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Ahoy, captains!
Here’s a small patch with a few improvements. We’re also very grateful for all your feedback and comments on the latest devblog post.
One known issue remains in this build, but we’re already looking into it and plan to fix it in a future update.
Thank you for staying with us, and stay tuned for more news.
Patch Notes, version: 0.10.0.8
Fixed an issue where projectiles could pass through ships without registering hits at long distances.
Improved Japanese localization.
Known issue: A random bug may cause volleys fired from the front cannons to deal no damage, even when cannonballs clearly hit the ship’s hull. This will be fixed in a future update.
DISCLAIMER: We’re talking about plans, and plans may change. We tend to experiment a lot. If something does not work well for the game, we discard it. Prototyping a great idea can drastically change how it feels once we actually playtest it. Simply put, if something isn’t great, we tend to pivot it into something a lot better. That’s the nature of development, and it applies to the plans described below. In the end, these are general thoughts we’ll continue expanding on as development progresses.
Ahoy, captains! It’s been a while since the Early Access release, thank you for making it incredible!
Now that most of the post-release tasks have been addressed, we’re hard at work on Windrose’s first major content update, currently titled “Ashlands.” While development is still in its early stages, we wanted to share our general plans and give you an idea of what we’re aiming for. As always, the exact scope of the update may change as development progresses.
As for our longer-term plans, those are still taking shape. Truth be told, we don’t have them fully locked in yet. While delivering Early Access, we spared no effort to make and patch the game as well as we could, and it took a real toll on us. As a result, this part had to be pushed aside for a while. Now that the game is live, feedback has poured in, and we are better equipped with your ideas and a clearer understanding of what Windrose could become in the future.
In that sense, Windrose is shaped not only by our own ideas, but also by your feedback and experiences. Our goal is to first deliver Ashlands at the level of quality we expect from ourselves, learn from your impressions, and then build on that foundation with a clearer understanding of what comes next.
Now, let’s discuss Ashlands.
We have always wanted Windrose to be a survival adventure with a strong narrative layer, making the journey through its vast biomes feel meaningful.
In Ashlands, you can expect both the main story and side quests to grow significantly in scope.
This is where new factions enter the fray, and you’ll have to carve your way through their ambitions and schemes to continue your journey. Your hunt for the Obols continues, with the next fragment hidden somewhere among the ruins of a long-forgotten Spanish colony. The Obol’s power has twisted lands already ravaged by volcanic eruptions, making them more dangerous than ever. And let’s just say you’re not the only one searching for the artifact.
As we stated before, we’re working hard to make sure you’ll be able to continue your adventure and keep all the progress you’ve already achieved.
Buccaneers, refreshed — WIP Updated costume concepts for the Buccaneer faction. Other factions are getting attention as well.
New armor on the horizon — WIP A first look at concept work for possible character armor sets.
We are going to introduce a complete fourth biome: Ashlands. As the name suggests, it suffered from volcanic eruptions long ago, leaving its mark on the settlers who lived here, and on those who came after.
Uncover relics and secrets of the past, preserved under volcanic ash, but be prepared for those who may still guard these treasures. You can expect a variety of new islands with new enemies, items, resources, recipes, points of interest, and, of course, a new challenging boss. Brand-new factions will enter the stage, too, and you’ll be able to expand your collection with new armor and weapon variants.
We want every biome to feel and play differently, so on top of all the new content, we’re also looking into new biome mechanics to experiment with.
We were stunned by the number of amazingly creative builds you showcased, and we’ll happily expand this aspect of the game in Ashlands. We plan to introduce a plethora of new decorations, expand the existing building sets with useful new pieces, and work on a couple of QoL improvements.
Speaking of which, don’t forget to visit our community ideas page to vote for various requests and submit your own: https://windrose.support/ideas
We’re also happy to see that our camp NPCs were well received, so we’ll be looking to expand this system as well.
We feel that our ship gameplay has a lot of room for expansion, and we also have tons of your ideas and requests to draw from. It won’t be possible to tuck everything we’d like into one update, but we’ll surely experiment with and implement a few additions to this part of Windrose.
Here are a few things we’re looking into:
Enriching and deepening ship gameplay in ways inspired by both your feedback and our own plans
More ship classes, with at least one being added in Ashlands, plus more faction ship variants
Giving combat gameplay more care and attention
AI improvements, such as NPC ships behaving more naturally, sailing in formations, and so on
We are also aware of the popular request to add wind influence on sailing to the game. We’ll definitely be exploring this idea as well, and we originally intended to. But let us be crystal clear: we want it to be fun and simple. Windrose aims to be an adventure, without some of the more hardcore simulation aspects.
