The survival crafting genre is about to get a serious jolt of magical energy. Roboto Games, the brilliant minds behind the highly anticipated fantasy open-world survival crafter Stormforge, has officially announced that its first public playtest will kick off this July.

If you’ve been itching to test your mettle against a world literally being torn apart by mystical weather, your time has come.

To make the announcement even sweeter, the studio unveiled a gorgeous new gameplay trailer during the Women-Led Games Showcase (part of the Summer Game Fest lineup). The trailer gave fans a dazzling look at Stormforge’s vibrant, cel-shaded art style, deadly new biomes, and the terrifyingly chaotic elemental storms that define the game.

Check out everything we know so far about the upcoming playtest and why this title needs to be firmly at the top of your Steam wishlist.

Surviving the Squall: What is Stormforge?

Stormforge drops up to eight players into a procedurally generated high-fantasy world overrun by malevolent, magical storms. These aren’t just moody skyboxes with a bit of rain; the tempests in Stormforge are living, breathing hazards.

We’re talking about tornadoes that literally rip buildings apart and hurl rocks, trees, and enemies through the air, and brutal dust storms that blind you while draining your health. But where there is danger, there is power. Players must venture directly into the eyes of these storms to harvest the rare, magical resources needed to craft top-tier gear and build fortified bases.

? Quick Stats: 
• Players: 1–8 player co-op (or solo play)
• Available Skills: 100+ unlockable abilities
• Release Window: Early Access in 2026
• Playtest Window: July 2026

Play It Your Way: Class-Blending Combat

One of the most exciting reveals alongside the trailer is Stormforge’s incredibly flexible class system. You’ll start your journey as a classic Warrior, Mage, or Ranger. However, as you explore the world of Sorana and defeat formidable bosses, you’ll unlock entirely new classes.

Instead of locking you into a rigid role, Roboto Games is giving players total freedom. You can mix and match skills from any unlocked tree to create wild, hybrid playstyles. Want to play a sneaky Warrior with stealth mechanics? Or a Mage who crushes crowd control with a heavy jump attack? The choice is entirely yours.

“Giving players the freedom to decide how to play Stormforge has been our top priority since the very beginning. If you would like to play as a warrior with sneaking abilities, you can… You can mix and match abilities and skills from your classes, and play Stormforge your way.” — Mathilde Pignol, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer at Roboto Games

What to Expect in the July Playtest

Roboto Games has confirmed that the upcoming July playtest will offer a meaty chunk of gameplay (roughly 5 to 10 hours, or even more if you get hopelessly addicted to the base-building mechanics).

Testers will get a first-hand look at:

• 8-Player Multiplayer Co-op: Team up with your squad to divide and conquer the storm-ravaged landscape.
• Terrifying New Flora & Fauna: Keep an eye out for magically enhanced predators like Mistwolves, which can phase into a mist-like state to ambush you.
• Extreme Weather: Face off against three distinct types of item-hurling, base-destroying tornadoes.
• Epic Boss Battles: Test your hybrid builds against two challenging boss encounters.

How to Sign Up

Ready to brave the storm? Registration for the public playtest is live right now. Head over to the Stormforge Steam Page and hit the “Request Access” button to throw your hat in the ring for the July build.

Don’t forget to wishlist the game to stay up to date ahead of its planned Steam Early Access launch!

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