- Plug In, Hitch Up, Stay Alive | Dev Log Week 39 - 28 September 2026
This week had one thread running through it: what it takes to settle somewhere and keep going. That meant energy to keep things running and trailers to haul what you find, food from the garden, a small drone that comes along and a forest drawn from real data that has to stay affordable. None of this is in the public build. Energy Staying anywhere starts with keeping things running, and that takes energy. Vehicles now consume it according to the work they actually do. A fuel engine is refilled from a jerrycan by holding the action, with the tank and the can shown filling and emptying live, and an electric vehicle recharges when parked on a powered spot. A generator is one way to power it: the military trailer carries one that unfolds, unhitched and standing on its legs, and charges what is around it. Trailers Settling somewhere also means bringing things back, so any four-wheeled vehicle…
- A City, One Block at a Time (Weekly Dev Log 38) - 21 September 2026
I am a week late with this one, so it covers two weeks instead of one, and it arrives with what I promised last time: the visuals are back! Since the September 4 dev log the work went mostly into the tools that build the open world: the city, the generators that fill it, the plant library, the vehicles you cross it with, and constant optimisation. The last section covers what all of it lands in. None of this is in the public build. One thing before we start: almost everything below is shown in its 2080 state, the world as it stood before the collapse. The post-apocalyptic layer, the damage, the overgrowth and the repairs, is a pass of its own and it will get its own dev log. Vehicles, if you can keep them running Vehicles spent a long stretch in the background here, behind whatever mattered more at the time. The map settled that: it keeps growing and filling with places worth going to,…
- Rooted at Game Camp 2026 with Epic Games - 15 June 2026
Epic Games has invited me to Game Camp 2026 to take part in a talk about a subject close to my heart: building games solo, or close to it, with Unreal Engine 5.It is happening on Thursday, June 18, 2026, from 11:00 to 12:00, at the Universite Catholique de Lille in France, where Game Camp is held.I will share the stage with Mickael Bougis, who handles Unreal Engine business development at Epic Games, and Romain Piquot, founder of Road Rug Studio and the developer behind Derelicts. Together we will dig into what it actually means to develop a game "solo" with UE5 today. The tools that make it possible, the choices you make when you wear every hat, where the engine carries you and where you have to roll up your sleeves. Two solo-built games, one engine, and the people who make it.Being invited by Epic to talk about this is an honor, and a great chance to exchange with developers who share…
- Rooted Is Coming to Early Access in 2027 - 12 June 2026
Let's make it official: Rooted will launch in Early Access on Steam and the Epic Games Store in late 2027! No exact date yet: the game will get one when it has earned it. And with GTA 6 looming over the calendar, 2027 isn't exactly a year where you pick a launch week lightly. Be there on day one The simplest way to make sure you don't miss the Early Access launch: wishlist Rooted on Steam. And if Epic is your home, Rooted is on the Epic Games Store too. Either way, it takes ten seconds, and you will be notified the moment the game goes live. For content creators I'm opening applications to the Content Creator Program now, well ahead of Early Access. If you create gaming content and Rooted speaks to you, apply here: free game keys, official assets, early access to updates, and a direct line to me. I'll be reaching out to accepted creators as Early Access approaches, so applying now puts…
- Rooted Enters Full Production - 29 May 2026
Hey everyone, Mat here. I want to mark a real turning point for Rooted, so I will say it straight: the game is now in full production! The first chapter of development was research and prototyping. Trying things, experimenting, learning what works, and figuring out what Rooted actually wants to be. Not everything made the cut, and that is exactly what that phase was for. It is what gave the game its direction and showed me the bar Rooted has to clear. That chapter is now closing. What comes next is full production, and this is the part where every detail counts. Performance and optimization, how cleanly everything replicates across coop, every feature built to hold up under real play, all of it aimed at one thing: making Rooted the post-apocalyptic survival experience I set out to build.The goal is an Early Access release somewhere in late 2027, open to everyone on Steam and EGS. A week…
- Weapons Update: M4A1 and Glock Hit Rooted (and Cheat Menu too) - 6 December 2025