And, of course, expect more shanties! We were deeply touched by how well these were received. We don’t want to spoil everything, but your collection will be significantly expanded.
More ships for the seas — WIP We're currently working on the Brigantine, Fluyt, and Galleon. While plans may change, we expect at least one of these ships to make its way into Ashlands.
That’s the general direction we’re taking with Ashlands. If you have any questions about the update, let us know in the comments. We’ll do our best to answer them in a future Q&A edition.
As always, we’ll be sharing more details, including an estimated release window, as development progresses. Thank you for your incredible support, and we’ll see you soon on the seas!
Kraken Express
Hey, everyone!
We are releasing another batch of small improvements and fixes for the current build.
Please note that we'll also be performing some backend maintenance, which means the game will be temporarily unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience. Patch notes, version: 0.10.0.7
Added Docker images with Linux server support. For setup instructions, see DedicatedServer.md in the dedicated server root directory.
Added Traditional Chinese language support.
Sails can once again be damaged by cannonball hits.
P.S. Another development blog is coming soon. Stay tuned!
Hey, captains! We’re releasing another small update that fixes several issues. We’re closely monitoring your reports and will continue rolling out hotfixes and improvements.
Slightly improved performance during boarding.
Slightly improved performance when using ship artillery.
Player and ship action panels now execute actions when a button is pressed instead of when it is released.
Slightly adjusted attack and block animation transitions after equipping weapons for smoother and more responsive gameplay.
Added SaveWorkflow.md to the Dedicated Server root folder.
All plants placed by the player should now correctly snap to soil patches.
Items dropped on player-built soil patches will no longer fall through the ground.
Slightly updated onion flower visuals.
If two players are fighting different bosses simultaneously, killing one boss will no longer grant the achievement to the other player.
Disabled running multiple server instances on the same PC.
Fixed a rare bug where killing monsters in Stargazer Ruins could incorrectly count as a Jim Godart kill.
Fixed a bug that could occasionally cause ship artillery aiming to get stuck.
Fixed a bug where ship aiming could get stuck when interacting with a battery while blocking.
Fixed a bug that caused the "Unstuck" command to become unavailable while controlling a ship battery.
Fixed a crash that could occasionally occur when unequipping items from a ship.
Fixed an issue that prevented Dedicated Server users from changing settings in WorldDescription.json. For instructions, see DedicatedServer.md in the Dedicated Server root folder.
Hey, captains!
Another incredible milestone in our journey — 2,000,000 brave souls have plunged into the Archipelago to live the swashbuckling life alongside us!
When we first set sail, we could only hope that our game would find such a passionate and dedicated community. Seeing so many of you exploring the seas, sharing your stories, creating content, reporting issues, and supporting us every step of the way means more than we can properly express.
Every screenshot, every stream, every review, every bug report, and every kind word has helped shape this adventure into something truly special. The Archipelago feels alive because of you.
In terms of development updates, we’re planning to release another patch soon to address several common issues reported by the community. After that, we begin full production on the next major update. We’re still discussing the scope of that update internally, so it will take some time before we can share more details. However, our goal remains the same: to continue expanding the experience in meaningful ways and make the wait worthwhile.
Thank you again, captains. This milestone is a new beginning for us, for the game, and for the community we’re building together. We are deeply touched by your support and will continue working hard to make this adventure worthy of your time and passion.
Fair winds and following seas, Kraken Express
Hey, captains! We’re rolling out a new Steam Cloud Saves update intended to fix the issue with corrupted saves. We’ll be closely monitoring your feedback and will respond accordingly if any issues arise.
Version: 0.10.0.5.120-073042fb
Implemented a new storage and backup system for save files
The game now automatically backs up all data every 10 minutes of gameplay and upon exiting
Updated the save file structure for cloud synchronization to minimize syncing issues
Broken save files no longer block the game from loading
Data Recovery UI: If the latest save file for a world or character is found to be broken at startup, a special UI window will appear. Players can either quit the game (e.g., to attempt a cloud resync) or recover data from a backup. The game will automatically offer the latest available one
Save Migration System: Implemented a system to migrate old save files (pre-version 0.10.0.5.120-073042fb) to the new format. In most cases, this process is seamless and invisible
Migration Conflict Handling: If the game detects old, corrupted save files that cannot be properly migrated, a notification window will appear with information about the affected files and a prompt to delete them
Fixed an issue where D-pad Left was incorrectly mapped to the "Take All" action in the crafting station UI
Updated the Wolf Head item icon
Characters created before version 0.10.0.4 cannot be deleted due to Steam Cloud synchronization. This is a known issue and will be fixed in a future update.
Your game settings will be reset after this patch. Please back them up manually if needed.
