Airship Syndicate has announced a massive overhaul for its online action-RPG Wayfinder, and it's bringing sweeping changes including an offline mode, a premium model, and more.
In an announcement on the official Wayfinder website, Airship Syndicate says the changes are geared towards "improving Wayfinder while keeping the game alive forever in a sustainable way".
To that end, the first major change is the removal of all online requirements. You'll now be able to play Wayfinder offline; in fact, Airship Syndicate says it "will be a single-player game" with an optional peer-to-peer three-player co-op component.
This change will also mean that all progress will "not be carried forward", since Wayfinder is moving from a server-based model to a local storage system.
The next major change for Wayfinder is the shift from free-to-play to premium. Airship Syndicate says that with more and more games vying for your time, it wants to provide an experience that is "respectful" of that time.
As such, Wayfinder will be a $24.99 one-time purchase after the Echoes update. That price will increase once the game is out of Early Access, but there won't be any microtransactions or in-game purchases.
If you've purchased Runesilver within Wayfinder, your currency will be converted into a new in-game currency that you can use to buy exclusive cosmetic items.
Tons of gameplay changes are also coming to Wayfinder with the Echoes update. Airship Syndicate says these changes help the game "perform and play better than before".
All weapons in the game are now randomized drops with "various slots", for instance, and armor has been given stats. New characters won't require a grind to get, new difficulty levels have been added, and plenty more changes are also being introduced.
The soft launch for the Echoes update happens on May 31st, when all Founders will be able to play Wayfinder in its new incarnation. The update goes live for everyone else on June 11th.
Airship Syndicate also says it's discontinuing PS4 support for Wayfinder, but all PS4 players will be upgraded to the PS5 version at no additional cost. An Xbox Series X|S version is also planned for later this year.
It remains to be seen whether Airship Syndicate can turn around Wayfinder's fortunes with this update, especially after a round of layoffs reportedly hit the studio earlier this year. Stay tuned for more.
