Hello, Weavers! 🪄

It is with great pleasure that we are finally ready to share Eternal Strands’ official update and content Roadmap with you! 🛣️⬇️

Thank you again to everyone who played the demo and/or the main game and took the time to share your constructive feedback, comments and thoughts with us. Thanks to your input and insights, we were able to make some updates to Eternal Strands that we believe will make the overall experience that much more enjoyable and smooth for everyone who decides to venture into The Enclave.

In the roadmap, you’ll notice three significant changes in our next patch:

• Movement improvements
  
• Combat improvements
  
• Changes to the penalty for deaths from falls

In this article, we want to take the time to explain these upcoming changes in a bit more detail. ⬇️

We heard your feedback about the sometimes “slippery” feeling of Brynn’s movements in the game. Some of you described that her walking/running felt a little bit too much like “skating” and that the lack of precision could be frustrating at times.

Something to note about Brynn’s movement is that much of how it feels is intended and attributable to how a 100% physics-based sandbox game like Eternal Strands is designed to work. Being an object that reacts to the physics surrounding her, just like any other object in the world, means that her weight and inertia have an impact on her movement. It can take some time for Brynn to accelerate or decelerate and there is some nuance in how far kinetic magic can displace her (based on weight of gear equipped) or how far she’s pushed by an epic or heavy object hitting her (based on weight of gear equipped and weight + velocity of the object impacting her). All this to say that Brynn’s movement can’t be as snappy or reactive as it is in games that rely on animation.

That said, based on your feedback, we did take a closer look at what we could change that might have an impact on movement precision. Through this investigation, we did indeed identify and make a few subtle but noticeable tweaks that we think improve the overall experience and feeling of gameplay in Eternal Strands. ⬇️

• Brynn’s minimum acceleration speed has been enhanced.
  
• After the next update, reaching a target speed or slowing down to a full stop will happen quicker. This will decrease the “sliding” players have experienced at almost all weights (except the lightest, which still has some inevitable “skating”).
  
• Direction changes will be much "snappier".

Now, for combat! Most of you mentioned that you enjoyed the weapons, the mechanics, parrying system and boss fights. We did, however, hear many of you say that you would appreciate more responsiveness from the combat In Eternal Strands. Our designers read through your comments and based on your feedback, identified a series of small changes to implement that, altogether, provide a significant difference in the way combat feels.

• Enemies will react faster, more often, and with more ‘oomph’ when hit by the player.
  
• We’ve implemented a directional hit reaction system, where enemies will react in the direction relative to the player’s attack. For a perfect example, try hitting the Acalas with the charged combo of the Two-Handed Blade. Their heads get smashed to the ground!
  
• Some attacks will do heavier reactions (such as the Two-Handed Blade’s first 2 attacks), which will allow you to interrupt enemy attacks.
  
• Controller rumble/vibration has been added.

• The visual effects that play when players hit an enemy have been tweaked to be more prominent.

• The standard 2H's base combo will be slightly faster and more reactive.
  
• The kinetic 2H's ability will be more reliable and consistent, so the angles will be more appropriate while falling, jumping, or running.
  
• This will improve the kinetic 2H in combat as well! Enemies will get launched with you at the same arc, which will make it easier to attack them mid-air.

• The Sword & Shield sprint attack movement distance has been updated to better fit the attack, so you will no longer overshoot the target.

When you add traversal magic to a physics-based game set in a high verticality world with giant enemies... Lots of chaos ensues ❤️‍🔥. It’s part of (we think) what makes Eternal Strands fun in its own, unique way – and that is definitely intended design. However, in reading your feedback, we did realize that while fun, that chaos can quickly sour an experience if falling to your death is caused by something entirely out of your control (aka: some of the inevitable jank that comes with a physics game). That unpredictability can also discourage riskier experimentation, like creating an ice bridge or testing the kinetic stream’s distance over a cliff, for example.

