Witchbrook Release Date — What We Know
Witchbrook Release Date — What We Know
Current Status
As of 6 May 2026, Chucklefish reaffirmed that Witchbrook is still on track for a 2026 release. No specific date has been announced. The studio has stated it will only commit to a precise launch date when it is “completely confident” in the schedule.
Delay History
Witchbrook’s road to release has been long. To understand where the game stands today, it helps to trace every major milestone from its earliest announcement.
2017 — “Project Spellbound” Reveal
Chucklefish first teased the project in 2017 under the working title Project Spellbound. The studio described it as a cozy magical academy game — a life-sim set in a school for witches. Almost nothing was shown beyond early concept art and a brief description, but the Stardew Valley community latched onto it immediately. Expectations were sky-high given Chucklefish’s reputation as Stardew Valley’s publisher and Starbound’s developer.
2018–2020 — Rebranding to Witchbrook
The project was renamed Witchbrook and received its first real public presence. Chucklefish began sharing dev blog updates with more concrete details: the setting of Mossport, the college structure, hints of romance mechanics, and the signature broom flight system. Despite growing community anticipation, no release window was given during these years. The studio maintained that the game would ship when it was ready.
2021–2024 — Extended Development Silence
For stretches of 2021 through 2024, public communication slowed. Chucklefish dropped periodic dev blog posts confirming work was continuing, but the studio resisted pressure to commit to dates. This cautious approach reflects lessons learned from Starbound’s turbulent early-access period. The team grew, Robotality joined as co-developer, and the project steadily expanded in scope.
2025 — Winter Target, Then October Delay
By early 2025, Chucklefish had narrowed the window to winter 2025, generating substantial press coverage and community excitement. Trailers released through 2025 showed polished gameplay — broom racing, college subjects, seasonal Mossport, and the Sunday Market.
Then, in October 2025, Chucklefish announced the game would not ship in winter 2025 as hoped. The studio cited the need for additional polish and quality assurance, emphasizing that Witchbrook deserved the same level of craftsmanship as the games it was inspired by. The delay pushed the window to 2026, with no specific date provided.
In their delay statement, Chucklefish wrote that they wanted to give players a debut experience worthy of years of anticipation — a priority they placed above hitting an arbitrary seasonal window.
2026 — Confirmed Window, Date Still Pending
As of May 2026, the 2026 release window holds. The 6 May 2026 reaffirmation from Chucklefish confirmed the game is still in active development and approaching completion. A specific date announcement is expected when the studio reaches internal confidence milestones — typically final QA sign-off and platform certification.
Platforms
Witchbrook will launch on Steam (PC), Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox. No Mac or PlayStation release has been confirmed.
Beta Program?
No beta or early-access program has been officially announced by Chucklefish. However, several signals in the developer’s communication pattern — increased cadence of gameplay deep-dive blog posts, community poll questions about co-op preferences, and standard platform distribution paperwork timelines — suggest that a closed beta or preview period is plausible before the full launch.
Historically, Chucklefish ran a community beta for Starbound that shaped significant late-development decisions. If Witchbrook follows a similar approach, beta sign-ups could open weeks before the formal launch date announcement. The studio’s Chucklefish Blog is the canonical first place such an announcement would appear.
There is currently no confirmed sign-up link, no beta key distribution channel, and no public statement from Chucklefish about any preview program for Witchbrook.
Last updated: 2026-05-17