When does Loftia Early Access start?
On November 3, 2026, on Steam and the Epic Games Store. Our release date page has the launch time in your time zone and the price.
Loftia Early Access
Loftia Early Access opens on November 3, 2026: it is the paid launch of the game before its 1.0 release, not a test, and the developers expect it to last about a year. It continues where the demo stopped, adding the Hanging Gardens and Gridfall districts, pets, fishing, higher proficiency levels and more adventures and World Projects.
What is Loftia Early Access?
For the rest of our Loftia guides, start at the Loftia guide hub.
- Getting in: buy the game on Steam or the Epic Games Store from November 3; you do not need a key. The time, price and platforms are on our Loftia release date page.
- Demo players: your demo progress and items carry over.
- After Early Access: 1.0 is planned to add the Study Cafe, Player Markets and Clubs.
Loftia Early Access at a glance
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Starts | November 3, 2026. Source: The Steam store page and the official Loftia FAQ. |
| What it is | The paid launch before 1.0; anyone can buy it. Source: The Steam store page and a developer reply in the official Loftia Discord. |
| Expected length | About a year, according to the developers. Source: The developers' Early Access answers on the Steam store page. |
| Story | A full storyline across Loftia City, the Hanging Gardens and the Gridfall. Source: The developers' Early Access answers on the Steam store page. |
| Planned for 1.0 | The Study Cafe, Player Markets and Clubs, among other core systems. Source: The developers' Early Access answers on the Steam store page. |
| Price later | May be reconsidered closer to 1.0; no change committed. Source: The developers' Early Access answers on the Steam store page. |
| New content | Free for everyone who owns the game; no paid expansions planned. Source: The official Loftia FAQ. |
| Demo progress | Carries over to Early Access. Source: The official Early Access page. |
What's new in Loftia Early Access
The developers list these additions on the official What's in Early Access page, checked on October 23, 2026. The demo's closing message named the same headline items: the Hanging Gardens, the Gridfall, pets, adventures and more World Projects.
Two new districts
- The Hanging Gardens: a floating island on the edge of Loftia City with greenery, fishing spots, community farms and a dark forest to explore.
- The Gridfall: Loftia's salvaging district, built on the remains of the old world, with air rails, skyscrapers, a museum and underground tunnels.
New ways to play
- Pets to adopt, care for, dress up and befriend.
- Fishing with the Collector Rod, with fish species to study.
- Sustainable farming, starting with Hydroponics Stations.
- Community farms with fast-paced growing and friendly leaderboards.
- Research stations where you contribute local plants and animals to the study of the islands.
- Urbex: exploring underground tunnels and abandoned buildings for artifacts from the old world.
- New movement: a Propeller upgrade for the Glider, Bounce Shoes for the Hanging Gardens and Rail Boots for the Gridfall's rails.
- Higher proficiencies: you can level farming, crafting, cooking, fishing and the rest much further than the demo's level 5 cap, and spend points on perks.
More of the world and of each other
- More stories on more islands, with new characters.
- More adventures: Ryder's airship goes to more distant research islands with new challenges.
- More World Projects for the community to complete together, including larger ones such as rebuilding the Loftia City Dome and building more renewable energy.
- Social hangouts and minigames with friends, on your island or out in the world. How servers and groups work is on our Loftia multiplayer page.
More to wear and build
- More outfits, customization options and emotes; the developers say the demo had only a fraction of them.
- More decorations for your house and island, in many styles.
The page says the developers will add more information before launch, and it lists what is coming rather than when each item opens. We recheck the list on launch day and against the game itself after launch.
Demo vs Early Access: what changes
The demo was the opening of the game: the Loftia City questline, stopping just before you reach the Hanging Gardens. Here is how its limits compare with what the developers have said about Early Access.
| Feature | Demo (October 19–26, 2026) | Early Access |
|---|---|---|
| Story | Opening Loftia City questline, ending before the Hanging Gardens | Full storyline across Loftia City, the Hanging Gardens and the Gridfall |
| Proficiency levels | Capped at level 5 | Much higher; the new cap has not been announced |
| Dew | Capped at 5,000, so the 10,000-Dew island could not be bought | Higher, according to a developer; no number announced |
| Pets | Not in the demo | Included |
| Characters | One per account | Several, according to a developer; no number announced |
| Island slots | Not stated | Several, according to a developer; no number announced |
The demo and Early Access rows come from the official Early Access page and the official news page's demo known-issues list, except where a developer reply in the official Loftia Discord is the source: the one-character limit in the demo (October 20, 2026), the higher Dew cap (October 22, 2026) and the extra characters and island slots (October 23, 2026).
