In a surprising pivot, Xbox Game Studios and developer Stoic have announced that their upcoming side-scrolling action RPG, Towerborne, will abandon its planned free-to-play model. The game is set to officially launch on February 26th, transitioning into a traditional paid title that allows for permanent ownership.
This decision was not made lightly. Stoic CEO Trisha Stouffer revealed that the studio spent the last year performing “deep structural rebuilding” on systems originally designed for constant connectivity. By removing the always-online requirement, the studio is prioritizing a player-first approach, ensuring that fans can enjoy the full experience offline while still supporting online co-op play. This shift signals a growing trend where developers are stepping back from live-service pitfalls to focus on narrative integrity and user accessibility.
Leave a Reply