Ahoy, captains! As Windrose is sailing into the third week, we’d like to present you this accolades / thank you trailer. That’s a token of our appreciation for your support, patience, and passion. Hopefully you will like it and chuckle at some of the funniest Steam reviews we’ve put in there. With this trailer we also celebrate another milestone – over 1,500,000 copies sold. The community keeps growing, the feedback keeps flowing, and looking at this, we feel huge gratitude. Thank you for this opportunity, captains!
P.S. Don’t forget to check out a new update we’ve rolled out a couple of hours ago, too – hopefully it will make your experience in Windrose smoother!
Yours, Kraken Express
Ahoy, captains!
Thank you for your patience and support throughout our journey. In this update, we’ve focused on addressing some of the most commonly reported issues so far.Among the changes, you’ll notice improved connection stability, reduced disk and CPU usage, and a variety of quality-of-life adjustments designed to make your overall experience smoother.As for Steam Cloud Save fixes, they’re still on the way. After additional internal testing, we decided to give them more time to ensure everything works reliably before release.Version: 0.10.0.4.268-9d2ca277
Ahoy, captains! We’re into the third week since release, and the high seas remain busy: while Windrose gathered a little less concurrent players over the last weekend compared to the first one, it’s still sailing steady (over 210,000 captains swashbucklin’ at the same time on Sunday!), and the number of daily players actually keeps growing! We’re thrilled to see such passion for our game, and thank you wholeheartedly for this. In fact, we’re preparing a little surprise for you to celebrate, but for now, let’s focus on some serious, yet important things you need to know.
We are introducing a new tool for the community – https://windrose.support/
Consider it a beta for now, but as we streamline it a bit, it will fulfill several duties:
You can troubleshoot any issues you have with the game there. It contains a growing and systematically organized database of the most common issues and solutions, and will help you to navigate to the information you need. If your problem turns out to be new, you will be able to contact our team directly as well.
You can easily report the bugs you have found. The form on this website will allow you to do it quickly and place your report into the right category.
You can provide your ideas for Windrose there, and vote for other players’ ideas! This is the new, transparent way for the community to share their ideas and expectations, and upvote the most popular ones so we can review and consider them.
As this tool is rather complex and new, please expect some bugs here and there, and for now it is localized in English only, however, as we put it to real use, it will be improved. Please note: we are going to gradually sunset the overlapping functions in our Discord, as this new platform makes the process much easier for players and devs alike.
Right now we are internally testing the next game update focused on various important fixes and improvements. We will probably ask some of you to try it in advance as well before we roll it out for everyone. For now it is not 100% clear if we will manage to do it this week – but we will do our best! Here are some of the things that we’re planning to address with it:
Connectivity issues;
CPU usage on idle clients and servers;
Disk usage during gameplay (to reduce the load on SSD specifically);
Performance and stability improvements;
Over 40 new building pieces to fill some gaps and inconsistencies;
Over 50 fixes and QoL changes;
There is also a chance we will be able to address Steam Cloud Saves problems there, complementing the current saves backup system with a more robust solution. If we will, though, your game settings will be set to default after the update, so if these settings are important, please write them down or make a screenshot so you can dial them back later!
Some of you have already completed the game's current story, and some of you are simply (rightfully!) curious about where and how Windrose is heading. Well, here is the current status:
After we’re done with the fixes described above, we plan to fully switch to the next big content update, which will introduce the next biome called Ashlands;
The roadmap of this update is very high level now, we’re populating it with our own plans and some popular requests, and then, as it’s always with the game development, we will sit down and cut out some of the stuff to make it actually deliverable. Somewhere at this point we will be ready to present it to you, captains, so expect more information to come in a month or two.
Our philosophy now is to enrich the current gameplay systems, instead of only adding new biomes with the respective content, so even before we have the full details, it’s safe to say the game will not just grow in size – it will also evolve.
The scope of what we want to do is rather ambitious, so our best bet right now this update will take at least 6 months to deliver. This might sound like a long time, but we believe it will allow us to roll out an exciting and meaningful expansion to the game of appropriate quality. In other words, we will work very hard so it’s worth the wait.
This is it for today, captains, thank you, and stay tuned!
Kraken Express
Ahoy, captains! We have just plundered another milestone – 1,000,000 copies, and “we” means “you” – a crew of fine brave captains sailing the seas of Windrose. Moreover, today Windrose has assembled over 200,000 concurrent players! Your support for the game is absolutely astonishing, and your patience while we are working on fixes is truly heart-warming. While we keep working on the game, we read your reviews and comments, watch your videos and streams, and sometimes, honestly, shed a pirate-y tear of happiness, because now when the game is out you share our dream of swashbuckling adventure. And there are boars, too, we know, but whatever does not send you flying into the nearest tree, makes you stronger, right?
Thank you for this, captains. You are our inspiration in this journey, and YARRRRR, that’s going to be an exciting one.
Kraken Express
Dear captains,
Over the past few days, some of you have encountered several issues. Our team has been working in emergency mode to resolve them as quickly as possible so that more players can enjoy the game without disruptions.
Version: 0.10.0.3.104-256f9653
We identified issues with certain ISPs blocking parts of our networking services. To address this, we’ve implemented the following changes:
Connectivity Server Selection: You can now manually choose a specific connectivity server instead of relying on automatic selection. You can also see which servers are reachable. Dedicated server settings can be configured via ServerDescription.json.
Known Issue: If your connection is unstable (high ping or packet loss), a connectivity server may appear as “available” even if it cannot actually be used.
You can now manually select which connectivity server to use.
If you were unable to connect with your friends before, try using different connectivity servers. All players must have access to at least one shared server.
This setting can also be adjusted for dedicated servers. Please allow some time for hosting providers to adapt to these changes, especially since it’s currently the weekend.
We also identified issues related to connections within the same network, as well as certain self-hosted dedicated server configurations. To address this, we’ve added the option to connect via Direct IP:
Direct IP Connection: A new option is now available when hosting a server (both in-game and dedicated). This works as an alternative to our connectivity services. When using Direct IP, players can only join via your IP address, and invite codes will not work. Dedicated server settings can be configured via ServerDescription.json.
Known Issue: When using Direct IP, if you enter an incorrect password or there is a version mismatch, the game will return you to the main menu without displaying an error message.
If you are unable to connect via connectivity services and none of them work for you (we’ve seen cases where ISPs block everything related to Windrose), you can try connecting via Direct IP as a workaround.
Advanced feature: May require manual router configuration (port forwarding / NAT setup). This option is intended for advanced users.
We discovered an issue where, in rare cases, player save files may become corrupted. This happens more frequently when playing across multiple machines while using Steam Cloud synchronization.
We are still investigating the root cause. In the meantime, to mitigate the risk, we’ve added an automatic save backup system. Each time you launch the game, a backup of your save will be created. The system stores up to 30 backups, after which older ones are overwritten.
Instructions on how to restore your save in case of corruption are provided below.
We still recommend avoiding the use of cloud saves if possible while we continue investigating the issue.
An automatic save backup is created on game launch (both for client and dedicated server).
The maximum number of backup files is limited to 30.
Backups are stored in the folder: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\R5\\Saved\\SaveProfiles\\{steamid}_Backups
When the file limit is exceeded, older backups are deleted (the 31st backup replaces the oldest one).
Go to: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\R5\\Saved\\SaveProfiles\\%your_Steam_ID%_Backups
Select the latest backup (or any preferred one). Backups are named by date and time.
Copy all contents from this folder (it should contain one folder + AccountDescription.json).
Navigate to: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\R5\\Saved\\SaveProfiles\\{your_Steam_ID}\\RocksDB
Paste the copied files there (replace existing files if prompted).
For a dedicated server, the process is the same as for a local game. The difference is that save files are located inside the server’s installation folder.
Go to: \\R5\\Saved\\SaveProfiles\\Default_Backups\\
Find the relevant backup folder. Backups are named by date and time.
Copy the required files (folder + AccountDescription.json) from the chosen backup folder.
Paste them into the corresponding RocksDB folder of the active save, replacing files if needed.
Fixed an issue that prevented loading into the main menu if your Windows username contained non-Unicode characters
When launching a server (either in-game or via a .bat file), its process priority is now automatically set to “Above Normal”
HDR can now be correctly activated
Increased grass render distance
Fixed a feather simulation bug for Plague Witch
Minor fixes to trader models, outfits, and poses
Fixed several rigging issues that caused armor clipping across various sets
Fixed a rare issue where the game could crash due to item-related bugs
Ahoy, mateys!
First off, thank you. Seriously. The amount of love and support you’ve been showing us lately hasn’t gone unnoticed, and we really appreciate it.
Over the past few days, we’ve been investigating a number of issues, and today we want to talk a bit more about the Steam Cloud save problems some of you have been running into.
From what we’ve seen so far, it can show up in a few different ways:
Playing on 2–3 different devices → and then suddenly not being able to log into the game anymore
Playing on a single device → but after saves get uploaded to the cloud, you can’t get past the main menu
Other odd behavior that’s hard to pin down and doesn't resolve after a simple PC restart
We know how frustrating this is, especially if you’re used to switching between setups without even thinking about it. We’re really sorry this is happening, and please know we’re actively working on it.
