Loftia Beta at a glance
| Closed Beta | April 22 – May 6, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Start and end time | 2pm PDT |
| Status | Ended |
| Eligibility then | Backers and partners |
| Current public access | Free demo, October 19–26, 2026 |
| Next step | Early Access on November 3, 2026 |
The Closed Beta timeline
Qloud Games announced the Closed Beta on Steam and set it for April 22, 2026 at 2pm PDT through May 6, 2026 at 2pm PDT. That gave testers two weeks with a restricted build of the game. The studio released an official Beta Cinematic Trailer on April 17, shortly before the test began. A Gridfall teaser from March 2026 also built up to the Beta.
A later official update on BackerKit confirms that the test concluded. That update discusses the feedback gathered during the Beta and backer rewards, not a new open Beta. If you see posts saying the Beta starts in a few hours, check their date carefully. They almost certainly refer to the April test, which is long over.
The two-week window was announced well in advance on the official Steam news page. Testers who had access could play from the afternoon of April 22 Pacific time until the same time on May 6. Once the window closed, the test servers for that build shut down. Nothing in the official announcements since then describes a second Closed Beta.
Who could join the Beta
The Beta was a closed test rather than an open one. The official cinematic trailer’s description explains that eligibility was tied to backers and partners. Kickstarter and BackerKit supporters were the main group who received access. Some additional keys were handed out through giveaways announced around March and April.
Those giveaways belong to the Beta period and should be treated as historical. No new open Beta schedule was found in the official sources checked on October 19, 2026. There is also no universally reusable Beta key, and individual backer keys are unique to their owners. Never share or use a key that someone else posted publicly.
How Beta Steam keys worked
Beta access was delivered as a Steam product key. The official activation page explains the steps: open Steam, choose Games, then Activate a Product on Steam and enter the key. This is the standard Steam process for any product key. The page is still online because it documents keys that were already issued.
Activating an old key today does not reopen the test servers. A valid historical key only shows that someone had Beta access at the time. The test itself ended on May 6, 2026. For current play, the demo and Early Access are the routes that matter.
Demo versus Beta versus Early Access
Loftia now has three distinct phases that are easy to confuse. The Closed Beta was a restricted test for eligible backers and partners in April and May 2026. The demo is a free, public, one-week trial on Steam from October 19 to 26, 2026. Early Access is the paid release that begins on November 3, 2026.
The demo is not simply a renamed Beta. The official demo page describes it as the current public access, with its own scope ending before the Hanging Gardens quest segment. Progress from the demo can carry into Early Access if you link your website account. Beta progress rules and demo rules should not be treated as the same thing.
Each phase also handles progress differently. The developer explains account linking for the demo in its October 19 announcement, and only linked demo progress carries into Early Access. The official sources checked for this page do not describe a Beta-to-Early Access carryover in the same way. If you took part in the Beta, rely on official account messages rather than assumptions.
What the Beta showed
Several outlets published hands-on impressions from the Beta. Massively Overpowered wrote that the tutorial introduced gathering and growing before the home island. The Game of Nerds described the city hub, scavenging and community activities. Qualbert reported crafting machines powered by a battery that was charged by an island solar station.
These reports are useful for understanding the game’s direction. However, they describe a test build, and systems may have changed since then. Creator Beta guides on YouTube carry the same caveat, and some creators warned that features could change. Use Beta material as background, not as a rulebook for the current version.
The Beta also introduced Gridfall, the salvage-focused district built from remnants of the old world. The official March 2026 teaser showed its tall buildings and tunnels ahead of the test. Creator recordings from that period show players exploring it, but those routes are historical. Gridfall is part of the wider Early Access world rather than the current demo.
Existing backers and account support
Backers who took part in the Beta should keep using their official Loftia account. The developer’s May 2026 BackerKit update explains that mismatched email addresses can cause reward problems. The studio advises contacting the team to merge accounts when that happens. Using the same email everywhere avoids most of these issues.
The official activation page notes that Kickstarter and BackerKit are now closed. That means new players cannot buy into backer tiers to get Beta-style access. Backer rewards are handled through the official account and project updates. Our Kickstarter guide explains the campaign history in more detail.
Beta participants who had a working key do not need to activate it again for Early Access. Early Access is a separate paid release on the main Steam page, app 2320980. Check your official account and backer messages to see which rewards apply to you. The studio’s project updates are the right place to follow fulfillment news.
How to play Loftia now
If you missed the Beta, the free demo is the way in until October 26, 2026. Install the Loftia Demo from its own Steam page and link your website account in-game with your email. Linked progress, items and quests carry into Early Access, while unlinked progress cannot be recovered. The demo also offers a Neighborhood Demo Banner reward.
After the demo closes, Early Access opens on November 3, 2026 at 1pm EST on Windows and macOS. The announced US base price is US$29.99, with a limited-time launch price of US$24.89. Add the game to your Steam wishlist to be notified on launch day. Follow the official Steam announcements for any future test news.
Pre-registration on the official website is another way to prepare, even though it is not a test invitation. It sets up the account you use to link the demo and claim rewards. A referral code is optional on the form. If a new test is ever announced, the official Steam news page and Discord are where it would appear first.
Official video
Sources and further reading
- Qloud Games — Official Steam announcements
- Qloud Games — BackerKit project updates
- Loftia — Official Steam key activation instructions
- Loftia — Official Demo and Early Access overview
- Loftia Demo — Steam store page
- Loftia — Steam store page and Early Access statement
- Loftia — Official FAQ
- Massively Overpowered — Hands-on Beta impressions, May 13, 2026
- The Game of Nerds — Playing Loftia’s Beta, May 14, 2026
- Qualbert — Loftia Beta Playtest Preview, May 8, 2026