To limit the frustrations that arise from these types of circumstances, we’ve removed the penalty from falling deaths. After this update, if you try yeeting yourself onto that little island in Upper Dynevron with an ensnaring blast but miss your landing and plummet into the Miasma, you’ll respawn at the nearest Loomgate with all of your loot.

We are hosting an AMA with some of our devs over on r/EternalStrands tomorrow, Thursday February 27th at 11AM ET. If you have any burning questions about how Eternal Strands was made, what inspired the team, the lore & story in the game, what future features and content we have planned, or anything else you want to know - join us and ask away!

We will of course update this roadmap with more detailed information in the near future, so please continue sharing your valuable feedback and insights with us! We read everything you post and take all of your experiences with Eternal Strands into consideration as we move forward with implementing fixes, updates and content for the game.

We hope to see you in the forums,
- The Yellow Brick Team

Hello again, Weavers! 👋

Today's small update provides two important bug fixes:

1- Fixed the last objective not spawning in the quest "Weathering The Storm".
2- Fixed player progression being blocked when quitting the game while the credits are playing.

Thank you so much again to everyone sharing feedback, helping others out in the forums and reporting bugs. We greatly appreciate how supportive and collaborative you've all been. 💛

Stay tuned, as next week we'll have a broader roadmap of upcoming updates & fixes to share with you all!

In the meantime, if you want to report a bug/crash please follow these guidelines.
If you want to see the status of a known issue or of community feedback, you can check out our live board[sharing.clickup.com].

Until next time,
The Yellow Brick Team

1- Increase the number of slots in Brynn's Safe pouch (+2 slots) and increase Brynn's base inventory space (+6 slots).
2- Fix memory leaks that caused crashes.
3- Display a warning message for players experiencing "Fatal Error Crashes" caused by an issue affecting Intel 13th & 14th Generation Core Processors (For more information: https://www.radgametools.com/oodleintel.htm)

Hello, Weavers! 👋

It's been an absolute joy for the team to watch players discover The Enclave and experiment with Eternal Strands gameplay mechanics! We've also been very fortunate to receive many detailed, thoughtful and insightful feedback notes from the community, all of which we've read (and continue to read) very carefully.

With this in mind, we've decided to push a quick patch live today to address one recurring piece of feedback as well as one crash incidence from all players across platforms.

This is just a small update we wanted to push as soon as possible, but know that we have a full roadmap of bug fixes, changes and updates to share with you. We're still working with the team to confirm a few remaining details before we do, so please stay tuned - we've got a lot on the way!

In the meantime, today's update will:

1- Increase the number of slots in Brynn's Safe pouch (+2 slots) and increase Brynn's base inventory space (+6 slots).
2- Fix memory leaks that caused crashes.
3- Display a warning message for players experiencing "Fatal Error Crashes" caused by an issue affecting Intel 13th & 14th Generation Core Processors (For more information: https://www.radgametools.com/oodleintel.htm)

Thank you so much again to all of you who've taken the time to play our debut game and share your honest thoughts and feedback with us. We're really grateful to each one of you for actively helping us improve the overall experience of Eternal Strands 💛

We hope to continue discussing with you in the forums,
The Yellow Brick Team

Weavers, we’ve made it : Eternal Strands releases on all platforms tomorrrow, January 28th 2025 11AM ET !

Here’s everything you need to know before you meet your Weaverband ⤵️

❓Will my PC demo progress carry over to the full game?
Yes. Eternal Strands doesn’t support cross-saves though, so your progress will carry over if your demo and full game are on the same platform (EGS or Steam).

❓ What are the system requirements for the game?
Here’s a handy visual with both minimum and recommended specs. These apply to both the demo and the full game ⤵️
❓What time is the game releasing in my region?
Here’s a handy map with the info ⬇️
❓ How much is the game?
39.99 USD / 49.99 CAD. Eternal Strands will be priced at $39.99USD/$49.99CAD. Regional prices are also available across platforms.

❓ Which languages are supported?
English and French have both voice over and subtitles, while Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, and German have subtitle support.

Please note: Korean language is only available on STOVE and consoles at this time.

