Post-apocalyptic survival MMORPG The Skies is F2P and coming to Steam

American-Ukrainian indie developer Eforb is putting the finishing touches on The Skies, a free-to-play post-apocalyptic survival MMORPG that looks like the baby of Fallen Earth and the ill-fated Grimlands. This game is in development for a while now – it was even in a failed Kickstarter campaign way back in December 2014 – and is going to enter Early Alpha Access on Steam on April 16, 2016. The release plan is actually something like this: from April 8, players can access Closed Steam Early Access via Beta Keys from websites, and in April 16 everyone can access Open Steam Early Access.

Here's an important bit for those who like free virtual swag:

“During the first month of Steam Early Access April 16th to May 15th, players will be offered a unique lifetime membership in The Skies via the Lifetime Premium Package, priced at $15. This limited offer enables players who upgrade to a Premium Account during the launch to retain this privilege without any further need for a subscription. After the end of the launch period, Premium Accounts will revert to a monthly subscription-based model priced at $10. This undoubtedly makes the Lifetime Premium Package superb value.”

As for what The Skies has going for it, the developers highlight a “unique role system comprising 6 main characteristics as well as 18 active skills, enhanced by the passive skills developed through crafting and production”, non-linear dialogues and quests, a multi-level economic system reliant on players' actions (gathering, working, hiring other people…), an open world, PvP, TvT and Clan Wars. There's mention of player action leading to changes in character relations and events, but we'll have to see how it goes before we get all giddy about it.

If you want to follow the updates, here's The Skies Facebook page.