Builds / Releases / Aftercare
Versioning
Version numbers describe a build's stage, so a game may be sold before 1.0 while its features, balance, or platform support are still being completed.
Read 1.4.2
game change
feature or content
fix or tuning
Release path / 06 stages
Release stages
- 010.0–0.1
Prototype
Rough systems, temporary art, and frequent restarts while the main interaction is tested.
- 020.2–0.3
Playable
The game has a beginning, an end, and enough structure for outside playtests.
- 030.4–0.6
Alpha
Major features, content, balance, and technical work are still incomplete.
- 040.7–0.9
Live beta / Early release
The game may be public or sold while updates, platform support, balance, and polish continue.
- 051.0.0
Full release
The advertised feature set is complete and the game is supported as a finished release.
- 061.x.x+
Post-launch
Patches, compatibility work, new content, and expansions. A 2.0 label is reserved for a substantial change to the game itself.
End-of-life commitment
A server shutdown will not erase the game.
Released games carry memories, communities, skills, rivalries, and shared rituals, which should not disappear simply because a studio has moved on.
If multiplayer depends on services we operate, we will ship at least one practical way to keep playing before those services end.
The exact solution will depend on the game and platform, but turning off the servers and leaving the game unusable is not an option.
- 01Community hostingA documented dedicated server or equivalent hosting path.
- 02Direct playPeer-to-peer, LAN, local, or offline modes that remove the service dependency.
- 03Releasable server stackServer code, protocol documentation, and the material needed to operate it independently.