❓What accessibility options are in the game?
You’ll be able to browse through all of our accessibility options in the game’s menus. Some settings you can expect to see are: difficulty options, motion blur, subtitle size, colour blind modes, and more.

❓Can I play the game on Steamdeck?
You can! We are not yet verified (still working on it!) but can confirm that Eternal Strands is playable on Steamdeck.

❓Where can I learn more about the gameplay loop and mechanics before I dive in?
If you want a quick summary of Eternal Strands’ gameplay basics, you can check out our 101 gameplay trailer.

You can also head over to our TikTok[www.tiktok.com] or YouTube Shorts channel for some short-form gameplay videos that give a good glimpse of what you can do in Eternal Strands.

If you want to do more of a deep dive into the mechanics prior to hopping in the demo, you can read our recent Dev Updates:

• On our Cast & Combine combat system
  
• On how progression works in the game

To help you get started in Eternal Strands, we’ve put together a list of a few handy early game tips & tricks. This information will all eventually be available in the game’s tutorial panels as you progress, but we noticed during the demo that some of it was helpful to have going in – so here’s a summary of some key points:

• Prologue : In the game’s opening hour, you can expect more linear exploration, tutorials, and cut scenes to introduce you to the story & world.
  
• Basecamp & dialogue : After the prologue, you’ll start the game at Basecamp with your Weaverband. You can choose to speak to them and get to know who they are, or you can skip this part and go straight into exploring The Enclave.
  Handy tip: You have an autoplay dialogue option in your Menus.
  
  
• Basekit abilities : You’ll start the game with a sword & shield and bow & arrow as your available weapons. You’ll also have access to your Ice Wall spell and Weaver’s Grasp spell. As you gather loot and defeat Epics, you’ll get to craft new gear/weapons and weave new magic strands into your Mantle.
  
• Finding resources & managing inventory : As you head out into The Enclave, you’ll find a lot of loot, right away. You’ll quickly notice that your inventory space is limited, though each type of loot stacks up to 99. Every time you go back to basecamp, your loot will automatically be deposited at your tent, and your inventory cleared. As you progress in the game, you’ll be able to upgrade Casmyn’s station which will grow your inventory space.
  Note : We’ve heard feedback in the demo that players would prefer their base inventory to be larger. This is something we’ll be addressing in a future update 😊
  
  
• Equipping gear & armor: You’ll find crafting recipes on your expedition into the Enclave. If you open your map while out exploring, you’ll see small forging hammers in the areas where recipes can be discovered. Sola can craft weapons and armor for you back at basecamp, and you can switch your equipped gear before you head back out by visiting Casmyn’s caravan.
  
• Combat : In menus, mouse and keyboard players can customize keybinding and controller players can choose between two different controller schemes. You can pull up the magic wheel to switch spells and/or weapons.
  Handy tip: There is a parry system in the game, which you can trigger with the right block timing on enemy attacks.
  
  
• Camera: There is a lock on/off function, as well as a precision aim toggle for your bow & arrow. Your controls menu will show you where those are on your keyboard or controller.
  
• Fast travel/Teleportation: At first, when you go out to explore, you’ll have to walk your way back to Basecamp. Early in your game progress though, you’ll obtain a Loomshard from Laen, which will allow you to quickly teleport back to basecamp from anywhere out in The Enclave.
  
• Navigation : You have a compass which can be toggled on in your menus. You also unlock the Weaver’s Wisp (navigation tool) early in the game which will guide you towards your next objective.

We don’t have an in-game bug reporting system. If you want to report an issue you’re encountering or simply share feedback with us after playing the demo, we’ve set up a few channels for you to do so.

If you encounter a bug or issue, you can consult our Known Issues[www.eternalstrandsgame.com] first to see if the team has already been made aware of it.

If you don’t see your issue there and would like to report it, you have a few options:
- You can leave a comment on our Community Hub - we read and respond to everything there! We recommend that you read our Community Guidelines beforehand 😊

• We’re active on X, Youtube, TikTok, Bluesky, Instagram, and Facebook. You can leave us a comment or send us a DM via your preferred social media channel and we’ll get back to you ASAP.
  