With so many different setups and devices out there, the tricky part has been pinning down the exact root cause. We’ve been trying to keep up with reports (mostly through Discord), but we know that’s not ideal for everyone. Thanks for sticking with us anyway.
For now, we recommend:
Avoid switching between devices if you can
Back up your save files manually from time to time
If you run into corrupted saves, turn off Steam Cloud before restoring from a backup
Game Client Save folder (if you play solo or self-host): %LOCALAPPDATA%\\R5\\Saved\\SaveProfiles
Dedicated Server save folder: R5\\Saved\\SaveProfiles
We recommend backing up the entire SaveProfiles folder in both cases. Also, if Steam asks which save to use, it’s generally safer to go with your local files whenever possible. Turning Steam Cloud back on can sometimes overwrite your local progress, which might set you back or undo your latest saves, so just be a bit careful there.
For now, we’re keeping Steam Cloud on. We may need to turn it off later, as fixing this in a controlled environment is much easier than trying to patch it live for everyone at once. Please stay tuned.
And again, thank you for the trust you’re giving us right now. We don’t take it lightly. We care a lot about this game and about you guys, and we’re doing everything we can to sort this out. It’s a long journey, but we’re in it together.
Much love, Kraken Express
On Friday, Apr 17, we are going to update the game to the version 0.10.0.2.54-451ec92d, addressing some of the current issues.
Online modes will not be available from 12 AM PDT / 3 AM EDT / 7 AM GMT / 9 AM CEST for approximately one hour! You can check your local date & time here (enter your city to view it). Offline mode will not be affected, but we recommend downloading the update as soon as possible.Ahoy, captains! While we’re working on the next hotfix update (expected to come this Friday), let us take a short break and thank YOU for this milestone: over 500,000 Windrose copies sold just in 48 hours since launch. That’s a very humbling moment for us, just like seeing the game hitting nearly 100,000 concurrent players yesterday. All of this is possible because of you and thanks to your support and passion for Windrose. You are simply amazing, captains! We are truly thankful for this opportunity and will keep working hard to deliver.
Kraken Express
Ahoy, captains! We are deplyoing a small hotfix to address several issues.
Minor localization fixes
Nitrado link is now correct
Text fields in the "Show Server Info" section of the Esc-menu are now hidden by default, click the reveal buttons to view them.
Ahoy, captains! We are finally here, and honored to be on the same ship with all of you. We have just released the game into Early Access and, while it has certainly been a long journey, the most exciting part is that even more lies ahead! We hope you all enjoy playing the game as much as we enjoyed working on it. Now a new chapter begins: charting the course to 1.0. We are absolutely sure that with your feedback and passion for Windrose we will be able to create something special for all the brave souls who hear the call of the sea! Have fun, and thank you! P.S. One more thing: we are renaming our studio from Windrose Crew to Kraken Express. It just sounds cooler, otherwise, that’s still us. See you on the high seas! Kraken Express
Ahoy, captains! It has been a long journey, and we are finally ready to start its new exciting chapter together with you. Windrose Early Access is coming out on April 14 – in less than a week! Don’t forget to add the game to your wishlist and check out the release time map to be prepared!
In case you are wondering about the price, Windrose base game will cost 29,99 USD.
If you’d like to support the game a bit more, you can get the official soundtrack (including in-game ambient music, our trailer tracks and a hearty selection of sea shanties recorded by Seán Dagher) with a few swashbuckling wallpapers in Supporter Bundle at 39,99 USD.
The prices in other currencies will be appropriately adjusted.
We can’t stress enough how important your support is! Thank you for being here: we will do our best to live up to your expectations and evolve the game into 1.0 with your feedback on board. We hope you share our excitement for this adventure, and look forward to sailing with you – it’s a big honor for the whole team. See you on the high seas! Windrose Crew
You are amazing! Seriously, after climbing to the top demos of Steam Next Fest and reaching one million wishlists we were not expecting this momentum to continue — but here we are, with over 1,500,000 sea wolves waiting for Windrose to finally set sail. Another impressive number — over 800,000 captains have tried the demo! And by the way, you can still do it, the demo is staying up until the Early Access launch.
Thanks to your involvement in the demo, we’ve got tons of feedback to work on, including over 12,000 completed surveys, 7500+ Steam reviews, and lots and lots of in-game reports and numerous social media messages. So now we’re working on several of the most frequent things you talked about to incorporate them into Early Access.
The list is not complete and is subject to change, it’s work-in-progress, after all. Some of these features may change or never make it into the game, but we will do our best to bring as many of them to life as possible!
Co-op on one ship — manning the cannons. We’re introducing the ability to man the ship batteries (one player per battery), so you will have more reasons to bring friends along!
