Rooted

What is Rooted

Rooted is an open-world survival game developed and self-published by Headlight Studio, an independent French studio based near Montpellier. The game takes place near the year 2100, roughly 20 years after a devastating bacteriological war that released deadly spores across the landscape. Players must survive in a world overtaken by nature, scavenging resources, building shelters, and navigating contaminated zones while facing hostile survivors, dangerous wildlife, and ROTOR Corporation robots left over from the pre-war era.

The game supports solo play (fully offline, no internet required) or co-op with up to 6 players. Rooted draws inspiration from titles like The Last of Us, SCUM, and DayZ, blending survival mechanics with narrative lore and exploration across a map spanning over 30 square kilometers.

Engine and platforms

Rooted is built on Unreal Engine 5.6, having migrated to this version in October 2025 (previously on UE 5.4). The migration brought significant CPU optimization and visual upgrades, including Lumen global illumination on High and Ultra settings.

The game is planned for PC via both Steam and the Epic Games Store. Console versions are planned after the full PC release. The Early Access target is 2027.

Content ratings: ESRB E 10+, PEGI 7. The game is available in eight languages: English, French, German, Simplified Chinese, Danish, Italian, Spanish (Spain), and Dutch.

Core gameplay

Rooted combines multiple survival systems into an interconnected gameplay loop:

• Crafting: Build tools, shelters, and equipment at workbenches using scavenged materials.

• Base building: Construct modular bases or secure existing structures like houses and office buildings.

• Weapons: Firearms, melee weapons, and player-crafted armaments across three distinct categories.

• Vehicles: Cars, forklifts, carts, and ziplines for traversal and resource transport.

• Hunting and fishing: Track deer, set fish traps, and gather food from the wild.

• Gardening: Grow crops to supplement food supplies.

• Food management: Cook meals, boil water, and manage temperature to stay alive.

• Salvaging: Break down junk items into usable components.

• Electricity and automation: Power your base and automate tasks as you progress.

• Infection mechanic: Navigate deadly spore zones using respirator masks and antidotes.

Points of interest

The game world contains several distinct locations that serve as exploration targets and lore sources:

Development timeline

• Q3 2022: Rooted featured at the Future Games Show.

• Kickstarter: Exceeded 20,000 backers, raising 120,058 GBP (more than 200% above the 60,000 EUR goal).

• September 4, 2023: Alpha Phase 1 launched.

• January 16, 2025: Alpha Phase 2 launched.

• October 2025: Unreal Engine 5.6 migration completed.

• December 2025: Firearms update (M4A1 and Glock added).

• January 2026: Wildlife update, with deer added to the world.

• Q1 2026: Full production phase began.

• 2027 (target): Early Access launch on Steam and Epic Games Store.

Development phases

The game follows a structured development roadmap: four Alpha phases (under NDA), four Beta phases, followed by Early Access, and finally the full 1.0 release. As of Q1 2026, the game has completed two Alpha phases and entered full production.

Community milestones

• Over 1 million Steam wishlists.

• Over 133,500 players registered for alpha access.

• Kickstarter exceeded 20,000 backers.

Steam features

Planned Steam integration includes Achievements, Steam Workshop support (for sharing base blueprints), Family Sharing, and player statistics tracking.

Pledge tiers

All payments are processed through Stripe.