• Finally, if you’d like send us a more detailed, step by step description of a bug or issue you’re experiencing (or if you’d like to share more detailed feedback with us) you can email our team at support@yellowbrickgames.ca.

Friendly reminder: We are a small but mighty self-publishing indie team with limited resources. We will be working very hard to get back to everyone in a timely manner, and this will be our main focus for the coming weeks.

However, depending on the volume of support requests we are receiving at any given moment, temporary delays in our response times are to be expected. We’re committed to being proactive and transparent with you, and will promptly let the community know if we experience an abnormally high volume of requests that impacts our team’s response time significantly. We thank you in advance for your collaboration and understanding 💛

You can expect to see some members of our dev team streaming the game tomorrow on Twitch[www.twitch.tv] and Steam ! If you want to spectate, learn more about the game’s mechanics or development process before jumping into Eternal Strands yourself, you can tune in to our stream at 11AM ET.

Thank you for being here. Seriously. We are a small indie team from Québec City, self-publishing our new studio’s debut game, which our talented and passionate devs have been hard at work developing since 2020. We are incredibly grateful for your support and interest in Eternal Strands, and we hope that you enjoy discovering the Enclave’s magic as much as we enjoyed weaving it 🧵✨

See you in Basecamp,
The Yellow Brick Team

Weavers, the time has come to discover The Enclave!

Here’s everything you need to know before you pitch your tent in Basecamp ⤵️

Eternal Strands’ free limited-time PC demo will be available on Steam and Epic Games Store tomorrow, January 21st at 11AM ET ⌛

❓Is the free PC demo available on Xbox PC or Windows store?

No. At this time, the free PC demo is only available on Steam and the Epic Games Store. The full game however, which releases next week (January 28th), will be available on all platforms: Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox PC/Windows Store, Xbox Series S|X, Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation 5 and Stove.

❓ What are the system requirements for the demo?

Here’s a handy visual with both minimum and recommended specs. These apply to both the demo and the full game ⤵️

❓Will my progress carry over from the demo to the full game when it releases?

Yes!

❓Which languages will be supported in the demo?

The same languages are supported in both the demo and the full game: English and French (VO + subtitles), Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, and German.

Please note: Korean language is only available on STOVE and consoles, so it will not be available in the demos on Steam and the Epic Games Store. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope you can wait a bit longer for the full game!

❓What accessibility options are in the demo?

Again, same as in the game 😊 You’ll be able to browse through all of our accessibility options in the game’s menus. Some settings you can expect to see are: difficulty options, motion blur, subtitle size, colour blind modes, and more.

❓Can I play the demo on Steamdeck?

You can! We are not yet verified (still working on it!) but can confirm that Eternal Strands is playable on Steamdeck.

❓What will I get to do in the demo? Will I get to fight any of the Epics?

Yes! The demo starts at the beginning of the game and finishes at what we consider “Part 1” of the game.

You’ll get to explore two areas of The Enclave (excluding Basecamp), encounter a handful of small enemies and fight up to three types of Epics. You’ll have access to the crafting system, all three base weapon types (Sword & Shield, Bow & Arrow, Two-Hander) as well as a limited set of magic spells to use in combat.

❓How long is the demo?

There isn’t a time limit to the demo, but playing through the prologue and “Part 1” quests, trying one's hand at basic combat and fighting the selection of Epics in this part of the game can take between 1 and 4 hours depending on the player’s preferred playstyle.

❓For how long will the demo be available?

The demo will be automatically disabled at launch on Tuesday, January 28th at 8AM PT / 11AM ET. Please note that we will be exploring the possibility of bringing back a demo at a later date - stay tuned!

❓Where can I pre-order the full game?

There are no pre-orders for Eternal Strands. The game will be available for purchase when it releases next week, on January 28th 2025, across all platforms.

❓How much will the full game cost?