Loot variety. Sorry, no more “always dig here to find the Rapier of Thousand Cuts”. To better support the spirit of exploration, whenever you find a piece of armor or a weapon it will be randomized, so you never know which item you will get from a chest. The loot will also be different for different players on the server, so it will be more exciting to find new stuff with your friends. Enemy loot is also being improved, so high-risk encounters have a clearer payoff and the overall risk-reward ratio of combat feels more satisfying.
More players in co-op. We’re testing the increased limits of co-op capacity. While the real performance in the end will be affected by many factors, including those beyond our control (connection of each player and the specs of each server), we will do our best to increase the coop limit from 4 to 8 players. That said, in terms of gameplay difficulty scaling, we believe the best experience lies in the 1-4 players range. With more people in your crew at the same time, you will probably steamroll everything laughing hard, but that’s fine if that’s the way you want to have fun!
Hold to gather resources. An optional experimental setting will let you simply hold your mouse button when working hard with that axe or pickaxe instead of clicking.
FOV slider. The ability to fine-tune field of view to your liking.
Shanties feel. While we absolutely love the work Sean Dagher did, we’re adding a couple of coarser, less melodic voices into the backing vocals so that the shanties feel a bit more pirate-y.
Signal fire. Signal fire. We (and poor Dr. Galen as well) have noticed that many of you have been building makeshift lighthouses out of Bonfires, which do not work very well in this capacity. That ends now! We’re adding a special Signal fire building element, which you can see many miles away. Nothing beats sailing to the beacon of your home base at night!
DLSS/FSR support. You’ll be able to select Nvidia DLSS or FSR as your upscaler.
Controller improvements. While we still don’t consider our controller support perfect, we are gradually improving it to make it more usable. You should be able to play the game with the controller now, but we still recommend playing with mouse and keyboard where possible, and plan to further improve the controller support in one of the post–Early Access updates.
Dismantling workbench. Surviving on the Archipelago means being resourceful. Early in the game, you’ll be able to build a dedicated workbench for dismantling unwanted items. There is still a cost to doing so: you only receive the base crafting materials back, and any resources invested into upgrades are not refunded.
Target lock switch. You will be able to cycle between targets by swiping your mouse across them, or by binding specific hotkeys to switch to the nearest target in four directions (up, down, left, and right).
We hope it was an interesting read. Thank you all once again for your passion and input. We can’t imagine a better community for Windrose, and will keep working hard to deliver.
See you soon, captains!
Always yours, Windrose Crew
Ahoy, mateys!
We recently hosted our first-ever Building Contest: a community event where players could truly unleash their creativity.
The response was incredible: over 190 submissions poured in, ranging from cozy survival shacks perched on cliffs to sprawling, intricate pirate strongholds. Now it’s time to shine a spotlight on the best of the best. We hope these builds inspire you as much as they inspired us!
I. Team work creators — ScottishViking, youwrongs, DorkGirl21, beardedninja: Arrgh, Old Hand… ’Tis either cruel fate or the devil’s black luck that ye washed ashore this very day.
Five years ago today, a wicked storm drove Captain Wood’s ship onto the rocks. Only he crawled from the surf, armed with naught but his broken saber. This same isle — once a hidden offshoot of Morant Bay owned by John Reeder, with its secret secondary ironworks castin’ the finest ship cannons from local ore — had already fallen. While Reeder’s men tore the mine-town down on orders from Lieutenant Governor Archibald Campbell, the Spaniards swept in sudden-like. The British fled unfinished, leavin’ the foundry standin’. The Dons claimed it all and raised a grand base: a proud church in the square and a beautiful Governor’s mansion overlookin’ the bay.
Wood freed his lads from slave camps and Spanish prisons, then led a desperate charge against the outpost. With both galleons away at sea, blind grace let us win the day. We renamed her Puerto de Malas Intenciones. When the galleons returned, one by one, we met ’em with Reeder’s own cannons. Few survived. Them that did swore the articles and joined our band. Now we live free here — with our women and bastard whelps — defendin’ the rock and makin’ a name on the deep blue.
But another man with a broken sword crawls ashore on this cursed anniversary? Ye’ll need that blade, Old Hand. For on this frightful day… we fight the Kraken.
II. Creator — Alytos:
Captain Blond Beard squinted at the storm-slick docks of his newborn haven, where torchlight licked stone towers and crooked timbered taverns. Rain hissed on the flags as he barked orders to his crew, rolling barrels of spice, rum, and powder toward fresh-built stalls beside the central well. This trading post would make him master of the sea lanes—if it survived the night.
From the jungle beyond the palisade came an unholy screech.
“Dodos off the starboard sand!” the lookout cried.
