Witchfire creator talks about plans for version 1.0 and support after the full release

The developers are considering two opposing approaches, using Dead Cells and Hades as examples.

Witchfire creator and head of The Astronauts studio, Adrian Chmielarz, announced that the project is gradually approaching the end of early access. According to him, the major update The Reckoning, released on December 13, effectively completes the formation of the main game systems and allows you to try out almost all the key mechanics that will be included in the final version.

Chmielarz notes that Witchfire is still far from final balancing, but from a gameplay point of view, the project is close to completion. The team has added a corruption system, difficult challenges, new types of weapons, a vault, as well as full-fledged melee combat with the ability to parry.

The next stage of development will focus on the narrative. Despite the abundance of lore, Witchfire has so far focused on mechanics. In one of the upcoming updates, the studio plans to add story missions that will lay the foundation for the release of version 1.0. The final version should present the ending of the story and several plot elements that have not yet been revealed.

The success of early access allowed the studio to expand the team: during the development of Witchfire, the staff grew from 12 to 26 people. At the same time, The Astronauts adheres to a compact structure and continues to work with external specialists. Chmielarz notes that the studio strives to "scale the game to fit the team, not the team to fit the game," while maintaining a focus on quality.

The future of Witchfire after version 1.0 is still uncertain. According to Chmielarz, the team is considering two opposing scenarios. The first involves long-term development based on the Dead Cells model with regular updates and content expansion. The second is closer to the philosophy of Hades — to release a complete game and move on to a new project. Which approach the studio will choose has not yet been decided.

The release of Witchfire version 1.0 is expected in 2026.