Wild West Pioneers GuideWhat the team has changed, newest first, and which pages of this guide each change touches. The playtest hotfix and retrospective matter most right now: they changed the opening that the first-two-hours guide walks through.
Launch day
Valve's compatibility check now rates the game Playable, with notes on small interface text, a default controller setup that is not fully functional, mismatched button glyphs, no automatic on-screen keyboard and default settings that do not run smoothly. (From Valve's Steam Deck compatibility report for the game)
Changes on this site: Platforms, System requirements
Launch day
The launch post says the game is out in Early Access, points players who want to support the developers to the special editions, and confirms the base game is 25% off for a limited time. (From Steam announcement: Wild West Pioneers Launches Into Early Access)
Changes on this site: Release time, Price and editions
Before launch
The team set Early Access for 12:00 UTC on launch day, one instant worldwide, and posted a map of what that is in eleven cities. (From Steam announcement: Set Your Clocks, Partners)
Changes on this site: Release time
Before launch
A short thank-you video from the team says the progression system was changed to be less linear and more open-ended, built on the journey system and an idea tree. (From Thank you, pioneers! (Toplitz Productions))
Changes on this site: Journey points, Demo
Before launch
The last wishlist milestone was reached, which set the Early Access launch discount at its top tier of 25%. (From Steam announcement: 200,000 Pioneers at the Gates)
Changes on this site: Price and editions
Before launch
The team reported that 45% of open-playtest players dropped off during the very first quest. It reworded and rebalanced the opening, let players reopen the tutorial assistant, added prompts that point idle players to guides, and cut the cost of every building available in the first two hours for Early Access, with journey point and idea tree costs adjusted to match. (From Steam announcement: Playtest Retrospective)
Changes on this site: Your first two hours, Journey points
Before launch
Three updates were announced without dates: The Frontier Grows (feedback fixes, side quests, building upgrades and variants, decorations), The Iron Peaks (a large new section of the strategic map with mountain terrain) and Highland Settlement (a mountain settlement, cold weather, 11 new buildings and 10 new resources). (From Steam announcement: Our Early Access Roadmap)
Changes on this site: Early Access and roadmap
Before launch
Residents' Needs now points you to unlocking tents first, and journey points were rebalanced so tents unlock straight away. The starting settlement has enough gold for the 50 Gold quest, whims wait until Residents' Needs is complete, roads can be trimmed anywhere along their length, a new Animal Lover whim lets you place animal decorations, Blocked Passage now asks for 20 settlers, and the first two batches of Early Access achievements were added. (From Steam announcement: Playtest Hotfix)
Changes on this site: Your first two hours, Whims, Scouts and expeditions
Before launch
A two-hour open playtest opened to players picked at random from those who requested access on the Steam page, as the last test before Early Access. (From Steam announcement: The Open Playtest Is Live!)
Changes on this site: Demo and playtests
Plans for later updates are on the Early Access page; every post cited here is also listed on the sources page.