When was the Last Epoch release date? Plenty of developers have tried to capture the dark power fantasy of Blizzard’s Diablo, but few have succeeded. As Diablo 4 moves into the realms of live service, it leaves a collection of old-school ARPG fans looking for a classic experience with modern trappings to keep things fresh. Last Epoch fits the bill, and we’ve got all the details on the release date, story, and gameplay.
Last Epoch strikes a fine balance between the approachability of Diablo 4 and the complexity of Path of Exile to create an action RPG for newcomers and veterans alike; our Last Epoch review says so, and you should read it because Ken’s great. It’s already sold over one million units throughout its early access period – a testament to the indie game’s popularity among fans of the genre. Our Last Epoch Gamescom interview with CEO Judd Cobbler outlines the studio’s humble beginnings on Reddit, but if you’d prefer to get down to brass tacks, here’s everything you need to know about Last Epoch.
Last Epoch release date
Last Epoch was released on Wednesday, February 21, 2024. It is available on PC via Steam, as well as on Mac and Linux.
Last Epoch began as a Kickstarter project back in April 2018. Over its 30-day funding period, it surpassed its $210,000 goal, receiving $255,378 from 2,824 backers. This Kickstarter included a free demo of the alpha version, which was superseded by the beta version’s release into early access on Steam.
The action-adventure game arrived in early access on Steam in April 2019, and has received regular updates over the past half-decade. As the early access period draws to a close, Eleventh Hour Games has clarified that Last Epoch includes “the majority of our core gameplay systems and story content” and that the price won’t be subject to change following its full release.
Last Epoch trailers
Eleventh Hour Games has released several trailers throughout Last Epoch’s early access period, and each one charts the course of development. The Last Epoch beta trailer was released back in 2019 to celebrate the early access release date and was followed by the early access trailer a year later. These two trailers show how development has progressed from the end of alpha to the early access period.
However, both of these early trailers pale in comparison to the official Last Epoch launch trailer above, which introduces both the Traveler and Last Epoch’s time-hopping conceit, as well as the polished combat and exploration. Finally, the Last Epoch official cinematic below establishes the broad strokes of Eterra’s expansive history, which you’ll become very familiar with as you shift through the eras.
Alongside the Last Epoch trailers, regular developer streams on the official YouTube channel incorporate Q&A sessions with the community while showing off the latest build.
Last Epoch story
Last Epoch takes place on Eterra, a dark fantasy world on the cusp of ruin thanks to the Void, a corruptive force of darkness. In its wake, gods and mortals vie for power, undead legions march across the land, and the last remnants of humanity take refuge against these forces. That’s where we come in.
As the bearer of the titular Last Epoch’s shards, the Traveler can harness this sacred artifact’s power to travel through time. Your goal is to cleanse the Void’s corruption, avert Eterra’s fate, and restore the world and humanity with it. Along the way, you can expect to visit ancient locations, retrieve esoteric artifacts, and encounter the gods themselves.
Last Epoch gameplay
Last Epoch follows in the footsteps of most games like Diablo with the same basic premise and power fantasy: create a character and create a powerful build while progressing through all nine chapters of the main campaign. Your quest will span all five regions and historical eras of Last Epoch, as you hop through time, delve through dungeons, and defeat powerful bosses.
There are five base classes to choose from during character creation: Mage, Rogue, Primalist, Acolyte, and Sentinel. Each class has three class masteries – or subclasses – that can be unlocked as you progress, including the Last Epoch Warlock. The early access period has also benefited these masteries, as seen in our coverage of the Last Epoch Shaman rework.
Of course, classes are only the foundation of your character. Last Epoch builds are defined by your chosen skills as you level up. There are over 120 skills available in the action RPG, and each comes with a spec tree to refine them even further. These abilities can range from passive stat bonuses to unique effects. A Mage that can summon a Black Hole might wish to expend a skill point to summon an additional one by unlocking Scattered – or even do away with its gravitational pull effect altogether in favor of a devastating Red Giant.
Thanks to its early access period, we also know what awaits us in The Last Epoch’s endgame. Once the campaign has concluded, players have access to the Monolith of Fate: an interconnected map of shattered timelines that tell alternate versions of Eterra’s history. Each timeline includes a set collection of quests, bosses, and rewards, and is traversed using a procedurally generated web of echoes. The Last Epoch ladders are also set to keep competitive players busy.
Last Epoch special editions
Several pre-order editions of Last Epoch were available for purchase: standard, deluxe, and ultimate. Prospective players pre-ordering the standard edition received the ‘Golden Guppy’ the Baby Chronowyrm cosmetic pet, while the latter editions offered more substantial rewards.
The Last Epoch deluxe edition includes:
- ‘Golden Guppy’ the Baby Chronowyrm cosmetic pet
- Adolescent Chronowyrm cosmetic pet
- Fallen Ronin cosmetic armor set
- Firefly’s Refuge cosmetic portal
- 50 Epoch Points
- Digital soundtrack
The Last Epoch ultimate edition includes:
- ‘Golden Guppy’ the Baby Chronowyrm cosmetic pet
- Adolescent Chronowyrm cosmetic pet
- Adult Chronowyrm cosmetic pet
- Twilight Fox cosmetic pet
- Fallen Ronin cosmetic armor set
- Temporal Guardian cosmetic armor set
- Celestical Way cosmetic portal
- Firefly’s Refuge cosmetic portal
- 100 Epoch Points
- Digital soundtrack
Now that you know everything about Last Epoch, check out some of the other upcoming PC games to keep an eye on later in the year. Alternatively, if you don’t plan to give up Blizzard’s seminal ARPG any time soon, brush up on our best Diablo 4 builds for the latest Diablo 4 seasons while you’re here.