Eternal Strands will be priced at $39.99USD/$49.99CAD. Regional prices are also available across platforms.

❓Where can I learn more about the gameplay loop and mechanics before I dive in?

If you want a quick summary of Eternal Strands’ gameplay basics, you can check out our 101 gameplay trailer.

You can also head over to our TikTok[www.tiktok.com] or Youtube Shorts channels for some short-form gameplay videos that give a good glimpse of what you can do in Eternal Strands.

If you want to do more of a deep dive into the mechanics prior to hopping in the demo, you can read our recent Dev Updates:

• On our Cast & Combine combat system
  
• On how progression works in the game

❓How do I report bugs or issues if I encounter them? Is there an in-game reporting system?

We don’t have an in-game bug reporting system. If you want to report an issue you’re encountering or simply share feedback with us after playing the demo, we’ve set up a few channels for you to do so. Read on to the next section for more details. ⤵️

If you encounter a bug or issue, you can consult our {LINK REMOVED}Known Issues page first to see if the team has already been made aware of it.

If you don’t see your issue there and would like to report it, you have a few options:

1. You can leave a comment on our Community Hub’s pinned discussion which groups all conversations regarding the Eternal Strands demo specifically.
   
2. We’re active on X, Youtube, TikTok, Bluesky, Instagram, and Facebook. You can leave us a comment or send us a DM via your preferred social media channel and we’ll get back to you ASAP!
   
3. Finally, if you’d like send us a more detailed, step by step description of a bug or issue you’re experiencing (or if you’d like to share more detailed feedback with us) you can email our team at support@yellowbrickgames.ca.

Note: You can also use the threads on the Steam forums to leave general feedback, ask questions or discuss your demo experience with other players. We recommend that you read our Community guidelines beforehand 😊

Friendly reminder: We are a small but mighty self-publishing indie team with limited resources. We will be working very hard to get back to everyone in a timely manner, and this will be our main focus for the coming weeks.

However, depending on the volume of support requests we are receiving at any given moment, temporary delays in our response times are to be expected. We’re committed to being proactive and transparent with you, and will promptly let the community know if we experience an abnormally high volume of requests that impacts our team’s response time significantly. We thank you in advance for your collaboration and understanding 💛

You can expect to see some members of our dev team streaming the demo tomorrow on Steam and Twitch[www.twitch.tv]! If you can’t play the demo but want to spectate it, or if you want to learn more about the game’s mechanics and development process from our team directly, you can tune in to our stream at 11AM ET.

Whether you’ve joined us recently or have been on this road with us for months, maybe even years: Thank you for being here. Seriously.

We are a small indie team from Québec City, self-publishing our new studio’s debut game, which our talented and passionate devs have been hard at work developing since 2020. We are incredibly grateful for your support and interest in Eternal Strands, and we hope that you enjoy discovering the Enclave’s magic as much as we enjoyed weaving it 🧵✨

See you in Basecamp,
The Yellow Brick Team

Hello again, Weavers! 👋🏼

Eternals Strands’ free demo (PC only) is releasing in only one week (!!!) and we can’t wait for you all to experience our debut game! The (yellow brick) road we built to get here has been both wonderful and challenging. It feels quite surreal to know that we are finally reaching the finish line (or rainbow, to stay in line with the analogy 🌈). Thank you to every single one of you who has been following along and supporting us throughout the development of Eternal Strands, we can’t thank you enough 💛.

In preparation for our upcoming demo and full launch, we‘d like to share some more in-depth information on the topic of progression and how the team designed it for Eternal Strands. So without further ado, let’s get into it!

Side note for those of you wondering: Yes, your progress will carry over from the demo to the game! On January 20th, we’ll post a detailed article covering everything you need to know prior to loading into the demo. Until then, fear not, we’ve got you covered 🤝.

In Eternal Strands, there are no experience points, which means that your progression is mainly based on what you have equipped. The gear and armor that you will be equipping can’t be found nor can it be bought as there is no in-game currency or shop loop in Eternal Strands. This means that you must craft everything! ⚒️

As you might expect, this translates into a core gameplay loop that involves going out into The Enclave to find materials and smithing recipes that you can then bring back to your basecamp’s forge.

