Tears of Metal Early Access: Xbox Game Pass Day One

Tears of Metal Early Access launched July 22 with a detail most pre-launch coverage buried under the genre pitch: it's a day-one Xbox Game Pass title, not just a Steam Early Access release, which is a genuinely uncommon deal for a studio with exactly one previous game to its name.

TL;DR: Tears of Metal, a co-op roguelite from Bloodroots developer Paper Cult, entered Early Access July 22, 2026 on Steam and simultaneously on Xbox Game Pass for PC and the Microsoft Store. Players lead a Scottish battalion through solo or up to 4-player co-op runs after a meteor event unleashes invaders on their island. The Early Access build ships with three acts, three playable heroes, and permanent village progression. Early Steam reception is Very Positive (93% of its first 242 reviews), consistent with Paper Cult's only prior release, Bloodroots, which sits at Very Positive with roughly 89% positive across 223 reviews.

Tears of Metal Early Access: what's actually happening (quick answer)

Tears of Metal is a co-op action roguelite entering Steam Early Access on July 22, 2026, with a same-day release on Xbox Game Pass for PC and the Microsoft Store. It's the second game from Paper Cult, the Montreal studio behind Bloodroots, and supports solo play or up to 4-player online co-op.

Key takeaways

• Developer: Paper Cult, a Montreal-based indie studio. This is only their second release, after Bloodroots.
• Releases July 22, 2026, into Steam Early Access, with a simultaneous Xbox Game Pass day-one launch on PC and the Microsoft Store. A console version is planned for later in 2026.
• Premise: lead a Scottish battalion reclaiming their island after a meteor event ("the Mother Dragon Stone") awakens invaders and new powers.
• Solo or up to 4-player online co-op, full controller support including DualSense.
• Early Access content at launch: three acts, three playable heroes, village progression, companions, equipment.
• Tears of Metal launched at Very Positive on Steam (93% of its first 242 reviews). Bloodroots, Paper Cult's only prior game, is also Very Positive on Steam (roughly 89% positive, 223 reviews).

What's actually in the Early Access build

Paper Cult's own store description frames the setup plainly: a Scottish battalion fighting to take their island back after a meteor strike, the Mother Dragon Stone, cracks the ground open and lets invaders and strange new powers pour in. Combat runs through core systems the studio is calling Emblem synergies (equipment and ability combos that build on each other mid-run), permanent troop upgrades that carry between runs, and a rally mechanic for coordinating fights, particularly relevant in the up-to-4-player co-op mode.

At launch, the build includes three acts, each with its own enemy types, elite encounters, and bosses, plus three playable heroes, village-level progression, recruitable companions, and equipment with upgrade paths. Paper Cult has said more content is planned across the Early Access period, which is standard for this kind of launch and worth treating as a roadmap rather than a promise with a date attached.

A co-op squad closing on an enemy formation, with the Emblem icons that drive the game's synergy system visible in the top-left HUD.

Why the Xbox Game Pass detail matters

Most Early Access launches from a two-person-game studio stay Steam-only, at least at first. Tears of Metal instead ships day one on Xbox Game Pass for PC and the Microsoft Store alongside its Steam release, with a full Xbox Series console version confirmed for later in 2026. That's a real distribution advantage most EA indie titles don't get this early, and it changes the calculus for anyone deciding whether to try it: Game Pass subscribers can play day one with no purchase risk at all, which is a genuinely different proposition than the usual "wait and see" EA advice.

What Paper Cult's track record actually tells you

Bloodroots, Paper Cult's only previous game, was the one concrete data point available before Tears of Metal launched. It sits at Very Positive on Steam, roughly 89% positive across 223 reviews, a genre-hopping action game that built a real following rather than a one-hit launch spike. Tears of Metal's own early reception backs that signal up: it launched at Very Positive too, 93% positive across its first 242 reviews, though it's still early enough (different genre, different scope, first-ever co-op implementation for the studio) that this could shift as the review count grows.

Early player reaction to the pre-launch demo leaned positive on the specific comparison points that matter for this genre: one player described it as playing like "Dynasty Warriors type gameplay mixed with Roguelite elements and team management similar to darkest dungeon," which tracks with what Paper Cult's own feature list describes (large-scale combat plus permanent progression plus a co-op layer).

Tips for anyone deciding whether to buy in at Early Access launch

• If you already have Xbox Game Pass for PC, there's no reason to wait: you can try it today at no additional cost before deciding whether to follow it through Early Access.
• If you're buying outright, Tears of Metal's own launch reception (Very Positive, 93% of 242 reviews) is now the better signal, with Bloodroots' track record (Very Positive, 89% of 223 reviews) as useful context for the studio's execution quality overall.
• Co-op is a first for Paper Cult. If squad-based runs are the main draw for you, expect some Early Access rough edges specifically in that system rather than assuming it's as polished as the solo loop.
• Watch for the first patch cycle. Studios entering their first Early Access period with co-op support typically need at least one balance pass on enemy scaling once real player data comes in.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Tears of Metal release? July 22, 2026, into Steam Early Access, with a simultaneous day-one release on Xbox Game Pass for PC and the Microsoft Store. A console version is planned for later in 2026, confirmed via Paper Cult's own announcements.

Is Tears of Metal on Xbox Game Pass? Yes, from day one on PC Game Pass and the Microsoft Store, alongside the Steam Early Access launch. This is confirmed by multiple outlets covering the announcement, not just a marketing claim.

Who developed Tears of Metal? Paper Cult, a Montreal-based indie studio previously known for Bloodroots, which sits at Very Positive on Steam with roughly 89% positive across 223 reviews.

What is Tears of Metal about? Players lead a Scottish battalion fighting to reclaim their island after a meteor event awakens invaders and dangerous new powers. Combat supports solo play or up to 4-player co-op.

How much content is in the Tears of Metal Early Access build? Three acts at launch, each with distinct enemy types, elite encounters, and bosses, plus three playable heroes, village progression, companions, and equipment upgrade paths. Paper Cult has stated more content is planned through Early Access.

Is Tears of Metal worth buying at Early Access launch? Early signs are good: Tears of Metal launched at Very Positive on Steam (93% of its first 242 reviews). Paper Cult's only prior game, Bloodroots, also held up well over time (Very Positive, 223 reviews), which was the reasonable pre-launch signal and has now been backed up by the game's own reception.

Related Reading

• Ground Branch 1.0: Reviews Dip Right Before Full Launch: another Early Access exit worth checking the actual review trend on before buying.
• Scarlet Deer Inn Release Date 2026: a same-window indie launch with its own art-driven pitch.
• Best Indie Co-op Games for Steam Summer Sale 2026: where a day-one Game Pass co-op roguelite fits against other current picks.

References

• Tears of Metal on Steam
• Paper Cult on X
• Tears of Metal - Release Date Teaser on YouTube