Hi Survivors. A new milestone has just landed for Rooted, marking an important step in shaping the world of the game. Here’s a look at what has just been added to the Alpha and what is moving the project forward.FirearmsFor the first time, firearms are being tested inside Rooted. The M4A1 and the Glock are now in the hands of our Alpha players as we prepare the foundation for future hunting systems coming early next year. This first pass already includes improved player animations and more natural weapon handling. Additional weapons and full attachment support are planned for later updates.To help testers get familiar with these new tools, a dedicated training range has been placed next to the Mansion so they can practice recoil, accuracy, and weapon behavior before venturing into the wilderness.Cheat MenuA temporary Cheat Menu is available in the Alpha to help testers explore the curre…
- Sharing the Rooted Journey at Unreal Mixer Montpellier! - 31 October 2025
Hey Survivors 👋On September 16, 2025, Rooted took the stage at Unreal Mixer Montpellier, an event hosted by Epic Games to bring together local game studios, indie developers, and Unreal Engine enthusiasts in one place to share knowledge, experiences, and build connections within the community.I had the chance to present how we build Rooted, from the open world systems and survival mechanics to the creative tools that power the game. I also shared a behind the scenes look at how we use Unreal Engine to bring our world to life, alongside our side project Backrooms: Extractions.During the talk, I also spoke about how incredibly lucky we are to have such a passionate community supporting us since the very beginning, not only by helping fund the project but also by sharing feedback, spreading the word, and playing the Alpha. You are a big part of what keeps this adventure alive ❤️The crowd’…
- Rooted Update 0.0.2.320 • Building Strong Foundations for the Future - 30 October 2025
Hey Survivors,We’ve just released update Alpha 0.0.2.320, marking an important step forward for Rooted. While this update focuses mostly on what happens under the hood, it brings key improvements that will shape the future of the game.Performance and Stability ImprovementsOur main focus has been on performance and stability. CPU optimization now brings smoother framerates and faster world streaming, while GPU optimization remains an ongoing task for the next updates.These improvements might not all be visible yet, but they form the foundation for the content and systems we’re building next.New Character AdditionsThis version also introduces something many of you have been asking for: the arrival of the first female characters. It’s an important milestone for the team and a big step toward deeper customization and immersion.Core System UpgradesBeyond visual improvements, several key syst…
- What's Coming in the Next Major Update ? - 19 May 2025
Hello Survivors! It's been a while since we last updated you about the development of Rooted, so it’s time to catch up! These past months have brought exciting news for Headlight Studio. We’ll soon share more details about the big steps we've taken to continue on our mission from the start: remaining fully independent! Headlight Studio is moving forward thanks to you, so a huge thank you! Now, let's talk about Rooted and the next major update that will officially kick off Phase 3 of the Alpha. Discover now the main features of Phase 3 on our Productboard. Starting Zone: Lore and Gameplay Phase 3 will represent the true beginning of the player experience as we originally envisioned. This area introduces each survivor to the lore, immersing you psychologically into this post-apocalyptic adventure. Here, you'll discover who you are and unravel your story, key aspects for a deep immersion.…
- Exciting Updates on Rooted – Alpha 2 is Here! - 17 January 2025
Hello Survivors, We’re thrilled to share some exciting updates about Rooted! Thanks to your incredible support, the game has evolved significantly, and we’re proud to announce that Alpha 2 is now live! What’s New in Alpha 2? Expanded Open World: The playable area now spans over 30km², featuring new Points of Interest such as the Mansion, Monastery, Gas Station, Bunker and more. New Gameplay Features: Enjoy crafting, infection mechanics, and a dynamic weather system that enriches the survival experience. Coming Soon in Phase 3: We’ve already started working on new additions like hunting, fishing, and gardening, as well as refining existing systems. We deeply appreciate your unwavering support, which has been vital in bringing these updates to fruition. We look forward to continuing this incredible journey alongside you! Join the Alpha or Wishlist the Game Haven’t joined the Alpha yet? Th…
