News: The Gold River Project Launches in Steam Early Access
The Gold River Project, developed by Fairview Games and co-published by Sightline Games, launched today, January 23, 2026, on Steam Early Access for PC. This open-world co-op survival adventure is set in a vast Pacific Northwest-inspired wilderness, where players start with a relaxing camping trip that evolves into tense survival against harsh elements, wildlife, and mysterious forces from abandoned experiments. Trapped by an unseen barrier in a massive private nature reserve, players manage hunger, thirst, exposure, fatigue, health, and temperature through foraging, hunting, crafting gear, building camps, and researching new technologies. Playable solo or online co-op with up to 4 players on player-hosted servers, the game emphasizes player-controlled progression—no automatic timers force seasons forward.
Early Access features Summer and Fall seasons with shifting biomes, base building, full co-op, camper factions ranging from friendly to hostile, environmental puzzles, stealth, discovery paths, and initial story milestones. Unlike combat-heavy survival titles, tension builds via immersive sound design, dynamic weather, isolation, and emergent storytelling, with minimal gore in simulated shooting. Built in Unreal Engine 5, it demands high-end hardware. Players can try the free demo first, as saves carry over. A 12-18 month roadmap promises Winter season, expanded lore, more wildlife/hazards, deeper crafting/co-op, and polish based on community feedback.
Fairview Games, a small remote Canadian indie studio of six with industry veterans, aims to craft an authentic camping-with-friends feel that turns unpredictable. Lead Designer David Parkes notes: “Early Access lets us build alongside the community.” Sightline Games provides creator-first publishing expertise. The price will rise post-EA with content; players can wishlist now on Steam. Achievements, Cloud saves, and replayability via procedural elements enhance the atmosphere-driven mystery of escaping the experiment.