Free-to-play MMORPG Brighter Shores launches in Early Access on November 6

Fen Research has announced that free-to-play MMORPG Brighter Shores will launch on November 6 for Steam Early Access.

Brighter Shores is the newest project from Andrew Gower, creator of Runescape. According to the game's Steam page, the Early Access period is expected to last less than one year.

The release date press release and screenshots can be found below. The announcement trailer from earlier this year can be found here.

Over twenty years on from the launch of his genre-defining smash hit RuneScape,  Andrew Gower and his new studio Fen Research have revealed plans for their new MMORPG, Brighter Shores, to launch into early access on the 6th November. The free-to-play adventure will transport players to a fantastical medieval world where they can fight fearsome creatures, develop a diverse range of professions, and take on an abundance of quests. Brighter Shores offers an innovative take on the MMO genre, using a classic table-top style with a new, 'tick free' game engine.

Finding themselves in the small town of Hopeport, Brighter Shores players will start their new life as a town guard - the first line of defense between the settlement and the fantasy world of Adothria on its doorstep. They will quickly discover, however, that Adothria has far more to offer beyond the town’s walls. A sprinkling of quirky characters, combined with a healthy dash of humour, makes for an enchanting world - though it’s certainly not without its dangers. As they explore through a variety of environments, adventurers will unravel mysteries, and discover shadowy enemies plotting to unleash great evil upon the world.

When they're not saving the world in classic MMO style, players will be able to enjoy many of the activities from their favourite cozy games, such as cooking up wholesome meals, unwinding with a spot of fishing, or harvesting wood in the local forests. Or, for the ultimate idle gameplay, simply sit back and leave your character to slowly continue levelling up their professions without you!

Following the initial announcement of the game earlier this year, MMORPG fans old and new have expressed their excitement for Brighter Shores, with well over 100,000 players already adding it to their Steam Wishlist. A veritable veteran within the genre, Andrew Gower has specifically designed the game to be fun no matter how much free time players can spend on it, and without micro-transactions. Brighter Shores allows players to explore, level up and solve quests at a pace that suits them. While there’s many hours of free content available, Fen Research will also be offering a paid premium pass for those who wish to discover even more of the game.

Excited for this upcoming launch, Andrew says:

"Sorry, I am too busy trying to perfect the game to come up with quotes."

After some further cajoling, Andrew says:

"We're releasing Brighter Shores with plenty of features for players to sink their teeth into, but this is just the beginning. We've planned an extensive roadmap of updates to keep our game fresh and exciting for years to come."

Brighter Shores will be released on Steam Early Access for PC and Mac on November 6th, with a closed beta test commencing on 22nd October 2024.

Brighter Shores