A tide of plump, blue feathered beasts burst from the surf, eyes wild, beaks tearing open crates. One dodo gulped a pouch of sapphires; another rammed a support beam, splintering Blond Beard’s new ramp.
“Feathered fiends are bad for business,” the captain growled.
He leveled his musket as pirates formed a ragged firing line before the gate. Smoke rolled beneath towering masts while shots cracked through the rain. Dodos tumbled, yet more charged, pecking at boots, ripping belts, and scattering coins.
Blond Beard kicked a powder barrel down the steps, lit its fuse, and sent it thundering into the swarm. The blast scattered birds and sand. At dawn, the trading post still stood—open for trade, closed to dodos.
III. Creator — notyounow:
🌅Sunrise Port🌅 Founded on the Rock of Hope by Red Jack and his crew, was created to become a center for a peaceful and commercial life, made possible by perseverance and mutual assistance. Such success and the acquisition of wealth can bring many troubles, but Red Jack closely watches the port and its inhabitants from the height of his tower.
I wanted to build a high port, where even the piers would be tall and capable of handling the largest ships. I laid out tiers—lower docks for small ships and boats, and higher residential buildings flanking the main cluster of shopping arcades, artisans' residences, and a warehouse. On the upper tier is a tavern and a tower with a signal fire, where the governor and his private meetings take place. I didn't want to make the port's appearance clear and straightforward, introducing a bit of chaos and whimsy into its structure, to make it feel alive even without inhabitants for now.
It took me about 170 hours to create this structure, and I would happily have spent the same amount of time on building.
IV. Creator — 是小饼肝:
I just built it casually to use up some resources I can’t take with me. The idea was to make a huge skull embedded in the rocky mountain, but it ended up too small. I couldn’t chisel into the mountain, and there wasn’t enough interior space, so this is just a rough version for you to check out.
V. Creator — Raysix:
Ship on the Rock
\
Their ship stood proud on the jagged stone crown,
A splintered throne where the waves crashed down,
They slept in the hull with their rum and their cheer,
While hammers rang loud through the salt-heavy air!
\ A plank went missing, the whole roof caved,
The goats ran riot, the chickens misbehaved,
But Ray threw back rum with a thunderous cheer:
“Build it higher! Build it louder! No fear, lads, no fear!”
\
Oh, Raysix crawled from the storm-torn sea,
With Galen the doc and a shattered knee,
They quarried the cliffs in the blazing sun,
And toasted the wreckage of what they'd begun!
\
They hauled great stones till their backs were sore,
Chased screaming pigs round the half-built floor,
With axes, curses, and pirates’ shout,
The fortress stood tall, though the stairs fell out!
\
Heave ho! Heave ho! Let the wild winds rise!
We’ll stack these stones to the roaring skies!
The walls may lean and the beams may cry,
But Raysix and Galen will never say die!
\
Heave ho! Heave ho! Let the wild winds rise!
We’ll stack these stones to the roaring skies!
The walls may lean and the beams may cry,
But Raysix and Galen will never say die!
Creator — Spammals:
A strange wind...rose over the ocean where out of nowhere the Bow of the fabled liner RMS TITANIC suddenly appeared and crashed ashore! Her hull replaced with wood, the lifeboats all missing. Pirates have been left stumped with mystery as to what's happening! But with 1st class luxury, who's asking questions!
Creator — Futerko: "The Sunken Captain"
My concept was to create a mysterious pirate hideout centered around the remains of a wrecked ship.
According to the story, this ship once belonged to a legendary pirate captain who vanished during a violent storm.
The wreck was later discovered near a giant skull-shaped cave, making it the perfect refuge for pirates and travelers alike.
Inside the wreck, I built a hidden pirate tavern where sailors can rest, drink, and share tales of lost treasures and cursed seas!
This was our very first building competition, and the response has blown us away. Every one of you who picked up a block and created something, you’re all winners in our book. Thank you kindly for your creativity and dedication.
If you enjoy building, storytelling, or simply exploring amazing player creations, we’d love to have you join us for the next one.
Always yours, Windrose Crew
Ahoy, Captains!
We hope you’ve had a chance to try the demo! We also know many of you are passionate about Windrose’s building mode. So we thought—why not put those skills to the test?
We’re excited to announce our first-ever community Building Contest on our Discord server.
Interested? Then dive in and check the details below.
Submission phase: Feb 26 – Mar 11
Voting phase: Mar 12 – Mar 14
Winners announced: Mar 16
All Discord members may participate — solo or in teams (up to 4 players). Each participant or team may submit one entry.
Deadline: Mar 11, 23:59 (UTC)
Submission includes:
Up to 5 high-quality screenshots
(Optional) 1 video up to 30 seconds
(Optional) Description (≤200 words) explaining your concept and build story (bonus points!)
