Windrose News

Ahoy, captains!

We’d like to address some of the questions you raised in the comments previously.

Disclaimer: Many of the features you’ll read about here are still in Alpha and subject to significant change in future updates.


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Barbash: Looking great! Any chance to see some group content? Will you wear wigs?

Thanks, Barbash — glad you think so!

As for group content: in this upcoming Alpha, we’re just testing the waters, so there won’t be content specifically designed for larger groups just yet. Having functional co-op for a few players is the most you can expect at this moment.

That said, we do have plans for more expansive group features in both the story mode and the MMO layer of the game down the line. And surprisingly, wigs share the same fate — not in this Alpha, but definitely something we’ll be working on in the future!

Ninja66 Onee-sama: Will there be taming? Are the guns hit scan or projectiles?

Taming isn’t planned for the upcoming Alpha, but it’s something we might explore later on. As for guns—they’re projectile-based, so if you’re quick (and a little lucky), you can dodge incoming shots. Timing is everything!

take a look at my girlfrien!!>owish to see something about fishing in the next devlog. eventhough it's quite a basic mechanic in the most games, it fits perfectly for a pirate-ish game like Crosswind

It will be in the upcoming Alpha, but in a very early, minimal form. Just enough to cast a line and reel in something simple. Like many of our features, it’s a rough first pass—we’re laying the groundwork now, and we’ll be expanding it over time based on feedback and our priorities.

LLIytinskiy (translated): It’s interesting to see teamwork on one ship, as the helmsman takes over the whole ship, but what about the other players who are also on the ship? Or will each player have their own ship? I hope it will be the first option, as it was fun to play as a team and encounter many different situations during the game.


Our current core idea is that each player commands their own ship—taking care of navigation, combat, and upgrades. That said, you're absolutely welcome to hop aboard a friend’s ship. While you’re not at the helm, you can still participate in early fishing and boarding activities. Outside of those, there’s not much else to do on someone else’s deck just yet, but we’re keeping in mind more shared ship roles as development moves forward.

neviR: Will this game be a live-service game? Or once it reaches version 1.0, no more updates?

Live service. We firmly believe the world of Crosswind can be expanded for years, resulting in a long-lasting and evolving adventure. We plan to support the game with new features, activities and story expansions after release.

RadHands: So I guess the question is what are your plans considering PvE difficulty? Seems it could use more aggression, more movesets, more skillchecks, else it is a little yawny. I understand early access, that's why it's a question and not a 12 hour youtube monologue.

Our plan is simple: test and tune with real players. We’ve already run some early closed Alpha sessions and received a wide range of feedback on combat, especially around boss encounters and enemy behavior. Since then, we’ve made significant improvements to both pacing and variety, and the upcoming test will help us push that even further.



That said, what you’ve seen in previews might not fully reflect the current build—combat and specifically balance is still actively being tweaked, and your feedback will be key to hitting the sweet spot between challenge, skill checks, and fun.

ChrisCox: Could we get more details about how boarding will work? Will the ships for example "attach" to eachother, allowing the NPCs to board? Will we be able to separate our crew and capture other ships, to bring them back to our base?

In the upcoming Alpha, boarding will work as follows: when two ships are close enough and properly aligned, you can initiate a boarding action. Once triggered, the ships attach to each other, creating a few walkable bridges between them.

At that point, both your AI crew and the enemy’s will spawn and engage in combat. Stay alert—reinforcements can appear mid-fight! If you win, you’ll be able to loot the enemy’s ship chest, after which their ship will be destroyed. If you lose, your ship gets destroyed instead, and you’ll respawn ashore. Your ship will then be temporarily locked, but don’t worry—there’s no permanent loss.

This system applies to both PvE and PvP boarding for now, and it’s just the beginning. We’ll be refining and expanding it based on your feedback.

Leca: What kind of weapons the game includes?

You can swing a shovel or pickaxe in a pinch—just don’t expect it to be the most elegant solution. For the upcoming Alpha, we’re starting with a core lineup of rapiers, sabres, pistols, muskets, and clubs.
Each weapon type comes with a few variants you can craft and upgrade, and we’re aiming to make them play and feel distinct from one another. It’s still early, but we’re excited to see how it all comes together. Wish us luck: we plan to expand the arsenal as development continues!

Splotty: How does gearing in a biome works? i craft the gear with the materials of the biome or is a drop from the mob/boss? the gears levels up? what kind of gear is gonna be available?

Normally you craft the gear from the materials of the biome, but there are also additional rewards for defeating bosses and uncovering biome secrets. Most of the gear can be leveled up to an extent that it is slightly better than the starting gear from the next biome. You can balance your own combat skill with gear leveling: defeating a boss with the very basic gear is possible, but putting more effort into preparation will increase your chances.