- Rooted Alpha Phase 2 Preview: open world, Building, Drones, and More! - 30 October 2024
Hi everyone! Although we haven’t officially launched the second phase of our Alpha, we’re excited to share all the new features available for our alpha testers. Open World A large portion of the Open World is now accessible, featuring over a dozen points of interest. Some are in near-final form, while others are still in blockout, but all showcase our progress. Building and Resource Gathering With our latest Alpha build, players can now gather resources and construct their first cabins, houses, or bases, depending on their ambition! We’re actively developing the building and crafting systems, and we’ll be adding new features in the coming weeks. Drones Players can now find drones scattered across the world. These allow for faster exploration of certain areas and enable players to place a marker on a location spotted from the sky, making it easier to find from the ground. Infection and G…
- Open World Technical Overview - 17 April 2024
Hello Survivors! As we approach the launch of Phase 2 of the Rooted alpha, we're excited to kick off this series of posts on our website to share our development journey, including the technical and artistic challenges we face. In summary, these posts will give you a glimpse into our daily life as developers, working on what excites us all: Rooted! In this first post, I'll discuss managing the Open World. Map Opening Phase 2 of the Alpha allows us to include a large portion of the map in the build. Following a first Alpha session that was limited in scope (only the Monastery was available), you will now have the opportunity to explore and test the building system in a significantly larger area. Use this Alpha period to scout for the best spots for your future bases, but be cautious... there's no guarantee that a point of interest won't appear later, in the lead-up to Early Access! Open…
- Alpha: 'Rooted's' Time Loop Event Takes Players 20 Years Back! - 28 October 2023
Rooted Halloween Special Event The Halloween season offers a chance to see the Monastery in a new light... and by night! Dive into the lore of Rooted, taking you back 20 years when everything changed, leading to humanity's disappearance. We are seizing this event to introduce new features. The Halloween Event - ROOTED Alpha Session Event Dates: From October 28, 01:00 am CEST to November 10, 2023, 11:59 pm CEST. Event Purpose: Owing to the Halloween event, play between life and death with a high enough infection rate to see traces of a ghost guiding you to the most notable and useful places, and discover the ghostly scenes of the past. Make proper use of all remnants from the past, including the injectors and... pumpkins! They will greatly assist you! Exclusive Halloween items: it's now or never! We have specially created Halloween items for the occasion that you will find in-game in che…
- Everything you need to know before launching the first alpha - 2 September 2023
Hi Survivors! The alpha is fast approaching, and we are in the process of finalizing preparations for its launch this Monday, September 4th. Here are some key pieces of information you should know: Key to Access the Alpha (Steam Playtest version of the game) You are Founders (Lone Wolf and above) The key granting you access to the Alpha of Rooted will be communicated to you between September 2nd and 3rd, 2023, via your Rootedthegame.com account and by email. Remember to check your spam folder, or simply log in to the Rooted website! You are registered on the website to participate in the alpha Invitations will be sent by email throughout the duration of the alpha. If you haven’t received a game key in the coming days, don't worry! You may have a chance to receive it a bit later. No need to register again. Important Information Several people have asked us on Discord if we plan to let yo…
- ROOTED : Alpha's release date, Developer Insight & Music - Devlog #0 - 31 July 2023
Hi Survivors! We have something special to share with you today! A brand-new, in-depth developer diary video has been released, filled to the brim with exclusive content and behind-the-scenes peeks into the world of ROOTED, our post-apocalyptic survival game. Our 2 big announcements! Our first big news is about the incredible Opening Titles of ROOTED. Composed by the talented Manaberry, the game's opening titles has been launched on Spotify and other leading streaming platforms. With an enthralling blend of acoustic and modern electronic instruments, Manaberry has crafted a captivating soundscape that perfectly encapsulates the atmosphere of ROOTED. The second piece of exciting news is the announcement of the first Alpha's release date. Mark your calendars, as ROOTED will make its Alpha debut on Monday, September 4, 2023, at 2pm CEST, available on Steam. Don't miss the video This newly…
