We’re excited to have you on board, thanks for playing!
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[p]Ahoy, explorers of the wild skies![/p][p]Every great adventure begins by venturing into the unknown, and now the clouds are parting for a new chapter…Set your sails on Steam Fest starting Feb 23 as Guardians of the Wild Sky is taking part in this year's event! Check out our Steam Next Fest Trailer here:[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][h3]
Key Dates[/h3]

• [p]Press Demo live Feb 12 [/p]
• [p]Steam Next Fest runs Feb 23 - March 2[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Demo Overview [/h3][p]For the demo, we’ve chosen an 8-hour playtime window per world to ensure the experience stays true to what Guardians of the Wild Sky is about: exploration, creativity, and discovery.[/p][p]Rather than cutting features or locking down systems, we’ve opened up multiple islands and given players the freedom to build a ship, leave the starting island, and sail in any direction they choose. That moment of setting sail and discovering a new land is core to the game experience, and we wanted the demo to fully capture that sense of adventure.[/p][p]The 8-hour limit applies per playthrough, so players who want to continue playing can start a fresh character and explore again. From fortified castles to epic airships and even flying pagodas, the demo is designed to support a wide range of creative builds without shrinking the systems that make the game what it is.[/p][p]There’s a huge amount of content to check out; biomes to explore, guardians to capture, enemies to fight, characters to meet, and plenty of quests to embark upon![/p][p]This demo offers a meaningful slice of the world, while leaving plenty of room for new discoveries and adventures in the full release. [/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for taking the time to jump in and explore with us, we truly appreciate it.[/p][p]
[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][h3]What is included in the demo[/h3]

• [p]Explore the demo freely within an 8 hour play window, this is an 8 hour cap per play, per world[/p]
• [p]Progress your character up to level 20[/p]
• [p]A significant portion of the world is open to explore, roughly 30% of the world explorable [/p]
• [p]Experiment with multiple weapon types to find your preferred combat style[/p]
• [p]Most building types unlockable, allowing you to create everything from functional bases to ambitious sky bound structures[/p]

[p][/p][p]If this is your first time hearing about Guardians of the Wild Sky we invite you to check out our gameplay demo video that gives you a glimpse of the game’s core mechanics. For all our builders out there, you may be interested in our ghost building video, that goes over how to fully automate your base with the help of your Guardians. [/p][p]
[/p][h3]New Screenshots[/h3][p]
[/p][p]Before we set sail, we want to thank you for being part of this journey. As a small crew, we’re pouring our passion into Guardians of the Wild Sky and are committed to crafting an experience that feels worth the voyage. We’re listening closely to your feedback as we continue to chart the course ahead. So, that just about wraps up our latest announcement; we can’t wait to see you all back in the skies.[/p][p][/p]

[p]Ahoy Explorers![/p][h3]Ghost building is now in![/h3][p]We’ve been hard at work rethinking our core building system and today we want to share a big change that’s all about creative freedom and smoother building. Originally, our building system followed a very traditional survival game rule: have the materials = craft or build the item.[/p][p]While functional, we found it often interrupted creative flow. So we asked ourselves, why should creativity wait? Introducing the Ghost Building System!
[/p][p]Here’s how it works:[/p]

• [p]You can place structures before you have all the required resources[/p]
• [p]Your build exists as a ghost build until you’re ready to deposit the materials[/p]
• [p]Once you’ve gathered the materials, you (or your Guardians) simply deposit them to activate the building structure[/p]

[p][/p][p]This means you can:[/p]

• [p]Map out your dream home or airship in one go[/p]
• [p]Experiment freely with designs without the worry of losing any resources [/p]
• [p]This gives you time to go out to explore and come back to all the construction finished[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][h3]Make your Entire Base Fully Automatic![/h3][p]Why not take this up a notch and make your base fully automated to streamline the entire process with your Guardians? Set up your build, assign tasks and let your Guardians handle the construction while you’re out exploring the world. Each Guardian specializes in a specific task, and through your Guardian Control Panel you decide how your base is managed. Guardians like the Koaloo are excellent transporters, Driftwings are great lumborers and Fluffs are great at construction! Watch how they gather resources and work together to complete any task. [/p][h3][/h3][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Here’s an example of how you can set up your base and have your Guardians do the heavy lifting![/p][p][/p][h3]Why We Made This Change[/h3][p]Our goal was simple, let players build as they want and allow creativity to flourish. Whether you love meticulous planning, creative building, or a quick self automated base to get you through the toughest environment, this new system supports it all.[/p][p]
[/p][h3]Join the Next Playtest[/h3][p]We are running our next playtest this weekend, and if you would like to take part we are giving away 20 more keys, here’s how you enter: [/p]

