Windrose shatters sales records: pirate survival game soars to 1.5 million copies

Published on 01/05/2026 20:54 in entertainment • Keely Diven

Kraken Express is celebrating a monumental achievement: Windrose has blasted past 1.5 million sales in just two weeks, instantly claiming the top spot on Steam’s most-played charts.

Early access’s explosive growth

The pirate survival adventure game’s initial release on April 14th ignited immediate player interest, and the developer’s latest announcement confirms the unprecedented demand. Kraken Express expressed immense gratitude to the ‘captains’ who’ve embraced their virtual voyages, promising continued development and expansion throughout Early Access.

But the updates don’t stop there. Today’s patch – 0.10.0.4.268-9d2ca277 – introduces a significant influx of building pieces, adding over 40 options to enhance player customization and streamline construction. Alongside these additions, 50+ bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements address connectivity woes, optimize SSD performance, and bolster overall stability.

New biome and content roadmap

New biome and content roadmap

Looking ahead, Kraken Express has teased a substantial content drop – the ‘Ashlands’ – a perilous new biome dominated by undead and shrouded in volcanic ash. This expansion promises a dramatically different gameplay experience, pushing players to confront formidable challenges.

Key patch highlights

Here’s a breakdown of the critical changes:

  • Force Relay Connection: A new setting to circumvent P2P restrictions, potentially sacrificing latency for enhanced stability.
  • Connection Fixes: Numerous bug fixes targeting connection issues, particularly those affecting players utilizing non-English Windows usernames.
  • Performance Enhancements: Significant CPU usage reductions and disk optimization for smoother gameplay.
  • New Content: Addition of roughly 40 new wall triangle pieces, 3 floor triangle pieces, and 4 Seedbed variations.
  • Audio Updates: New sound effects for crop growth and harvesting, extended ambient music tracks, and clarified Drowned attack cues.

Building a pirate haven

Windrose currently offers a captivating blend of exploration, combat, and building. Players navigate three diverse biomes, battling souls-lite inspired enemies, uncovering handcrafted points of interest, and crafting a thriving pirate haven. From mastering unique weaponry – sabers, maces, and muskets – to forging alliances with various factions and engaging in thrilling naval battles, the high seas await.

Download the update

Don’t miss out on the latest iteration of Windrose. The update 0.10.0.4.268-9d2ca277 is available now on Steam.