However, there is one key component to looting that is essential in understanding Eternal Strands and maximizing each one of your exploration runs: the magic that you use (frost or flame) to destroy an object or defeat an enemy will affect your loot drops. For example: using flame magic will remove any cloth/woven/tanned/leather materials from your drop options, as it will favor metals and carvable materials instead.

As mentioned above, in order for Sola to be able to craft new gear or weapons for Brynn, you’ll need to provide her with:

• A recipe to follow (aka crafting instructions) 📝
  
• The amount of material types indicated in said recipe ✅

Crafting recipes can be found in The Enclave by exploring its different areas and all of their hidden nooks & crannies. Each armor/weapon design starts with baseline stats that can be altered based on the materials used. Additionally, some equipment pieces offer a bonus, like more health points or weight reduction, for example.

Each recipe calls for a set amount of material types, but you have freedom in choosing what specific resource you want to use as long is it meets the category criteria. For example, the recipe might call for 6 woven resources. When you click on that material category, a selection window will open showing you all of the resources you have in your inventory that match this criteria. Cycling through them will allow you to see the effect each one will have on your gear’s stats and appearance.

You also have the option of reforging and/or upgrading your armor or weapon. Reforging involves dismantling your current piece, reclaiming the discarded materials in the process, and using different resources to reforge the same item. Upgrading an item requires using the same materials previously used in crafting the piece initially. Upgrading a piece will enhance its stats and appearance.

Armor sets aren’t locked, so you can mix & match your pieces as you please to create the desired build that you want both in metrics and in aesthetics!

Quick note for those of you reading this and wondering if there is a transmog system in Eternal Strands, the short answer is no. That said, it is something that the team would like to possibly implement in the future if we have the resources for it post-launch. While we can’t fully commit to this just yet, it’s not impossible!

We didn’t forget the magic! Another progression point is of course Brynn’s magical abilities. When defeating an Epic for the first time, you'll obtain a strand of that creature’s power. This strand can then be brought to Dahm’s Atelier at basecamp in order to be sewn into your Mantle, granting you a version of the defeated Epic’s magical ability.

When encountering previously defeated Epics, if you face them again and perform a certain set of actions in a certain order (no spoilers!) you’ll expose the creature’s locust point which will then allow you to harvest their magic. This is what will allow you to upgrade each one of your 9 magical abilities, up to a maximum of 3 levels per ability.

You can also use harvested magic to craft magical weapons. Each magic-imbued weapon will have a unique ability of its own that can be combined with your spells, making space for creative combat choices! If you want to read more on the Cast & Combine system, check out this article.

Last but not least, you can also progress by upgrading your basecamp companion’s stations, which will increasingly strengthen their ability to support Brynn on her missions. Stations can be upgraded by transforming materials into supplies at Casmyn’s caravan.

• Upgrading Sola’s Forge will make it possible for Sola to craft increasingly stronger, more complex designs for Brynn.
  
• Upgrading Dahm’s atelier will give him the means to upgrade Brynn’s magical abilities to higher levels.
  
• Upgrading Laen’s station will allow Brynn to carry more consumables on her belt (health potions, frost & flame resistance phials).
  
• Upgrading Casmyn’s station will make it possible for Brynn to carry more inventory during her missions, and will give the scry the ability to salvage more resources when Brynn dies.

That’s it for this Dev Update on progression. As always, feel free to drop your questions in the comments below if you have any.

We hope to see you in the demo, Weavers!

The Yellow Brick Team

Hi everyone. Mike from the Eternal Strands team here with a little deep dive about how we’re handling lore in our game.

I’ve always been a big fan of games with rich backstories and a setting that extends beyond what’s strictly necessary for the game. It just makes the world feel more alive and gives the writing team interesting tidbits to drop into conversations. Better, I think it’s super cool to surface some of that lore to players through a system such as a “Codex” or “Glossary.”