The wearable gear, apart from tools and weapons, includes armor/clothing (head, torso, pants, shoes, gloves), 3 jewelry slots and a bag. You also carry a certain amount of gunpowder and bullets for your firearms. Consumables like food, bandages, potions and weapon oils are also a part of your build.

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That’s it for now, mateys! Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for more news and insights!

Ahoy, adventurers, and welcome back to our devblog!

Disclaimer: Many of the features you’ll read about here are still in Alpha and subject to significant change in future updates.

It’s hard to believe we’ve already sailed into April, with blossoms on the horizon and the promise of warmer seas ahead. Behind the scenes, our crew has been hard‑at‑work preparing the long-awaited Alpha test.

In the meantime, we wanted to take you on another little behind‑the‑scenes voyage. Game development is hard, and very often things break in the process. The upside: you can have a good laugh about it. Well, if it happens before you release the game, at least.

Pay attention to this one: we’ve added the nicknames of those who participated in our previous event there in the credits. Thank you for being the legends you are!

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Following your requests, this devblog dives straight into base building—something that most survival gaming enthusiasts love!

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In Crosswind, building is about self‑expression, progression, and shaping the world. Every structure should feel rooted in its biome and echo the story you’re living. From your first humble shack to a towering fort, construction always aims to remain a seamless part of the adventure.


Our philosophy is simple: while building is a core part of survival in Crosswind, we’ve designed it to be as welcoming and intuitive as possible. Yes, you’ll need a basic roof to rest and a shelter to house your workbenches—but beyond that, it’s entirely up to you how far you take it.

Whether you prefer the simplicity of a quick shelter or dream of building a sprawling pirate haven, our goal is to shape a system that supports your pace, style, and imagination. It’s a work in progress, of course—and a part of a long journey. But we’re committed to making that first step feel approachable and rewarding. From there, who knows where your creativity might take you?


[h2]Core building principles[/h2]
In practice, we believe building should be:

• Simple. Newcomers, minimalists who just need a roof, or even those curious about survival games but daunted by the idea of complex building systems—all are welcome here.
  
  We’ve made sure you can raise a sturdy shelter in seconds using large modules and one-click blueprints. It’s fast, intuitive, and designed to ease you in gently, so you can get back to exploring and adventuring without being overwhelmed.
  
  
• Flexible. Efficiency lovers get fine‑grained tools: precise angle rotation, optional snapping, Z‑axis nudging, and an in‑menu building preview showing you the exact piece before placing it.
  
  Our unofficial benchmark? If a determined captain can’t kitbash a passable Millennium Falcon, we need to loosen the rules.
  
  
• Beautiful. For builders who treat design as end-game content, snapping can be turned off, small detail pieces can be layered freely, and décor can be stacked to your heart’s content.
  
  And for those who value speed and flow, we’re introducing a special “Quick-Brush” mode: just hold the left mouse button and sweep your cursor to lay down walls, floors, or roofs in one continuous, satisfying motion. Creativity and efficiency shouldn’t be at odds—and with tools like this, they don’t have to be.
  
  
• Performance‑minded. We’re stress‑testing to find out how many blocks you can stack before the frame‑rate flinches. The goal is “a lot.” We’ll do our best to ensure that, with ongoing optimization, ambitious architects won’t have to choose between grand scale and smooth FPS—fingers crossed!
  

We also support basic terraforming. It’s still early and quite primitive, but it already allows you to shape the ground and prepare terrain for your builds.



[h2]From Bedrolls to Pirate Forts[/h2]
Your journey starts with bedrolls, campfires, and makeshift roofs. Soon you’ll be adding workbenches, kilns, and palisades. Just place an upgrade module next to any workstation to unlock new tiers:

• Want to toss your tools around wherever it’s convenient? Go for it.
  
• Prefer to build a majestic blacksmith’s hall with every detail in place? That works too.
  

No penalties either way—it's all about your style, not restrictions.

Comfort works the same way: hang trophies wherever you like, and the settlement counts their bonus automatically. Beauty is optional; utility never is. Chase pure efficiency or indulge your inner architect—either way, you’ll get every perk with zero debuffs.

In Crosswind, the world may be full of myths and wonders, but it’s still grounded in a sense of physical logic. That’s why we’re also introducing building integrity—a system that gently nudges structures to follow the natural rules of the world they exist in. No floating towers or endless bridges stretching across the sea. It’s not here to stifle your creativity, but to keep your creations feeling rooted, believable, and in harmony with the world around them.

After all, building should feel like a natural extension of the journey—woven into the fabric of your swashbuckling fantasy. In a world inspired by the spirit of Treasure Island and classic high-seas tales, every fort, dock, and lookout should feel like it belongs—each one a testament to the adventure that shaped it.

