Rift Wizard 3 Early Access: What the June 23 Launch Brought

Updated 2026-10-21: Refreshed the Steam price and review snapshot, tied the spell names to the live build data, and removed a few lines we could not source.

Current status: October 2026

Rift Wizard 3 is still in Early Access. The official Steam listing showed $19.99 and a Very Positive rating, with 353 of 390 all-language reviews positive, when we checked on October 21. The developers' Early Access note says the game "can be played from start to finish" while content and features are "still being expanded and refined." This page stays a record of the launch; for the live build, the spell and monster counts and every guide we have, use the Rift Wizard 3 guide.

Key Takeaways

• Rift Wizard 3 entered Early Access on June 23, 2026 on Steam
• From developers Dylan White, Khoops, and Jacob Martinez, with a planned ~1-year EA period
• A traditional turn-based grid roguelike: single-player, keyboard-only or mouse-only both supported
• The open build system returns: any spell or spell upgrade can be bought at any time, and artifacts come from the new crafting system
• You play an immortal amnesiac wizard chasing his nemesis across the cosmos

What Rift Wizard 3 is

The premise stays gloriously simple: you are an immortal amnesiac wizard journeying through the cosmos to defeat your nemesis, dying repeatedly along the way. Each run you assemble a new repertoire of spells and magical artifacts from the series' open build system, and the game's depth lives in the synergies between them.

The spell pool shows what series fans are signing up for. The current build's data lists spells such as Fan of Flames, Pyrostatic Pulse, Carnival of Pain, Void Beam, Nightmare Aura, and Ion Tentacles. Steam's own pitch says the game "eschews randomness and complex combat formulas in favor of puzzle-like simplicity," so the right purchase can carry a realm and the wrong one can end the run.

Screenshot: Rift Wizard 3 Steam store page. Void Beam carving through a realm: every spell on the list was a deliberate purchase, not a class unlock.

Image: frame from the Rift Wizard 3 official trailer on Steam. An ice build mid-cast, with damage dealt and enemies slain tallied on the right.

Why it matters

Rift Wizard occupies a niche few games serve. Plenty of modern roguelikes are action games; Rift Wizard is a planning game where, in Steam's words, "every victory is earned, every death deserved." The third entry arrives with a planned one-year Early Access, which the developers say goes to "additional spells, items, and enemies," and they add that a game like this cannot be finished "without huge amounts of community input."

The build-depth crowd has other options too. Our Rune Dice relics guide covers the same synergy-hunting instinct in dice form, the Die in the Dungeon relic tier list ranks another build-first roguelike's full pool, and the best indie roguelites roundup maps the wider genre.

What to watch in Early Access

Two things. First, content scope: an Early Access traditional roguelike lives on how many viable builds the current pool supports, and the series' reputation rests on absurd breadth. Second, how the planned one-year EA window fills out the spell, item, and enemy roster. The current Steam page says the game is playable from start to finish while more content and balance work are still planned, which is the useful distinction for anyone buying now.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Rift Wizard 3 release? June 23, 2026, in Steam Early Access, with a planned ~1-year EA period.

What is it? A hardcore traditional turn-based roguelike wizard simulator built around an open spell-and-artifact build system.

Is it turn-based? Yes, grid-based and fully turn-based, with keyboard-only and mouse-only options.

Do I need the earlier games? No. Rift Wizard 3 is sold as its own full game on Steam, not as DLC, so you can start here.

How much does it cost? $19.99 on Steam. The developers say they have "no plans to change the price after the EA period."

Related Reading

• Tabletop Tavern Release Date: Roguelike RTS Lands June 11: a solo-built roguelike RTS where you raise an army.
• Dave the Diver In the Jungle DLC: Release Date and Contents: what the jungle expansion adds to Dave the Diver.

References

• Rift Wizard 3 on Steam
• Rift Wizard 3 announcement (Steam news)
• Rift Wizard (first game) on Steam