We faced an interesting dilemma with Strands, though: as an action-adventure game, we’re aware most players will be here for the monster fighting and cool abilities, so we didn’t want to bog down the exploration of our open zones with big blocks of text. Another consideration for me when designing our codex system is that I wanted to bring some element of “investigation” and the sense of piecing together the mysteries of the Enclave, and big lore dumps just from clicking a plaque or what have you didn’t feel like the right path.

Thankfully, inspiration struck. Tonally, Eternal Strands is a game of what I’d call high adventure. Think a fantasy version of The Mummy, Tomb Raider, or Indiana Jones, and it was that latter touchstone that inspired the solution we went with. Rewatching The Last Crusade, I realized that something like Dr Henry Jones Sr.’s diary was exactly the vibe we were going for: fragments of information that make sense in the larger context.

So, how does that translate into gameplay? First, when exploring the world, Brynn can come across what we call “knowledge fragments.” We made them glow to make them easier to spot (extra easy at night), which is a convenient feature for players, but I think it’s fair to say it’s sort of a manifestation of Brynn’s keen eye and curiosity.

Clicking on one won’t give you a big block of text, but instead a little fragment of information. A clue, bit of data or evidence, that kind of thing.

These fragments are then collected in the codex screen and grouped together under headings. You can check them at any time, and of course, we pre-load the codex with full entries for subjects Brynn knows about at the start of game.

Once you have all the fragments for a subject, there’s enough information for the band’s Lorekeeper, Laen, to assemble a proper codex. Doing so grants the big, beefy compilation of information for you to read right then and there, or at your leisure when time allows.

I’m pretty happy with the result: it keeps the information you find out in the field small and bite-sized, while giving you a chance to read the big, detailed results of your lorekeeper’s research in the safety of your band’s camp.

The fragments also play a role in your ability to predict the extreme weather that can sometimes hit the various regions of the Enclave, as well as what massive creature might be in each zone, so they’re useful to collect even if lore isn’t your thing. Also, as a bit of a comfort feature, the game tracks how many of the fragments you’ve found in each zone, so you’ll know when your hunt for knowledge in that space has been completed. You won’t need all the fragments in a zone to get all the gameplay data, of course. Collecting them all is for the lore buffs and explorers.

So, there you have it. A fun little feature that I thought might be fun to talk about. We’ll look forward to your feedback on it when you get to play Eternal Strands this January!

- Mike Laidlaw, Creative Chief Officer - Yellow Brick Games

What type of game is Eternal Strands?

Eternal Strands is a single-player action-adventure fantasy title that offers action-packed combat, a rich story, and innovative gameplay.

What games inspired Eternal Strands?

There are many games that inspired our project, but to name a few: Dragon’s Dogma, Shadow of the Colossus, and the bright, colorful art style of games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

What makes Eternal Strands different?

Our game seamlessly weaves together gigantic adversaries, raging flame, chilling ice, and telekinetic force. The world becomes your weapon, as you blend combat with raw magic, allowing for real-time destruction and reactivity as you battle colossal foes. Our new system for gameplay interactions leverages the power of Unreal 5 to reward player creativity in exploration as much as combat. We can’t wait to see how you turn the tides and uncover the mysteries the Enclave holds!

How do the gameplay mechanics work?

Eternal Strands was designed to place reactive gameplay at the forefront of the player experience. Cast one of 9 magic spells (frost, flame or kinetic magic) and combine it with a different spell, a weapon ability, or something in the environment for a multitude of different interactions. The creative and strategic combat possibilities are endless!

Is this an open-world game?

While we have a few biomes within Eternal Strands, we would not classify the game as “open world,” but rather “open zone.” There are some interconnected areas, but by and large, these biomes have limitations in when you can access them defined by your progression through the story.

What is the gameplay loop?

Every day, you can head out into The Enclave to explore its treasures, fight enemies and gather resources. Return to basecamp to salvage your loot, craft new gear, upgrade your powers, catch up with your crew, and receive new quests.