• [p]Click on our Steam page and under the game’s description you will see tags [/p]
• [p]Press the \[ + ] icon and suggest some tags you feel that represent the game (e.g. Survival, Open World, Magic, Crafting - whatever fits!)[/p]
• [p]Leave a comment on this post telling us if you’re going to build or explore! The first 20 comments who do this will be the winners![/p]

[p]If you’ve already won a key in one of our previous giveaways, don’t worry, you’re still on our list. We’ll be reaching out to you directly in the new year via Steam to deliver access, so keep an eye out for a friend request or message from our community manager or our official account.[/p][p]Good luck![/p][p]
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[p]Hello Explorers, [/p][p][/p][p]Welcome aboard as we raise the sails and head into the new year. We hope you all had a wonderful holiday season spent with friends and loved ones. With fresh winds at our backs, we’re sailing into an exciting new chapter of Guardians of the Wild Sky’s development in 2026![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]And with that, we’re officially gearing up for our next round of playtesting, which means it’s time to announce our next wave of playtest winners. Congratulations to the following players:[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Looking ahead we’re genuinely excited for what the next chapter holds, you can expect more frequent updates and a ramp up in playtesting as we move forward. If you haven’t received a key yet, don’t worry, be sure to keep an eye on our latest announcements (or join our Discord) to stay in the loop.
[/p][h3]What’s next…[/h3][p]We’ll contact each winner via Steam DM with their playtest key and setup instructions for the next playtest. Please keep an eye out for a friend request or message from our community manager or our official account.

We plan to expand playtests quickly, so if you didn’t get in this time, there will be more chances in the future.[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for being part of this journey. As a small studio we are pouring our passion into this project; we care deeply about crafting a genuine experience, and we’ll keep listening, iterating, and evolving the game with your feedback in mind. We look forward to your input and to shaping the skies with your help.[/p][p]
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[h2]Recap of our Latest Playtest
[/h2][p]Before we jump into the updates, we want to first say a massive thank you to everyone who joined our most recent playtest. Your excitement and support mean the world to our team. We’ve had an absolute blast chatting with you, watching your playthroughs, and seeing how each of you approached the first step into your adventure. Your feedback has been incredibly valuable in helping us understand what our core audience wants and how we should shape the next phase of development. So from all of us, thank you.[/p][p][/p][p]The feedback from our latest playtest has had a real impact on the game’s current direction. We learned a ton, from which Guardians stole your hearts (the Fluff and Silverwing dominated by a landslide) to the different paths players chose right from the start. Some of you focused on upgrading your airships and soaring off the main island as soon as possible, while others dove straight into crafting and building your dream bases. Every choice and every bit of feedback has helped us understand our community even better.
[/p][p]Since wrapping the playtest, we’ve spent a lot of time reviewing your notes, making tons of smaller adjustments and implementing brand new systems across the board. We’ve made major improvements to how the game runs and we’re excited to say the results are looking incredibly promising.
[/p][p]But before we dive into the details…[/p][p]Here’s a look at some of the amazing community builds and screenshots from the playtest:[/p][p]
[/p][h2]Major Gameplay Updates[/h2][h2]
[/h2][h3]Modular Airships[/h3][p]Airships have received a complete overhaul. Previously, players chose between small, medium, or large pre-built ships. That system has now evolved. Although you can still choose from the three existing sizes, in its place, we’ve moved to a fully modular, piece-by-piece construction system, allowing you to design, shape, and optimize your vessel exactly the way you want. Whether you’re building a compact scouting skiff or a towering flying fortress, your airship is now, one of a kind and is truly your own.
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Danger Comes From Above[/h3][p]Exploration remains at the core of Guardians of the Wild Sky, and our latest changes are aimed at making the skies feel more alive and sometimes, much more dangerous. The open sky sea between islands will soon be home to roaming sky pirates who won’t hesitate to ambush an unprepared crew. Before setting sail, make sure your ship is armed, stocked, and ready for trouble… or you may find yourself caught completely off-guard while traveling to a new biome. The skies are also filled with more peaceful sailors who will leave you alone, so long as you don’t get too close!
[/p][p][/p][p]The skies are changing… Asteroid fields now drift through the cloud sea, bringing new risks and rewards, while towering tornadoes tear through the clouds, turning every voyage into a true test of skill at the helm.[/p][p][/p][h3]Flying Guardians[/h3][p]Guardians themselves are evolving. Some creatures have become even more dynamic; our winged Guardians now have the ability to fly! This completely changes how combat encounters play out, as these Guardians can attack from above, making them far more formidable opponents. Capturing these Guardians is now even more rewarding, as they double as powerful mounts that make traversing the world much easier.[/p][p][/p][h3]Healing on the Go![/h3][p]Healing Potions are in! Craftable healing potions have been introduced for more flexible survival strategies. Farm your ingredients and brew some nice potions. Drink them in the heat of battle to heal up quickly.[/p][p][/p][h3]Danger runs Deeper…[/h3][p]We’ve added a ton of new dungeons to shake up Titan encounters and make every fight feel distinct. From labyrinthe-like dungeons to environmental threats, each dungeon offers a new challenge. Only the strongest will succeed in defeating these mighty Titan Guardians.[/p][p][/p][h3]
Additional Improvements Since the Last Playtest[/h3]

