Earlier this week in our coverage of BitCraft’s crafting and economy deep-dive, we pointed out that studio Clockwork Labs has been teasing something big on the anniversary of its second year post-reveal. “Now the world begins to awaken,” the studio said.
Well, now it’s starting to become clear what the heck the devs were talking about, as this morning, Clockwork announced that it’s kicking off alpha “in early 2024.”
The game was originally announced in September 2021 as a procedural sandbox MMORPG backed by some big names in the gaming industry (including CCP boss Hilmar Petursson), though it’s looking more cozy-MMO by the month. Thus far, it hasn’t done any gamer crowdfunding (it’s all investor-funded) and has loudly denounced crypto scams. Here’s the current pitch:
“In BitCraft, players enter the game at the beginning of the Age of Automata, a significant chapter of this majestic world. Players can create their own legend as solo adventurers or work together with others to build a new civilization in a single, editable wilderness with an ancient past. The player’s journey begins in an almost untouched wilderness with mysterious remnants of an earlier civilization. It will be up to the players to cultivate this vast single world and to create prosperous civilizations with gameplay that emphasizes building, hunting, crafting, farming, trading, and exploring. From uncovering ancient ruins and artifacts, to discovering the diverse flora and fauna of the world of BitCraft, to cultivating a sheltered village with friends, or establishing impressive cities, BitCraft offers unparalleled freedom and long-term character progression which enables players to create their own stories and write the new history of this world. Become a farmer, an adventurer, a city builder, a trader, a merchant or simply forge your own path in BitCraft. The choice is yours.”
In conjunction with the alpha window announcement, the team revealed that it’s picked up award-winning composer Austin Wintory and composer/vocalist Rachel Hardy for the game’s score – and naturally, their work is all over the game’s new trailer, tucked down below.
