Windrose Crew isn't hiding the release date to build hype – it just wants to ship a good game

Windrose Crew, the indie studio behind the open-world pirate game Windrose – whose Steam Next Fest demo pushed the game past one million wishlists – is deliberately holding back a release date, even when the moment to announce one seemed perfect.

A new trailer dropped at IGN Fan Fest 2026, which would have been a natural moment to reveal at least a rough launch window. Hype from the demo was still riding high, a big showcase had just spotlighted the game, and yet no date came. Shortly after the trailer aired, Windrose Crew explained the decision in the game's official Discord:

"Guys, I know many of you hoped for the release date reveal today, and we understand your passion—trust me, we are so eager to lock in the date and announce it to you as well. But now is not the time to do it."

The studio pointed to how much work still lies ahead. The current demo already runs four to six hours, but the full game "could be several times bigger in content and scale" – which means committing to a date right now would be getting ahead of themselves. As the developer put it:

"I promise, we are not holding this information to tease your anticipation. We are holding it because we want to lock this in firmly and ship the game on time and in [the] best condition possible."

Windrose blends sailing and naval combat inspired by Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, melee combat reminiscent of Sea of Thieves, and crafting mechanics drawn from Ark – and the response to the demo suggests that combination has landed well with players.

In an industry where release dates often get announced to capitalize on a marketing moment rather than reflect actual readiness, Windrose Crew's approach stands out. The community seems to appreciate it too – the studio called the demo's reception "humbling" and simply asked players to "let us cook more."

Windrose is coming to PC.