Open-world zombie survival game “7 Days to Die” launched in Early Access on Steam in 2013. Three years later, the game arrived on consoles. And now, over a decade following its initial launch, “7 Days to Die” is finally leaving Early Access with its 1.0 update. However, console players will have to re-buy the game to see the future.
The concept of games launching in early access, with future updates adding more content over time, was still fairly new in 2013. It had been popularized earlier by “Minecraft,” which launched with limited features and content and was gradually updated to become bigger and better. To help other developers pull off a similar development schedule, Valve added the Early Access system to its digital storefront in March 2013. Later that year, in December, “7 Days to Die” launched in Early Access and became one of the program’s first big success stories. And now, one of the first Early Access games ever is finally leaving.
As announced on April 20, “7 Days to Die” is launching its 1.0 update sometime in June. This update, previously known as Alpha 22, was always planned to be 1.0 internally. The developer, Fun Pimps, states that there will be an experimental, early release in May, followed by a stable, retail launch the next month. As part of this new 1.0 launch, the price of “7 Days to Die” is also increasing to $45, but it’s currently on sale for just $6 in the lead-up to the update.
However, there is bad news for console owners of “7 Days to Die.” The 2016 PS4 and Xbox One ports of the game were developed by Iron Galaxy and published by Telltale Games. Unfortunately, due to Telltale going bankrupt in 2017, the console ports of “7 Days to Die” stopped receiving updates and have mostly been left abandoned by The Fun Pimps, even following the studio gained control of the ports in 2019. Fans have been hoping for an update on the console ports and whether they will be updated once more.
Now, the answer is clear: no updates will be coming to the original console ports. The Fun Pimps explained in an FAQ that a new version of “7 Days to Die” will be coming to consoles “a few weeks following” the PC launch of 1.0. The original console ports will be delisted and won’t be supported or updated to 1.0. Old saves won’t be supported either. While the developer plans to offer a discount to owners of those previous versions, players will have to re-buy the game on Xbox Series X/S or PlayStation 5 to enjoy the new content and features.
The reason for this decision is the significant technical differences between old and current console hardware, making it impossible to update the original ports. After the game is delisted, players who already own it will still be able to download and play it, but new players will have to buy the new console ports. This news has received mixed reactions from the community, with some blaming Telltale’s bankruptcy for the out-of-date console port, while others question why those who bought the game years ago are now being asked to buy it once more.
Moving forward, The Fun Pimps plans on supporting both versions of “7 Days to Die” for years to come following the release of 1.0, adding new features and more content. Hopefully, this time the console ports won’t get left behind following just a year.
This situation raises broader implications regarding the challenges of maintaining and updating games across different platforms and hardware generations. As technology continues to evolve, developers may face difficulties in ensuring compatibility and support for older versions of their games. This issue becomes particularly relevant as new gaming consoles are released, offering more advanced capabilities and requiring adjustments in game development.
The decision by The Fun Pimps to prioritize the development of a new version for consoles highlights the importance of staying updated with the latest hardware technology. While it may be disappointing for existing console owners who expected continued support for their games, it is crucial for developers to