Rooted Release Date, Early Access, Co-op and Everything We Know

The Rooted release date is late 2027, when the post-apocalyptic survival game launches in Early Access on Steam and the Epic Games Store. Headlight Studio made it official in June 2026, and there's no exact day yet. In the developer's words, the game "will get one when it has earned it".

Rooted is a solo and co-op survival game built in Unreal Engine 5, set around the year 2100 in a world reclaimed by nature. Here's everything officially confirmed: the release date, how to play the alpha now, co-op, the survival systems and what the weekly dev logs have revealed.

Rooted at a glance

When is the Rooted release date?

Rooted is coming to Early Access in late 2027 on Steam and the Epic Games Store. Headlight Studio first set that goal when the game entered full production on May 29, 2026, then confirmed it on June 12, 2026. There's no exact Rooted release date yet, and the studio says it won't rush one: with GTA 6 looming over the calendar, "2027 isn't exactly a year where you pick a launch week lightly".

Before Early Access, there will be a Beta. Headlight Studio says it will probably be short, but with a clear purpose: bridging the current gameplay-focused phase and Early Access.

Can you play Rooted now?

Yes, in a limited way. Rooted is currently in alpha, and you can get instant alpha access by pledging on the official website, rootedthegame.com. Until Early Access, the only place to pay for Rooted is the official website. After launch it will be sold on Steam and Epic.

Two warnings from the developer:

• The current alpha build is no longer representative of the game, because development has moved far past it. It's kept open so backers can explore the points of interest and get a feel for the world.
• Rooted is not free anywhere else. Headlight Studio warns that any other link offering free access is a scam.

What is Rooted about?

Rooted is set near the year 2100. Civilisation collapsed after a global bacteriological war, and you are one of the few survivors. Over the years nature has made some areas safe again, reclaiming the land and cleaning up the residue of the bacterial weapons. Urban areas are less fortunate, and you'll be in trouble if you go there without protection.

You explore alone or with friends, salvage what the old world left behind, and build a camp in the forest, in a village or downtown. The new world, rebuilt in 2026, is based on the real biomes of Oregon, so each part of the map has its own character.

Image: Headlight Studio

How does survival work in Rooted?

Headlight Studio describes "survival that models a real body" rather than a single health bar:

• Needs: hunger, thirst, hygiene, body temperature, how wet you are, and fatigue.
• Wounds: damage lands on the part of the body that took the hit, so a bleeding arm and a fractured leg are different problems.
• Disease: infections and diseases can set in and even spread between players. Cold and damp can turn into something worse.
• Clothing is what keeps the weather off you.
• Food: hunting, fishing and gardening. Plants grow in real time, then wilt without water or care; 39 fruits and vegetables exist so far.

Building, salvage and vehicles

• Salvage is the core: recover, repair and reuse items from the old world, from mechanical and electronic parts to clothing. The more you take apart, the more likely you are to learn how to rebuild things.
• Base building: build and improve your camp, add defences, automate tasks, supply electricity and develop a workshop. You can set up outposts in villages or the city, securing houses, offices or whole floors of buildings with barricades, partitions and traps.
• Vehicles: custom-built vehicle physics, fuel from jerrycans, electric vehicles that recharge on powered spots, and trailers any four-wheeled vehicle can tow.
• Energy: generators, including a military trailer with a fold-out generator.
• Bubble: a small companion drone that rides on your backpack and scans the ground.

Headlight Studio is also building a procedurally generated city. Its current district has around 100 plots and 200 buildings you can walk into. All of this is from the weekly dev logs and isn't in the public alpha build yet.

Is Rooted co-op? Multiplayer explained

Yes. Rooted supports solo and co-op play for up to six players, according to the official website. Other players can drop into your session at any time, there's built-in voice chat, and friendly fire is an option. PvP is listed as coming soon, and dedicated servers are planned.

What enemies are in Rooted?

Animals can be as dangerous as they are useful, and you'll also meet other humans, some hostile. There are machines too: "made of steel or made of flesh, choose your opponent wisely". Headlight Studio says its current focus includes enemies "from organized squads to feral threats", tied directly into how you progress through the world.

Watch Rooted gameplay

This official video shows the Alpha 2 world from early 2025. Headlight Studio now posts short clips of new systems in its weekly dev logs.

Is Rooted coming to PS5 and Xbox?

Not announced. Rooted is confirmed for PC on Steam and the Epic Games Store. The Steam page lists full controller support.

Rooted system requirements

These are the early figures on Steam. Expect them to change before the Rooted release date, especially now that the world is being rebuilt.

Who is making Rooted?

Rooted is made by Headlight Studio, a fully independent studio led by developer Mat, who has spoken at Epic Games events about building a game solo, or close to it, in Unreal Engine 5. The studio funded its return to full-time development partly through its side project, Backrooms: Extractions, and through pledges from the Rooted community.

More survival games on iGame Magazine

• ARDEM release date – another survival game heading to Early Access in 2027
• Last Harbor – a new post-apocalyptic zombie survival game
• Grain Rot – an indie survival game that's out now

Rooted FAQ