We’re also adding what we internally call aesthetic merging—a system designed to make modular builds feel more natural and cohesive. Instead of obvious seams and visual clutter between individual pieces, this tech helps smooth out transitions, so even complex constructions look unified and handcrafted rather than like stacked Lego bricks. It’s still a work in progress, but we believe it’ll go a long way in helping your creations feel more like real, lived-in structures and less like game systems showing through.



[h2]Player Progression and Protection[/h2]
Losing everything while you’re offline is the worst, so we’ve built in safeguards—construction included. Your personal story islands are private by default: solo or invite‑only co‑op, no random visitors.

And just to reassure you—during the upcoming playtest, all building will take place in safe zones only. No raids, no base wipes, no lost progress. Build at your own pace, focus on fun, and help us shape what comes next.

Important note: as the game evolves and new features are added, we’ll occasionally need to reset progress between playtest phases. With so much changing under the hood, occasional wipes are necessary to keep things stable. That said, in the long run, your personal world and its progress are meant to be yours to shape and keep—this core concept won’t change.

[h2]Future Plans[/h2]
We know not everyone dreams in timber and stone. If building’s not your thing, don’t worry—we’re doing our best to keep the experience smooth, flexible, and never overwhelming. You’ll be able to set up what you need and jump right back into the adventure.

Looking further ahead, wanderers—merchants, quest‑givers, or would‑be crewmates—will occasionally arrive at your settlement. You’ll be able to recruit them to help gather materials, craft gear, and support your progression over time. These visitors are the first step toward a broader “crew” system that connects the people you meet on land with the roles they’ll take aboard your ship. We’re still ironing out the details, and we’ll be happy to see whether this direction resonates with you.



We’re also looking into how building might evolve into other parts of the game—more on that later.

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And that’s a wrap! While this update focused on building, we’ve seen all your questions across the comments—and we’re already charting the course for future devblogs to dive into them. For now, we’re just thrilled to have you aboard. The journey’s just beginning, and we can’t wait to keep shaping Crosswind together.

Yours truly,
— Crosswind Crew

Ahoy, captains!

Another day, another fight upon these cursed shores — this time with uncut gameplay, full arena, and environment details. Remember: that's work-in-progress-pre-alpha-things-can-and-will-change stuff!

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[h2]The Brute of the Broken Mast[/h2]
Name’s Botsun. Not that bombastic, right?
Until he starts hurling explosives and swinging a busted mast like it’s driftwood.

If you're thinking of challenging him, don’t charge in blind.
One wrong step, and the tide — or rather, the light in your eyes — goes out fast.

Think you could take him down? Prove it.

[h2]A Tribute to our Crew (That’s You!)[/h2]
We want to do a little something for our community this time. Here’s a fun one:

1. Follow us on Steam (if you already are, skip this step).
   
2. Leave a comment here and let us know what you want us to cover in the next devblog.
   

And we’ll add your nickname to the credits of our next video!

The event is taking place from April 15th to April 22nd.

(Note: overly naughty pirates with questionable nicknames may be left ashore. You’ve been warned!)

Until next time—keep your sails tight and your mast unbroken. The Botsun surely won’t.
— Crosswind Crew

Ahoy, captains! Today we have something new for ya: a music video! We've put together a mix of shanties used in Crosswind along with some work-in-progress footage of our ships, as well as water and weather systems.

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All footage was recorded in-game using cinematic camera. We've added a few NPCs on deck (they won't be there in the upcoming Alpha test, but we're working on it for one of the future updates) for extra Yarr Harr vibes!

Ahoy, captains!

Since launching our Steam page on March 19th, we have been overwhelmed by the incredible amount of attention and Alpha Test applications. We’re humbled, grateful, and honestly a bit stunned. Your enthusiasm and anticipation mean the world to us.

With the rapidly increasing number of applications, especially over this past weekend, we have made the decision to temporarily close public sign-ups for the Alpha. The number of applicants has already far exceeded what we initially expected, and it keeps rising fast. While we can’t say for sure how many will participate just yet, it’s already clear that the interest is far greater than what our Alpha server infrastructure can comfortably support.

Having so many people eager to test the game is absolutely amazing—but it also comes with a greater responsibility. That’s why we’re taking some time to thoroughly prepare the current Alpha build. Even though there is a long road ahead, we want to make sure that those who get in will first have a solid and enjoyable experience. We’ll be back soon with more details on the testing schedule and what kind of content you can expect in the Alpha.

Make sure to follow us on Steam so you don’t miss any updates—we can’t wait to share more with you as things unfold!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3041230/Crosswind/

Once again—thank you all for being such a huge inspiration. We couldn’t ask for a better crew to sail with on this long and thrilling journey toward release. And just a friendly reminder: this is Alpha—so the seas ahead might be a bit rough, but that’s all part of the adventure.

— Crosswind Crew