AIRSHIP SYNDICATE ANNOUNCES REMOVAL OF ONLINE REQUIREMENTS AND MICROTRANSACTIONS IN WAYFINDER ECHOES.   

Wayfinder will continue as a paid, co-op title, with no in-game monetization. 

Coming June 11th 2024 to Steam, and PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S later in 2024.

AUSTIN, TX - May 15th, 2024 - Airship Syndicate, (Ruined King: A League of Legends Story, Darksiders Genesis and Battle Chasers: Nightwar) today announced that Wayfinder will transition from a service-based game with microtransactions, to a co-op, pay-once premium title following its handover from Digital Extremes. Releasing June 11th, the Echoes Update dramatically improves the game, as well as provides a more sustainable business model for Airship going forward.

The upcoming Echoes Update will remove all in-game monetization. Items previously available through microtransactions will now be earnable through gameplay, including characters, weapons, and armor sets. Priced at $24.99 USD, this one-time purchase includes all present and future Early Access content, with the price set to increase after the game leaves Early Access. 

“We’ve seen a shift in the industry where players are OK paying for a premium title if it means respect for their time and wallets. It's one we prefer ourselves, frankly, and we believe it’ll make the game much easier for people to enjoy. We hope this major change will entice players to come and see what we’ve built with Wayfinder, allowing us to support it long term.” 

Ryan Stefanelli - President

Airship Syndicate has revamped all of Wayfinder’s core systems. The update introduces randomized weapon drops, armor with variable stats, and an easier process for acquiring new characters. Additionally, character awakening requirements have been simplified, and players can now choose from four difficulty levels. The game now includes traditional RPG elements like a talent system for added gameplay depth. The Wayfinder Echoes Update will also introduce significant new content, including a new playable character in Grendel, a new open world area three times larger than before, six new hunts, and more.

While the game remains a work in progress, Airship Syndicate believes additional time spent in Early Access will help further refine an already-improved experience. The change comes with considerable assumed risk for Airship, now operating as the sole developer and publisher of Wayfinder, but the team is up for the challenge.

“When we settled on removing the online component, the team said “well, what else can we do?” We started brainstorming how to make Wayfinder more approachable and rewarding. I think the team did an amazing job bringing more traditional ARPG elements to the game, and the business model shift allowed us to do that. It’s a solid single player game with a lot of content, but it’s even better when playing co-op with friends”

Steve Madureira - Game Director

Wayfinder Echoes’ Key Updates:

• Conversion from Service-Based to Premium: Wayfinder is shifting permanently from a service-based game to one featuring offline solo or 3-player co-op play, removing the need for online accounts, log-ins, or in-game purchases. This adjustment allows for gameplay on devices like the Steam Deck and home PCs. All existing progress will be reset since saves will now be local.

• Pricing and Access: During Early Access, Wayfinder is priced at $24.99, with a price increase planned for the full release. This one-time price covers all content created until the leaving early access, with no microtransactions or other in-game purchases. Existing Founders maintain access and will receive all exclusive items originally included in their packs.

• Gameplay Changes: Significant improvements have been made to all major systems in the game. Updates include four selectable difficulty levels, randomized weapon drops, collectible armor sets with unique stats, streamlined character acquisition, expanded limits for housing items, a slick new UI, and new traditional RPG talent systems.

• Dates & Platforms: A soft launch of these changes is scheduled for May 31st on Steam, with all online requirements and player data being removed at this time. Wayfinder will once again be available for purchase in Early Access on Steam starting June 11th. PlayStation 5 & 4 players can continue playing as normal until the Echoes Update is released on PlayStation 5. Upon the release of the Echoes Update on PlayStation; PlayStation 4 support will be discontinued, with all PS4 versions being upgraded to PS5 copies at no additional cost.

• The Future: While in Early Access, the game will be updated with new Wayfinders, new weapons and armor, new areas to explore, new quests and more. Wayfinder will also be coming to Xbox Series X|S towards the end of 2024, at which point the game will leave Early Access and officially launch. 

Existing Steam Founders can play the Echoes Update beginning on May 31st. The update will officially launch on Steam on June 11th, when the game will also return to Steam Early Access for purchase. The changes will be rolled out to PlayStation 5 later in the year, but until then, PlayStation 4 and 5 users can continue playing the online Wayfinder without interruption. Airship Syndicate has streamlined its ability to respond to player feedback and has planned ongoing enhancements, including the addition of a new character, new overworlds, new dungeons, and expanded housing options before the game exits Early Access.

This effort underscores Airship Syndicate's dedication to Wayfinder. Instead of discontinuing the online-only title, the studio has worked to honor its founders by transforming it into a game that can be enjoyed forever. Although this shift was not part of the original plan, the resulting updates have made the game better overall, creating a more meaningful experience. Airship Syndicate is hopeful that these improvements will not only satisfy existing fans but also draw in new players, allowing it to continue supporting the game well into the future.

