Developer Stairway Games has announced the upcoming release of its tropical island farming sim Coral Island. After just over a year in PC early access, the game will be launching its 1.0 version on November 14th. Additionally, Coral Island will be available for Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 on the same day.
Coral Island initially entered early access in October of last year on Steam and the Microsoft Store. It joins the growing list of farming sims that draw inspiration from Stardew Valley’s modern take on the genre. However, Coral Island sets itself apart by focusing on ocean exploration and conservation.
In line with the genre’s conventions, Coral Island includes various activities such as farming, crafting, fishing, mining, decorating, and socializing. It also features 25 eligible islanders for players to romance as the seasons change.
Having played Coral Island during its early access phase, I can confidently say that my first impressions were positive. The game’s strong art style and tropical island setting create a distinctive and wonderfully relaxed vibe. Furthermore, Coral Island has received a significant amount of new content since then, including seasonal festivals, new locations, outfits, pet adoption options, and more.
When Coral Island launches on November 14th, it will be priced at $29.99 USD, slightly higher than its current $24.99 price point. The game will be available for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5. A Switch release is planned for 2024, as the developer, Stairway, aims to ensure an optimal playing experience. Note that early access saves will not be compatible with Coral Island’s 1.0 release. However, any money earned in a previous save can be carried over to a new one.
Stairway has outlined its future plans for Coral Island, which include adding multiplayer, merfolk romance options, underwater farming, children, and more according to its 2024 roadmap. The promised features for the 1.0 release include a revitalizing storyline for the town, in-depth interactions with NPCs, marriage and family options, NPC outfits for each season, customization options for the player’s house exterior, a wide range of decor and clothing options, the ability to adopt a pet, eight unique festivals with mini-games, expanded diving depths and mining gates, encounters with merfolk NPCs, and much more.