What Is Emberward? Price, Modes and How a Run Works
Emberward is a roguelite maze-building tower defense game by solo developer Refic Games. Price, release date, game modes and what to expect, from Steam.
FAQ
Is Emberward free to play?
When did Emberward 1.0 come out?
Who makes Emberward?
What kind of game is Emberward?
Emberward is a roguelite tower defense game built around mazes. Before each battle you place block cards to shape the path monsters walk, then build towers on and around those blocks. Tower shapes vary, from 1x1 up to 3x3, so the maze and the tower layout have to be planned together. After a battle you can add runes to block cards to strengthen towers, give blocks special effects or make them bigger.
Each run picks a character and a flame, and gives different maps, towers and relics along the way. Battles earn experience for a permanent talent tree, so later runs start stronger. The full achievement list shows how deep the challenge runs go.
How much does Emberward cost?
The regular price is $19.99 USD. When we checked the Steam store on September 23, 2026, it was $16.99 with a 15% launch discount. The developer raised the price from $14.99 to $19.99 on July 15, 2026, so a launch discount would be possible at 1.0 (Steam blocks discounts for a month after a price change).
What game modes are there?
The Steam store page lists three modes:
- Adventure Mode — fight through a series of stages and bosses across regions. Version 1.0 has five: Misty Forest, Bone Desert, Frost Ruins, Sealed Citadel and the new Void Depths.
- Endless Mode — special event maps and more than 80 stages, with Steam leaderboards.
- Enigma Sanctum — a faster mode where you build the strongest defense from a limited set of cards.
Daily and Weekly Challenges also exist; several achievements ask you to survive a set number of waves in them.
Is Emberward multiplayer?
No. Steam lists Emberward as single-player only, with no online or local co-op. The only competitive feature is Steam leaderboards in Endless Mode.
Is Emberward finished?
Version 1.0 released on September 17, 2026, ending Early Access. The developer has said updates will continue after 1.0 with new towers, relics and maps, and that console ports are next. See what changed in 1.0 and what comes after.
Quick facts
| Developer / publisher | Refic Games |
| Release (1.0) | September 17, 2026 |
| Price | $19.99 (was $16.99 on sale, Sep 23, 2026) |
| Platforms | Windows (Steam). Not on Mac or Linux. Steam Deck: Playable |
| Players | Single-player |
| Languages | 13, including English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, German and Spanish |
| Steam reviews | 4,030 recommendations (Sep 23, 2026) |
Sources
- Emberward on Steam — description, price, platforms, categories and languages (checked 2026-09-23)
- Pricing Changes! — Steam announcement, 2026-07-09
- Emberward 1.0 Coming September 17! — Steam announcement, 2026-09-02
- Emberward 1.0 Is Out Now!! — Steam announcement, 2026-09-17
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