The survival game Rooted now has a target window: late 2027. Developer Headlight Studio announced the Early Access launch will hit both Steam and the Epic Games Store, though there’s no exact date yet. The post, published on June 12, 2026, explains the team won’t set a firm date until the game earns one.
Why 2027?
The developer isn’t shy about the timing. With GTA 6 looming over the calendar, picking a launch week in 2027 isn’t something you do lightly. The plan is straightforward: wishlist the game on Steam or Epic, and you’ll get notified the moment it goes live.
“And with GTA 6 looming over the calendar, 2027 isn’t exactly a year where you pick a launch week lightly.”
What’s Happening Now
Development is focused on two big fronts right now:
- Urban gameplay — procedural generation tools are bringing the city’s infrastructure to life
- Enemy systems — from organized squads to feral threats, tied directly into player progression
The developer started posting weekly dev logs three weeks ago, documenting everything system by system. Fair warning: they go into detail, so if you’d rather discover everything fresh, consider them spoiler territory.
Beta and Alpha Status
Before Early Access, there’ll be a Beta — probably short, but with a clear purpose: bridging the current gameplay phase and the full launch. That’s also when the team will get back to building out the environment, something they over-invested in during the project’s first years and deliberately set aside.
The current alpha build is no longer representative of where the game is today. Development has moved far past it. The developer is keeping it open anyway for everyone backing the game, so you can explore the points of interest and get a feel for the world. The next alpha build, running the production version, will arrive later.
On registrations: they’ve closed them. Nearly 150,000 people signed up, far beyond what the developer can actually invite. If you registered, you’re in the pool.
