Join the Distant Isles playtest today!
Captain your crew and sail the seas in a new turn-based roguelike adventure
Worldform has officially revealed Distant Isles, a new single-player, turn-based roguelike RPG focused on exploration, crew management, and survival. The announcement comes alongside the release of the game’s first trailer and an early public playtest, giving players their first opportunity to experience the project while it’s still in development.
The announcement was made on 15 January 2026, marking the moment when Worldform began inviting players to step into the role of a ship’s captain and, from there, carve their own path across dangerous, procedurally generated islands.
Sailing Into the Unknown
Distant Isles is a party-based role-playing game that seamlessly blends roguelike mechanics with strategic, turn-based gameplay. From there, players will assemble a crew and then set sail across the seas, where they can explore ever-changing islands in pursuit of treasure, adventure, and survival.
Each journey offers new challenges thanks to procedural generation, ensuring no two expeditions are ever quite the same. From navigating hostile encounters to managing resources and crew dynamics, every decision plays a role in determining whether your voyage ends in fortune or disaster.
Players can choose how they want to approach the world, whether that means leading a band of pirates, focusing on trade and commerce, or forging a path as pioneers pushing into the unknown. Reputation, riches, and survival all hang in the balance as players explore at their own pace.
Announcement Trailer Now Live
Alongside the reveal, Worldform has released the game’s first official trailer, offering a glimpse at the tone, atmosphere, and core gameplay of Distant Isles. The trailer highlights its nautical themes, strategic combat, and the sense of discovery that drives the experience.
Players can watch the announcement trailer here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1fz8pA6Tqo
Early Playtest Available
In addition to the trailer, Worldform has launched an early playtest of Distant Isles on Itch.io. This in-development build introduces players to the game’s core systems and allows the community to provide feedback that will help shape its future.
At the same time, Worldform describes the playtest as an opportunity for players to actively participate in development while also offering insights and suggestions as a result of the game’s ongoing evolution.
The playtest can be accessed here:
https://worldform.itch.io/distant-isles-playtest
Development and Future Plans
Worldform plans to support Distant Isles with ongoing development updates, including monthly developer blogs on Steam. Players are encouraged to follow the game’s progress, wishlist it on Steam, and engage with the development process as features are refined and expanded.
Steam page:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2908130/Distant_Isles/
Game Details
- Title: Distant Isles
- Platform: PC
- Genre: Roguelike / RPG
- Developer: Worldform
- Publisher: N/A
- Release Window: 2027
About Worldform
Worldform is an independent game development studio based in Australia, with over a decade of experience creating games. The studio focuses on building atmospheric experiences designed to transport players to richly imagined worlds, and Distant Isles continues that tradition with its blend of exploration, strategy, and emergent storytelling.
