Towerborne Locks In Full Release Date — And Drops Its Free-to-Play Plans

One of the quieter first-party releases from Xbox Game Studios in 2025 is finally stepping into the spotlight. Towerborne, the action-RPG brawler from Stoic, is officially leaving early access and launching as a complete, premium experience later this winter.

After debuting on PC in 2024 and arriving on Xbox Series X|S in early access last year, Towerborne is now set to reach version 1.0 on February 26, launching simultaneously on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5.

No Longer Free-to-Play — And That’s by Design

Early plans positioned Towerborne as a free-to-play, always-online title. That approach has now been scrapped entirely. Instead, the game will release as a buy-once product priced at $24.99, with a $29.99 Deluxe Edition also available.

More importantly, Towerborne is shifting to an offline-friendly structure, allowing players to own the full experience permanently while still supporting online co-op. According to Xbox, this wasn’t a surface-level change—it required a full redesign of systems originally built around constant connectivity.

The result is a game designed to be more accessible, self-contained, and respectful of player time.

What’s New in the 1.0 Launch?

The February 26 update isn’t just a formal release—it’s a substantial overhaul. Players jumping into Towerborne at launch can expect:

• A complete narrative with a definitive ending

• Two brand-new bosses and a final showdown

• A fully redesigned difficulty system

• A reworked World Map with improved progression

• New combat encounters and challenge types

• A large collection of cosmetics earned entirely through gameplay

Crucially, the final release removes live-service trappings altogether. There are no recurring monetization systems, no seasonal grind, and no pay-to-win mechanics—just the full game, available from the start.

Community Feedback Shaped the Final Direction

Stoic has been clear that player feedback during early access played a major role in this pivot. Many fans expressed a preference for a polished, complete experience rather than an evolving free-to-play model, and the studio chose to lean into that request.

By moving to a premium format, the team says it can deliver Towerborne as it was always meant to be played—without compromises tied to ongoing monetization.

Included With Xbox Game Pass

For Xbox players, there’s another bonus: Towerborne will be available day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Premium when it launches on February 26, making it easy for subscribers to try the finished game without an additional purchase.

With its new direction locked in and a full-featured launch just around the corner, Towerborne now has a chance to reintroduce itself to a wider audience. Whether this premium, offline-first approach helps it find long-term success remains to be seen—but it’s a bold reset that clearly puts the player experience first.