What can you tell us about the looting & crafting system?

Materials and ressources that you collect on your expeditions across the different areas of the Enclave can be used to craft, reforge or upgrade your gear at Basecamp. Recipes are also hidden across the levels and once you find them, along with the required materials, you can then unlock new types of armor and weapons to craft.

What kind of weapons and armor will be available?

We have three main weapon types (e.g. sword & shield, bow & arrow, two-handed sword), but there are unique ways to customize all three. Each weapon type can be imbued with magic, for a total of 9 possible combinations. Each magic weapon comes with its own unique ability as well!

Will there be a mount or other ways of traversal?

No mounts or gliders – however, you can find ways to creatively get across the world in speed and style with Brynn’s kinetic powers 👀

When is the game releasing?

January 28th 2025 🥳 on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Game Pass.

Will there be a public demo?

YES! We can confirm that a public demo will be available. More details will be shared at a later date.

Any post-launch content plans?

Yes! We've partnered with Square Enix’s Creative Studio III (known for FINAL FANTASY XIV Online and FINAL FANTASY XVI) to design original post-launch content for Eternal Strands. The first post-launch update will be available for free, and will feature a new Epic creature, weapons and armor set designed in collaboration with Creative Studio III’s renowned Lead Artist Yusuke Mogi (known for FINAL FANTASY XIV Online).

Can you tell us more about the story?

In Eternal Strands, you embark on your journey as a young magic-wielding Weaver named Brynn. With the help of her Weaverband, a group of skilled companions that help her in her explorations, she seeks to unravel the secrets of The Enclave.

A lifetime ago, The Enclave was a hub for magical development, trade, innovation and social life. But after arcane disasters spread across the Mayda region, it sealed itself away behind a magical wall known as the Veil. Decades of civil unrest followed and ever since, Weavers have been ostracized and condemned to nomadic lives.

The story of Eternal Strands offers ways to build bonds and friendships with our rich cast of characters through dialogue choices. While the game itself does not have difficult moral choices that will sprawl out into multiple endings, or a giant social link system seen in games like Persona, you can still expect to see these dialogue choices impact Brynn’s personality and the way characters interact with her.


What can you tell us about Brynn, the protagonist?

Brynn is a badass treasure hunter and adrenaline junkie. She alone is responsible for diving headfirst into danger, and coming back with lost artifacts or treasure. Her expeditions are the driving force behind what her travelling companions are able to discover about the Enclave. She is the embodiment of the idea that “it’s cool to care,” and being unabashedly passionate about whatever it is you’re into. We can’t wait for players to meet her!

Is there a dog we can pet?

No dogs, but you can pet the Arva!

Who is going to be composing the music?

None other than legendary composer Austin Wintory, known for his work on projects like Journey, Stray Gods, and Assassin’s Creed Syndicate! 🎵💛

I’m a content creator - can I collaborate with the dev team or get a key to play the game?

Thank you for your interest – we'd love to connect with you 😊 You can apply to our partner program here: https://www.eternalstrandsgame.com/community or send us an email at press@yellowbrickgames.ca !

Will there be key binding and controls customization options?

Yes, they’ll be available in the controls menu on release.

What specs are needed to run the game?

Minimum specs are:
• Performance: 60 FPS @ 1080p
• Graphic settings: Low
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super [6GB] / AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT [6GB] / Intel Arc A580
• CPU: Intel Core i5-9400 / AMD Ryzen 5 3350G
• RAM: 8GB
• OS: Windows 10 / 11
• Additional Notes: SSD required.

Recommended specs are:
• Performance: 60 FPS @ 1440p
• Graphic settings: High
• GPU: GeForce RTX 3070 [8 GB] / Radeon RX 6800 [16GB] / Intel Arc A770
• CPU: Intel Core i5-11600 / AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
• RAM 16GB
• OS: Windows 10 / 11
• Additional Notes: SSD required.

We are also working towards being Steam verified. This will likely be available shortly after launch.

Do you have more questions that aren't answered here? Drop them in the comments!