Stick It to the Stickman, the roguelite beat 'em up from Anger Foot developer Free Lives, leaves early access on September 23, Rock Paper Shotgun reported. The game, in which players brawl up through the innards of a hostile corporate office block, has been in early access for a little over a year.
The 1.0 version is a different shape from the one Free Lives originally planned. In a post published before the release date was announced, the studio said the project had been costly in more than money.
The game has sold very well, but it has taken a toll, both financially and emotionally. The team changed from 8 developers to 4 developers, who have been trying to finish this game since 2021. And so attempting to build every single mode means staying in early access until the sun explodes. Against traditional business practices, we are choosing the mental health of our workers and releasing 1.0 earlier than planned which was later than previously planned.
The studio said it had prioritised the modes its community was most excited about and ended development on unfinished ones, naming "Rise of the Machines" and "Marketing Department" as the modes being cut.
What 1.0 adds
Two new modes ship with the full release. One is called Neurolink; the other is designed as a grand finale, unlocked once a player has completed enough runs to reach the top of the corporate food chain. Free Lives will also update the existing Foreign Manufacturing mode with two new playstyles for its round-the-world brawling: a teleporting ninja and a moneybag-wielding negotiator.
The price rises with the version number. Stick It to the Stickman will cost $12 or the local equivalent for new buyers once it hits 1.0, against a Steam discount running until August 21 that puts it at $4.89, £4.19 or €4.89. A free demo remains available on the game's Steam page.
