Towerborne launches as a full, paid game on Xbox, PS5 and Steam

After ditching the free-to-play model in Early Access, Towerborne now launches as a paid game on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation 5.

After spending months in Early Access, Stoic Studio's Towerborne has officially launched its full 1.0 version today. The game is now available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, PlayStation 5, and Game Pass.

Developed by the team behind The Banner Saga and published by Xbox Game Studios, Towerborne is a side-scrolling action RPG brawler with deep loot mechanics. Our own Pulasthi Ariyasinghe checked out the game during its Early Access phase and praised its combat and gorgeous art style. However, the 1.0 version brings some fundamental changes to the game.

Stoic initially intended for Towerborne to be a free-to-play, live-service game with microtransactions and in-game currency, Belfry Bucks. However, the developer changed its plans for the game and switched to a paid model.

The Standard Edition now costs $24.99, and the Deluxe is $29.99 on all supported platforms. It’s also available for free to Xbox Game Pass Premium and Ultimate subscribers. Interestingly, Xbox is also bringing the game to the PlayStation 5 right out of the gate.

Because of this switch, core cosmetics in the game are now completely earnable through actual gameplay. You can use a new in-game currency called Writs to buy cosmetics. Though some exclusive rewards have to be purchased with real money. The developers also added an offline solo mode, so you can play the game without signing into multiplayer.

The full update also brings a solid amount of new content. The 1.0 release features a 15-hour campaign, over 50 missions (and more than 100 additional Bounty Board challenges), a new coastal biome, and a fully reworked World Map. Stoic also added 17 new gear sets and up to 75 legendary weapons. There’s also a new Brutal difficulty for those up for an extra challenge.

While it’s true that you have to purchase the game first if you want to play it, at least you won’t have to dealan endless stream of microtransactions, which, given how developers can get aggressive with them, is definitely a plus.

Get Towerborne on Steam, Xbox, or PlayStation.