• [p]Crafting recipes can now be set to loop for easier production management, allowing for hands-off production and a much more self-sustaining base. We have also made it so crafting projects can now be queued without any materials. Once you collect the needed items, the process will kick off on its own. If you set this up right your base can be nearly self-functioning![/p]
• [p]Transporting Guardians can now carry items between chests, refuel structures, and automatically deliver resources to crafting stations[/p]
• [p]Storage permissions have been added, allowing you to control where your Guardians can retrieve or store items[/p]
• [p]You’ll now encounter more NPCs in the world, providing helpful guidance, tons of new quests, and a wide array of merchants to lead you deeper into your journey[/p]
• [p]A significant amount of our UI has been updated, for a cleaner and more intuitive experience[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Gearing Up for the Next Playtest[/h2][p]
We know many of you have been patiently (and excitedly!) waiting for news on the next round of testing, and we’re happy to confirm that it’s right around the corner.[/p][p]As we gear up for the next playtest, you may still run into bugs (maybe even a lot of them), but delivering a fun, responsive and smooth gameplay experience continues to be our top priority. Each bit of feedback and bugs you report helps us get closer to the version of Guardians of the Wild Sky we’re striving for. Your feedback in previous tests has been invaluable, and this upcoming round will be just as important in shaping the road ahead.[/p][p][/p][h2]Alpha Testing + Giveaway[/h2][p]
We also want to give a massive shoutout to everyone who has wishlisted the game, we are now over 150,000 wishlists thanks to all of you! Holy smokes. Our team is genuinely blown away by the support we’ve received these past few months. We’re thrilled to have so many of you along for the ride as we build Guardians of the Wild Sky.[/p][p]For our upcoming test, we’ll be onboarding a wave of new playtesters. On top of that, we want to give a few more new explorers a chance to jump in so to celebrate, we’re giving away 20 additional playtest keys to commenters below.[/p][p]Follow the steps below to enter:[/p]

• [p]Click on our Steam page and under the game’s description you will see tags [/p]
• [p]Press the \[ + ] icon and suggest some tags you feel that represent the game (e.g. Survival, Open World, Magic, Crafting - whatever fits!)[/p]
• [p]Leave a comment on this post telling us if you’re playing: Solo or in a group[/p]

[p]If you’ve already won a key in one of our previous giveaways, don’t worry, you’re still on our list. We’ll be reaching out to you directly in the new year via Steam to deliver access, so keep an eye out for a friend request or message from our community manager or our official account.[/p][p]

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