- Alpha roadmap for Rooted is now live - 14 May 2023
Hello everyone! We're stoked to announce that our Alpha roadmap for Rooted is now live! 🎉 From day one, we've been committed to transparency in the development of Rooted. Your feedback and engagement have shown us just how much you appreciate this approach, and we're thrilled to continue on this path. This roadmap provides a clear view of our plans and progress dedicated to the Alpha. We're eager to reach Alpha, but we believe in taking the necessary time to ensure we deliver the best possible experience. Please remember that the roadmap is a plan, and plans can change as development progresses. Your feedback is not only welcome, it's vital! Check out the roadmap now at https://portal.productboard.com/rooted/2-rooted-alpha. We can't wait to hear your thoughts! We are also thrilled to announce you that the team is growing with new talented people! Let's continue this journey together 🙌…
- 1st Alpha session: Exploration and Survival, Monastery - 1 January 2023
Happy New Year to the survivors! After an incredible year of 2022, where your interest in Rooted kicked our predictions into high gear with over 450,000 wishlists on Steam, a Kickstarter campaign that reached 200% of its goal, incredible support on the site with already over 25,000USD in pledges, over 15,000 registered people wishing to participate in the alpha sessions, we are there! FIRST ALPHA SESSION: EXPLORATION AND SURVIVAL, MONASTERY The alpha sessions will be progressive, and will allow us to validate the main features of the game and to test/improve the solidity of Rooted's foundations. Each new major alpha session will be an opportunity to add a new feature to those already tested, to arrive at the end of the year on a Beta. This doesn't mean that it will be finished, but we will have made good progress! Important: it is good to remember that the Alpha version will be the most…
- Register now for Alpha sessions coming in 2023 - 4 December 2022
Get a chance to be part of the Alpha of ROOTED! Register now 👉 https://rootedthegame.com While the creation of ROOTED continues at a very good pace with new POIs (have a look at the end of this post) that we will present soon on our Discord server, I am pleased to announce new features on our website! Register to be part of the Alpha, Pledge the game, update your pledge, get your Steam Keys for Early Access and your Roles on Discord, + upcoming features! IMPORTANT: if you have already pledge on Kickstarter or on the website during the last weeks, you already have an account. Just ask a new password here: https://rootedthegame.com/forgot-password What can I do atm on the website? - Pledge the game and choose your rewards, with now instant delivery of your Steam key for the Early Access (2024). Alpha keys will be sent when the alpha approaches. - Upgrade your pledge(s) - Update your cont…
- Rooted 200% Funded! It's time for Mocap Animations - 23 October 2022
Hey Survivors! This past week has been crazy as friday was the last day of our kickstater Campaign. 60 days during which you showed us so much enthusiasm for Rooted, talking about the game around you, and financially supporting our team. Today and thanks to you: more than 330,000 wishlists on Steam Kickstarter campaign ended at 200% of its goal, with a total of 120,000€ over 4000 members on our discord server! You guys are amazing! It's time for mocap sessions We are now in good conditions to move on to an important step for us, which we were looking forward to: the recording of our mocap animations. Not only will this allow us to have a result that is true to our expectations, but we will also be able to share the gameplay mechanics with you, and you can't imagine how much we are looking forward to it! Languages available in Rooted Until the early access, Rooted will be available mainl…
- Our progress and Alpha sessions - 10 October 2022
Hey Survivors! Thank you so much for your interest! Over 300,000 players have added Rooted to their Steam wishlist. That's great and once again, it's a great motivation for our team! Another good news for us, and again thanks to our community for this, our Kickstarter campaign is a success! 135% of the goal reached, 11 days left to go. THANK YOU! Let's talk about our progress The open-world Since the release of our trailer at the Future Game Show on August 22, we have been working hard on developing tools to create our open-world in order to generate the map, the environment with the most modular - scalable - optimized system possible. This way, our environment artists can build the world you will explore, and it's going to be awesome! You know what? 50Km²+ of floor space, + the verticality in the city + the surrounding ocean... on a 100km² map. For example, we shared a while ago an exa…