“To our knowledge this hasn’t been done before - taking an online-only game fully offline, fundamentally changing all aspects of it. We’re in uncharted territory, and it’s a big risk for Airship to make this change, but it’s one we believe in. We’re incredibly proud of the work our crew has done in such a period of time to make it happen. Our players have loved the world and characters, and with their continued support, we can keep expanding the game in the future.” 

Joe Madureira - CEO & Creative Director

Airship will provide more insight into the changes in the coming months. Look for both written articles, and special Twitch streams for more information!

You can read more about Wayfinder’s Echoes Update at the official Airship Syndicate website: https://www.airshipsyndicate.com/wayfinder-updates

About Airship Syndicate

Based in thriving Austin, Texas, Airship Syndicate is a multi-platform game development studio that specializes in building compelling IPs. From Darksiders to Battle Chasers to League of Legends and beyond, Airship has helped create and expand on brands known worldwide. Our current project is Wayfinder, a co-op character-based action RPG. Set in a beautiful new world, this original IP is the culmination of our decades of experience and big ambitions.

Announcing Wayfinder Echoes - Forging Our Own Path

Wayfinder will continue as a paid, co-op title, with no in-game monetization.

June 11th on Steam, PlayStation 5 Summer, Xbox X|S Fall.

Wayfinders,

As previously mentioned, upon initiating the transfer of service from Digital Extremes to Airship Syndicate, the team began thinking long-term. How do we go about improving Wayfinder while keeping the game alive forever in a sustainable way?

Wayfinder will be removing all online requirements and will be a single-player game with optional 3-player co-op. No queues, no login, no accounts. You can choose to play solo on your Steam Deck while on the go or engage in peer-to-peer co-op with friends from your home PC. We realize this is a big shift, but a necessary one to guarantee that the game is around forever. This also means that all progress will not be carried forward due to saves being local and not on a server. This major change will be the basis for what we’re calling Wayfinder’s Echoes Update.

Removing the online requirement wasn’t our only major change. The industry has also shifted in recent years. With more and more games coming out, they’re all fighting for player’s time and attention. Players have more to play than ever, and they’re being asked to log into multiple games to check their daily quests, look at a store rotation, and be drip-fed content. Players today are more apt to outright purchase a game they know is full of content and also respectful of their time. In the Echoes Update, we’ll be charging one price—$24.99 USD during Early Access (increasing upon full release). No in-game microtransactions or in-game purchases, just one price. Founders who have already purchased the game will have access, and all the exclusive items included in each pack. Our Founder’s Packs will not be going back on sale. For anyone that supported us by purchasing in-game Runesilver, we’ve converted that Runesilver into a new in-game currency used to acquire exclusive cosmetics.

These aren’t the only changes, though. We’ve touched every major system in the game, and as a result, the gameplay is not only more refined, but through our various playtests with those outside the studio, the game performs and plays better than before. Some of these changes include all weapons becoming randomized drops with various slots, armor now having stats and being collectible, thousands of cosmetics and housing items available to collect, the removal of the grind to get new characters, eased requirements for awakening characters, increased housing item limits, adding four difficulties to choose from, incorporating traditional RPG talents into your progression, and much more. This update will also launch with the latest Wayfinder: Grendel, as well as brand-new Hunts and a new Overlands zone (three times the size of our last!) that’s overflowing with content and points of interest.

While we have lots more to share on these changes in the coming weeks, we have always felt that actions speak louder than words. Therefore, we’ll be soft launching Wayfinder Echoes’ changes on May 31st. From that point forward, all online requirements tied to Steam, including all player data, will be removed, and the game will be available for anyone that currently owns any version of Wayfinder on Steam. Wayfinder will once again be available for purchase on Steam in Early Access on June 11th. These changes will come to PlayStation 5 later in the year, and we’ll keep players updated once we have a concrete timeline. PlayStation 4 support will be discontinued, with all PS4 versions being upgraded to PS5 at no additional cost. In the meantime, PlayStation 4 and 5 players can continue to access the game as normal. Relaunching in Early Access on a single platform also allows us to be agile and make changes at a faster pace than before. We plan to leave Early Access later in 2024, but during that time, we’ll be adding gameplay refinements based on feedback, a new Wayfinder, a new location to explore, new housing, and more. We’re also formally announcing that Wayfinder will be coming to Xbox Series X|S during Early Access, and we’ll provide an update on timing later in the year.

We know that the path to get here hasn’t been easy, and the game has had a rocky past. We also know that this wasn’t the original game that we envisioned or that our fans bought into. When faced with the reality of where we are, we saw our options as shuttering the game fully as other online games have done before or making this pivot and releasing the Echoes Update. During this process, we quickly came to the realization that we’re making a superior game for both current and future players. We’d love to support Wayfinder for years. We have ideas for additional characters and new content, and we have the intent to do so if the players demand it and Wayfinder finds a new audience.

From everyone here at Airship Syndicate, our fans and supporters have been irreplaceable. All of the comments and support have helped push us to make Wayfinder the best it can be and to make sure it’s here to stay now and forever.