Pax Dei is an exciting open-world MMO that gives players a world filled with very loose rules and allows them to do pretty much anything they want. The gameplay revolves around dynamic, player-created settlements and relationships, creating a world unlike any other.
Developer Mainframe Industries set out to create an incredibly ambitious MMO with Pax Dei. The game simply drops players into its world and asks them to build a settlement together, forge their own stories with or against others, and explore its vast world where anything can happen. The game is coming to Steam, where all fans can finally pick it up and jump in after playing with or watching their favorite streamers during the early Alpha tests.
When is the release date for Pax Dei?
Pax Dei will be released on Steam in early access on June 18, 2024. The game will only be available on PC via Steam at this time, so those of you who were expecting the game to launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S will need to find something else to play.
All Pax Dei editions and what you get with them
There are three Founder’s Packs available for Pax Dei. