Loftia, a solarpunk healing MMO developed by the Australian indie studio Qloud Games, stands out among the 8,000 titles in the Steam October Next Fest. With 150,000 players trying out the demos, Loftia ranked among the top demos, achieving the highest concurrent player count during parts of the week and becoming the most-streamed demo on Twitch. The game will launch into Early Access simultaneously on Steam and the Epic Games Store on November 4. Loftia combines life simulation, multiplayer social interaction, and a massive online world. Players will farm, craft, explore, and decorate their homes in a world made up of floating islands, while also collaborating with other players to build communities and participate in public projects, driving continuous change in the game world through cooperation.
Game progress and character names from the Steam Next Fest demo will carry over to the Early Access version. The initial release supports Windows, Mac, and Simplified Chinese, and is playable with keyboard and mouse, controllers, and Steam Deck.
Experience Solarpunk Life on Floating Islands
Unlike traditional MMOs focused on combat and competition, Loftia revolves around life, creation, and community cooperation. Set in a solarpunk world, the game translates natural ecosystems, clean energy, and sustainable lifestyles into concrete gameplay mechanics.
Players can cultivate crops using hydroponics, aquaponics, and trellises, and craft tools using renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and rainwater. Scrap materials found during exploration can be recycled and dismantled, with the resulting materials used for crafting items and building homes.
Character appearance, clothing, and housing are fully customizable, with adjustable color schemes for furniture. Players can rescue and adopt animals like capybaras and turtles, letting pets accompany them as they explore the world.
Loftia can be played solo, but as an MMO, it requires a constant internet connection. Playing alone won't hinder character progress; players can choose to farm, decorate, craft, and explore on their own, or join multiplayer tasks and community events at any time.
"World Projects" and Neighborhoods Form the Core of Multiplayer Gameplay
Loftia's multiplayer experience centers around "World Projects" and neighborhoods. In World Projects, players on the same server can contribute resources and complete tasks together to advance public infrastructure. Completing these projects unlocks new resources, landmarks, hidden stories, and explorable areas, allowing collective player actions to have a tangible impact on the game world.
Neighborhoods allow players to connect their individual floating islands, creating shared living spaces. Players can farm, decorate, craft items, and host parties with friends, building smaller, tighter-knit communities within the larger online world.
The game also offers cooperative multiplayer adventures. Players can enter abandoned buildings and underground areas to gather resources, solve puzzles, and complete team challenges across different biomes; or they can explore at their own pace alone, without being locked into a fixed progression path.
EA Launch Opens Three Major Areas, Adds Skills and Island Building Systems
The Early Access version will open three main areas: Loft City, Sky Gardens, and Electro Ruins City, featuring story content that spans all three locations. Players can increase their proficiency in skills like farming, crafting, cooking, and fishing, unlocking specializations by allocating points.
The EA version will also offer personal island customization, community farm mini-games, adventure islands, pet raising, ruin exploration, and more World Projects. Future updates plan to add new areas, stories, and systems.
Loftia's base price in the US region is $29.99, with a 17% launch discount bringing it down to $24.89. In China, the price is ¥108 (also with a 17% launch discount, reducing it to ¥89.64).
Crowdfunding Campaign Raises $1.3 Million, Content to Expand During EA Phase
Loftia is developed by Qloud Games, co-founded by Michael Su and Martina Qin. The project launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2023, with data provided by the developers showing that over 17,000 backers contributed approximately $1.3 million. Currently, the game has over 450,000 Steam wishlists and more than 700,000 followers on social media platforms.
Thanks to its impressive performance during the Steam Next Fest demo period, Loftia has garnered significant attention and anticipation from players. After launching into Early Access on November 4, the development team will continue to refine content and systems based on player feedback. According to current plans, Loftia will continue working towards a 1.0 full release in 2027 after its EA launch, with plans to later launch on the Nintendo Switch platform.
Loftia's Early Access version will launch on Steam and the Epic Games Store on November 4 (Beijing Time).