News: Runeborn - Dark Fantasy Roguelike Hits Early Access October 9th
Goblinz Publishing, iDream Interactive, and Astrolabe Games announced that Runeborn, a dark fantasy roguelike deckbuilder, enters Early Access on Steam for PC on October 9, 2025, priced at $13.99 (€13.99, £11.99). Blending deckbuilding with a slot-machine-like mechanic, players forge a runebook to cast spells by spinning rune columns like slot reels, matching them across five spell lines to crush enemies. With over 150 trinkets, scrolls, gems, amulets, and auras, players customize strategies to battle the forces of Despair in a corrupted world, ensuring high replayability with randomized runs.
Runeborn’s innovative gameplay allows players to lock up to eight runes for tactical control, enhancing runes with amulets and auras for powerful effects. Face diverse enemies, elites, and bosses like Bib, Lord of Shame, or Ghorlock, Warden of Disgust, balancing risk and reward to earn coins for five specialized shops. The game, built in Unity, supports multiple languages including English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and more. A free demo, praised for its addictive “one more try” feel akin to Balatro, has garnered an 89% positive rating from 89 Steam reviews, reflecting strong community enthusiasm.
Developed by iDream Interactive, a Windsor, Ontario-based studio with a decade of slot and puzzle game experience, Runeborn reflects founder Jacob Duhaime’s vision to merge skill-based deckbuilding with slot mechanics. Goblinz Publishing, known for strategy titles like Dungeon Rushers, and Astrolabe Games support this launch. Following a successful Steam Next Fest debut, the Early Access phase will incorporate player feedback via Discord and Steam to refine features like a new town hub and additional runebooks, aiming to deliver a captivating, ever-evolving dark fantasy experience.