Discord nicknames/IDs of all participants
Send submissions via DM to @Hisaki (@hisaki_0v0).
Visit the #building-contest-vote channel on Discord.
React to submissions:
❤️ — builds you enjoyed most and feel deserve a prize ⭐ — the most creative and original entries (this reaction isn’t visible by default, open the post to use it!)
The dev team will select one favorite entry based on:
Creativity
Practicality
Theme
Building technique
Visual presentation
Top 5 entries (highest ❤️):
Unique Discord role @Master Builder
Social media feature
Crew’s Choice (highest ⭐):
Unique Discord role @Master Builder
Social media feature
Fun Creation Award (dev pick):
Unique Discord role @Master Builder
Social media feature
All submissions must be original. Plagiarism is prohibited. Recreating real-world structures is allowed.
By submitting, you allow us to feature your work on Windrose social channels.
One treasure per sailor, so if an entry wins multiple categories, the reward passes to the next eligible submission (Top 5 takes priority).
There’s no set theme — build whatever inspires you! We can’t wait to see what you create.
Yours truly, Windrose Crew
Ahoy, mateys!
A swashbuckling life is about discovery and reward — and that spirit is at the heart of our brand-new “Raging Seas” trailer, just aired on IGN Fan Fest:
Now we’re thrilled to share it with you as well. It’s just a glimpse of what’s coming in Early Access: Tortuga, more ships, weapons, armor, building pieces…and more enemies to fight.
As for us, we’ll continue working on your feedback from the demo to improve Windrose. Thank you for sailing with us, there’s much more ahead!
Ragingly yours, Windrose Crew
Hey everyone, and welcome!
We’re truly grateful you decided to give our game a chance. Windrose means the world to us, and we hope that, over time, it might come to mean something special to you too.
This past week has been a real whirlwind for our team with all the attention the game has been getting. And as the spotlight grows, so do expectations. We’re working hard every day to live up to them. There’s still a lot ahead of us, and honestly, it can feel a little scary at times. Our biggest goal is to ship a great game and let you be the judge. It may take time, but with your support, this journey becomes a lot easier (and a bit more swashbuckling, too).With all that said, thank you—sincerely—for playing the demo, leaving reviews, sharing feedback on Discord, showing off your amazing builds, posting highlights, discussing, suggesting, and inviting your friends… in short, for showing us that Windrose means something to you and sharing that feeling with others. A few weeks ago, we couldn’t even have imagined this.And thanks to all of you, our game has now passed the 1,000,000+ wishlists mark. That’s an incredible milestone, and a reminder of how much work we still have ahead. Thank you so much.And now, as the demo continues to sail through Next Fest, our remastered Drunken Sailor trailer is riding the waves alongside it. If you haven’t seen it yet, you can watch it here:
It shows off core parts of the game: several biomes, naval combat and boarding, and our classic “build, craft, survive” formula, plus bosses and other features planned for the Early Access version.
And there’s a little extra waiting for you there, too: play the demo to unlock a special reward you’ll be able to use to decorate your base once Early Access begins.Thank you again for being here with us.
Next time, let’s meet at IGN Fan Fest. Tune in on February 25 for a brand-new Windrose trailer we can’t wait to share with you.With full hearts and deep thanks, Windrose CrewHey everyone!
As we’re sailing toward the new year, we’re lucky enough to be a part of another great event — PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted. And showing up empty-handed? We figured we could do better than that.
We’ve prepared a brief video update showcasing recent progress, featuring:
And as the holiday season approaches, we want to wish you fair winds and following seas. It may be early to sum up the year, but for us it has been demanding and rewarding in equal measure. We launched Windrose publicly, held our first Steam Playtest, and, most importantly, reworked the project in a new direction — one that required difficult decisions, patience, and time to rebuild. Throughout this journey, we shared updates, stories and progress with you, and none of it would have been possible without your support and attention.
No one knows what 2026 will bring, and we’re no exception. We can’t promise that everything will be easy, flawless, or predictable, but we can promise that we will keep working, keep improving, and keep pushing even when the wind is against us. We’ll move forward with care and persistence, one step at a time, and your presence alongside us means more than you know.
Take care, and may the warmth of the holidays lift your dreams and lead them to shine like gold.
Always yours, Windrose Crew
About
This page aggregates Steam news feeds, patch notes, and developer announcements for Windrose, sourced from official Steam community posts.
Major updates, balance changes, and seasonal events often correlate with player-count spikes — cross-reference announcements here with the live charts on the main Windrose statistics page.
Articles link back to Steam for full changelogs. SteamScope refreshes news entries as new posts are published to the game's Steam hub.