Crosswind is this cool new pirate-themed survival MMO that’s got folks buzzing. Think Rust meets Sea of Thieves—you’re dropped into the Age of Piracy where you can trade, raid, and build your own pirate empire. You can roll solo or team up with a small crew for some chill PvE action, but it’s got bigger stuff too, like raids, world events, and PvP for when you’re feeling rowdy. There’s even social hubs to kick back in. It’s free-to-play, and from what’s floating around on X, the trailer’s got some serious hype behind it. They’re dropping a playtest on Steam next month, so it might just be one to watch!
We’ve spent a good few days chatting to the team on the official Crosswind Discord to find out a bit more about the game. Before we dive deep into the game’s FAQ and Q&A from their discord, this is the official information from their Steam Page: ‘Crosswind is a survival MMO set in the Age of Piracy. Explore procedural open world, gather, build and craft. Overcome challenging bosses in soulslite combat. Sail your ship, fight on land and sea, play solo or with friends. Live your swashbuckling adventure in PvE or rise to power in optional PvP.‘
Yar_master is one of the crew behind Crosswind, and here he is responding to some questions in the official discord. The next test for Crosswind is looking like it will happen in the later part of April. For now, to sign up to the Crosswind Test you need to request access on steam.
Bambino, another member of the Crosswind team who we are likely to see a lot of over the coming months!
Does Crosswind look Like Atlas?
A game that a lot of us have played in the past and already see some similarities to is Atlas. So naturally one of the questions asked was does Crosswind look like Atlas? Bambino said
“You’re definitely not alone in drawing that comparison, and we totally get it. Crosswind does share some surface-level similarities with Atlas: open-world sailing, ship-based gameplay, base building, and even some sandbox elements. But once you get a bit deeper, the differences start to show.
Crosswind leans much more into cooperative PvE and story-driven exploration. At its heart, it’s about building a personal world you can share with friends, progressing through handcrafted content, and setting off on optional shared adventures beyond your base. The emphasis is on immersive survival gameplay mixed with narrative elements, rather than sandbox chaos. As for PvP—it’s there, but completely optional. No forced ganking, and certainly no waking up to find your base looted while you were offline. We want PvP to be meaningful, opt-in, and rewarding, not punishing. You’ll engage in it when you’re ready—not because you were caught off guard.”
What Engine does Crosswind use?
A popular choice for developers is unreal engine, so its great to see that Crosswind will be running Unreal Engine 5. They did mentioned that they are making some tweaks to the engine to suite Crosswind.
Since Crosswind will be Free to Play, what monetisation Model will you go for?
We are personally fans of games that dont allow an advantage with real money and focus on creating awesome skins and cosmetics for people to invest in and support the game with. Bambino said:
“That said, our vision for Crosswind includes: 1) Multiple story arcs beyond the base game, expanding the world and its narratives. 2) Vanity and convenience customization options, allowing players to personalize their experience without affecting gameplay balance. The game will be free for everyone, and for those who want to support us, there will be various ways to do so—but our goal is to ensure that monetization remains fair, optional, and non-intrusive to the core gameplay experience.”
How do you plan to Balance between Solo and Group Players?
“It’s too early for detailed balance discussions, but our core philosophy is simple: the game should be fun for everyone. 1) If you prefer PvE and solo exploration, that’s totally viable. 2) If you’re into competitive, high-stakes PvP, there’s a place for you too. We don’t see difficulty as an end goal—engaging, rewarding gameplay is what truly matters.”
How does PvP work? Are there safe zones, or is it an open PvP world?
Bambino from the Crosswind team said: We aim to be flexible and make PvP optional, allowing players to choose how they engage with combat. If you prefer a PvE experience, you’ll have your own world in story mode, where you fully control your progress, equipment, and buildings.
We understand how frustrating it can be to lose everything due to PvP encounters, so this ensures a safe space for long-term progression. For those who enjoy PvP, there will be optional PvP zones—both on land and at sea. These areas are designed to create high-stakes encounters, whether through ship battles, territory conflicts, or open skirmishes. We’re still fine-tuning the balance between PvE and PvP locations, especially regarding base-building and progression mechanics. Our goal is to ensure that: 1) PvE players can build, explore, and progress without the risk of constant disruption. 2) PvP players have structured, rewarding ways to engage in large-scale battles and raids. This approach ensures that players can protect their progress if they choose, while those seeking intense PvP action will have dedicated spaces to test their skills.
Bambino mentions that “progression in Crosswind isn’t just about gear. It’s a mix of meta-systems, world activities, ship upgrades, and crew development, giving players meaningful choices in how they grow and shape their journey.”
As huge fans of Survival MMO’s, we’re hoping to really see some great mix between MMO and Survival in Crosswind!
How much focus will be placed on Survival Elements?
“Crosswind incorporates classic survival mechanics such as building, crafting, and resource management, making them an integral part of the experience. However, unlike traditional hardcore survival games that revolve around constant struggle for basic needs, Crosswind aims to strike a balance between survival and adventure.
The survival aspect is designed to be challenging but not overwhelming—meaning that while managing food and materials is important in the early stages, the game does not enforce harsh penalties like permadeath. Instead, the goal is to progress beyond mere survival and engage with the broader world. Once you establish a reliable supply of essentials, the game shifts focus toward exploration, combat, and progression rather than forcing you to micromanage every survival detail indefinitely.
In this way, Crosswind leans closer to Valheim than to hardcore survival experiences like The Long Dark. As you advance in the game, survival mechanics may become more automated—if you choose to play that way. You can build a Crew that will assist you by: 1) Gathering resources (e.g., collecting wood, food, and water) 2) Crafting essential items and gear 3) Managing logistics like repairs and inventory, etc. However, automation is optional. If you prefer the hands-on survival experience, you are free to handle every aspect yourself—hunting, crafting, and managing resources manually.”
What are the System Requirements for Crosswind?
The system requirements for Crosswind are not yet final, but for the playtests this is what you can expect for the system requirements:
Minimum system requirements:
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-8700K / AMD® Ryzen™ 7 2700X
RAM: 16 GB
GPU: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1080 Ti™ / AMD® Radeon™ RX 6800
Storage: ~30 GB SSD
Recommended Requirements:
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-10700 / AMD® Ryzen™ 7 5800X
RAM: 32 GB
GPU: Nvidia® RTX™ 3080 / AMD® Radeon™ RX 6800 XT
Storage: ~30 GB SSD
How many Developers are currently working on Crosswind?
At the time of writing this article, Bambino from the Crosswind Dev team confirmed there are 50 Staff members currently working on the game. We’re not sure how many are developers but this probably covers all aspects of their team.
How will Damage work on the Ships?
Bambino explains that there is collision models with three main zones: the outer hull, ship modules (like cannons, rudder and sails) and then the internal compartments. He mentions that damage depends on where you’re hit, and with different projectiles. There are also crit zones too.
Above is one of the awesome ships they are showing off.
When will the next Playtest Be?
Previously mentioned it would be late April, but in another post Yar_Master explains that there is lots of QA to do and with a much larger audience looking into the game now, they want to make sure the next test is working well!
For now, that’s all we know about Crosswind but we will be sure to keep our eyes peeled for more information.