Your demo progress and items carry over, provided your account was linked; our Loftia demo section explains the linking step and the character name rule.
How long will Loftia be in Early Access?
About a year. In their Early Access answers on the Loftia Steam page, the developers say they expect Loftia to be in Early Access for approximately one year, and that the exact 1.0 date will depend on community input.
What 1.0 adds. The developers describe 1.0 as the completion of the core features and systems they have planned, naming the Study Cafe, Player Markets and Clubs. A developer added in the official Discord on October 22, 2026 that Clubs, the game's guilds, are on the roadmap but not implemented yet. The developers also plan major content updates with new areas and stories, both during Early Access and after 1.0.
Will the price change? The developers say they priced the game lower to reflect the reality of Early Access. They are not committed to a price change, but they may consider a higher price closer to 1.0, depending on the quality, content and features added by then.
Will new content cost extra? No paid expansions are planned. The official FAQ says the developers will update the game frequently during Early Access and beyond, and that new content will be free for everyone who owns the game.
Loftia dev log, patch notes and updates
The developers post news in several places. These are the official ones, as of October 23, 2026:
- The official news page on the Loftia website: patch notes and the current known-issues list.
- The official announcements on Steam: launch news and patch notes.
- The official Loftia Discord, in the announcements and updates channels.
- Dev logs: the official Loftia blog links the developers' dev updates #1 to #13, from November 2023 to July 2025, which were posted on Kickstarter. Newer dev logs have gone on Kickstarter too, most recently in March 2026, and some crowdfunding updates are visible to backers only.
How often patches came during the demo. The demo ran for a week and had three patches: on October 21, on October 22, and a third that the official news page dates October 24. Each set of patch notes went up on the news page.
Will there be wipes? In September 2026 a developer replied "no more wipes" in the official Discord; the official line is that demo progress carries over, as covered on our release date page.
Version notes and limits
Several details are not announced yet: the new proficiency and Dew caps, how many characters and island slots you get, when each item on the official list becomes available, and the date of the first Early Access content update. The official Early Access page also says more information is coming before launch.
Early Access opening on November 3, 2026 triggers a recheck of the official list and the Steam answers; after that, each official Early Access announcement does. Anything that changes is updated with the date it was checked.
Loftia Early Access FAQ
How long will Loftia be in Early Access?
About a year, according to the developers' Early Access answers on Steam. They say the 1.0 date will depend on community input.
Is Loftia Early Access the full game?
It is the paid launch, open to anyone who buys it, with a full storyline across three regions. Steam lists it as an Early Access game that is still in development, and 1.0 is planned to add the Study Cafe, Player Markets and Clubs.
Do I need a key to play Loftia Early Access?
No. From November 3, buying the game on Steam or the Epic Games Store is enough.
What does Early Access add over the demo?
The Hanging Gardens and Gridfall districts, pets, fishing, higher proficiency levels, Urbex, new movement gear, more adventures, more World Projects, and more outfits and decorations.
Is the level 5 proficiency cap removed in Early Access?
Yes. The official Early Access page says proficiencies go much further than the demo's level 5 cap. The new cap has not been announced.
Are pets in Loftia Early Access?
Yes. Pets were not in the demo; the developers list them for Early Access.
Will Loftia's price go up after Early Access?
Not decided. The developers say they may consider a higher price closer to 1.0 but are not committed to it.
Where can I read Loftia patch notes?
On the official news page on the Loftia website and in the official announcements on Steam. The official Discord posts them too.
Sources and version history for this guide: Loftia sources and versions.
Spot an error or a post-patch change? See how we label evidence and handle corrections in the Editorial Policy.