Crosswind is now Windrose: The Rebrand
In late 2025, the development team officially announced that Crosswind has been renamed to Windrose. Along with the name change, the game has pivoted from a free-to-play MMO model to a premium, co-op focused pirate survival experience on Arcadia-7.
🚩 Why the Name Change?
- Brand Clarity: "Windrose" better reflects the game's focus on naval navigation and exploration.
- Development Shift: The transition from F2P MMO to a traditional survival game warranted a fresh start.
- Dev Team: Now officially operating under the name **Windrose Crew**.
What is Windrose?
Windrose is an "Age of Piracy" survival adventure. It combines Soulslite combat with deep naval exploration and base building. Unlike *Sea of Thieves*, Windrose places a heavy emphasis on PvE progression and persistent dedicated servers.
Early Access & Playtests
As of January 2026, Windrose is in an active **Alpha Playtest** phase on Steam. Thousands of players have already joined the "Windrose Crew" to test the following features:
⚔️ Soulslite Combat
Melee combat is stamina-based and challenging. Players must master parrying and dodging to survive hostile island tribes and rival crew AI.
⚓ Ship Customization
More than just skins—players can modify hull plating, sail configurations, and cannon layouts to suit their playstyle.
Server Hosting Implications
The move to a paid survival model (similar to *Valheim* or *Enshrouded*) is great news for server admins:
- Persistent Private Worlds: Dedicated server tools are being prioritized over central MMO servers.
- Control over Progression: Admins can adjust XP rates, survival difficulty, and loot drops.
- Mod Support: The developers have expressed interest in allowing community-made ship parts and island biomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my Crosswind wishlist still valid?
Yes, Steam has automatically transitioned the Crosswind store page to **Windrose**. You don't need to do anything.
When can I host my own Windrose server?
Standalone dedicated server binaries are expected to be released alongside the **2026 Early Access launch**. Currently, playtesters use peer-to-peer or official playtest servers.
Is the game still PvE focused?
Yes. While there may be optional PvP zones or servers, the core loop is designed for groups of 1-4 players to conquer the ocean together.
Next Steps
- Troubleshoot Alpha Playtest connection issues
- View expected Server Setup requirements
- Back to Windrose Wiki Home
First to the Wind: As Crosswind transitions to Windrose, being ready with high-performance hosting on day one will be a major advantage. Supercraft is tracking the development of the Windrose dedicated server binary closely.