Greetings, Romans!
Welcome to our first devblog from the team at Beartwigs! 🐻

We’ll be sharing these every other week, quick peeks into what we’re building, what’s changing, and what’s quietly getting weirder. Let’s begin.

When we revealed Romestead at the Future Games Show, we hoped it would spark something. And judging by your response… it did.

There's not just a handful of you. You're a legion*.

*(Technically several legions' worth🤓)

Over 45,000 of you have wishlisted the game, with 20,000+ signed up for the playtest. These aren’t just numbers. It's thousands of you curious about something we’re building. We don’t take that lightly.

So here’s what you’re walking into.

When Rome fell, the gods were forgotten. Their altars crumbled. With no one to worship them, their power vaned.

But silence isn’t death. Not for them.

One of the first buildings you’ll construct in Romestead is the Altar, the gateway to divine reconnection. The gods have begun to stir again, reaching out in fragments.

“You have called, and I have answered. I am Minerva, Goddess of Wisdom. My mind is clouded, but I see potential in you. There is work to be done.”

She’s the first to reach you. But not the only one.
Other gods are watching. And not all will be so kind.

You’ll give offerings at these altars, items tied to each god’s preference: cooked food, crafted gear, or materials from the hunt. These raise your Worship Level, unlocking new buildings, upgrades, decorations and occasionally… side effects.

Worship shapes the world. Favor shapes you.

As you explore, fight, build, and grow, you gain experience in specific skills. That experience earns you Favor Points, which unlock god-specific skills and abilities.

One we’re having a lot of fun with right now:

Shield Slam - Dash straight into the horde with your shield raised. The heavier your armour, the harder they fall. Just look at them go.

We know a lot of you are eager to jump in, and we’re excited to get you playing.

Playtesting is planned to begin in about a month. If you’ve already signed up, you’re already on the list. If not, you can still sign up on the Steam page.

We’re taking our time because we want this to feel like Romestead, not just a prototype of it. Thanks for your patience. It’s going to be worth it.

We’ll be posting these every other week, and if there’s something you’re dying to know, tell us.

Drop your suggestions in the comments, and if one catches our eye, we might just build a whole devlog around it.

We’re deep in playtest prep, building out systems and content across the board. This includes:

• Items &Treasure - new weapons, enchantments, decorations, and gear. If it glows, hums, or makes your house look cool, it’s going in.
  
• A New Boss - one of the playtest bosses is in development now. No spoilers, but something to keep an eye out for in the future.
  
• The Ruined City - a late-game biome where Rome’s collapse is still visible, and still dangerous.
  
• Also fixed a bug where entering and exiting buildings too fast would sometimes teleport you to a random doorway somewhere in the world. That should no longer happen.

Thanks to everyone who’s wishlisted, signed up for the playtest, or joined the Discord[discord.gg].

We’ll be back in two weeks with more behind the scenes, maybe a new feature, maybe a mistake we’re still recovering from. Could go either way.

Until then…

Offer wisely.

– The Beartwigs Team 🐻

Greetings, Romans!

What an amazing response since the Future Games Show. Thank you all for the kind words, excitement, and support. The team is genuinely overwhelmed (in the best way), and we’re thrilled to finally share Romestead with the world.

We know many of you are eager to sign up for the alpha. It’s coming, we promise. The signup page is almost ready, and we’ll post here the moment it’s live so you won’t miss a thing.

[edit]: You can now apply to the playtest on the steam page!

In the meantime, here’s a little something to tide you over: a sneak peek at one of Romestead’s dungeons. It’s dark, moody, and full of surprises. 🏛️💀

Thanks again for your patience and enthusiasm. You’ve made this launch feel incredibly special.

– The Beartwigs Team