“Surprise: our game is coming a lot sooner than you may have expected!” declares Equinox: Homecoming, and indeed early access is arriving a whole lot earlier than many may have expected. On Thursday, May 8th, to be precise.
The self-described horse mystery MMO will feature the first act of its greater grim plot as well as multiplayer activities like races, riding clubs, and more, for a total of roughly eight to 12 hours’ worth of gameplay. Regular updates and adjustments based on player feedback are promised throughout the game’s EA run.
The announcement also confirmed Equinox’s monetization plans, which will include a monthly subscription as well as additional horse breeds released as DLC. Pricing was not provided for either case, but developer Blue Scarab Entertainment explains that this model will allow it to “continue to deliver great story content” without the backing of a major publisher or resorting to standard free-to-play monetization, which it contends isn’t “the right way to build a healthy and engaged community.”
As for early access, that will come with a box price of $25 but will offer all of those who do buy in a lifetime subscription to the game. Subscribers will also gain access to exclusive cosmetics as well as new story episodes that will arrive on an ongoing basis, while two additional acts to the MMO’s first story arc are planned to arrive over the course of its first year of live service.
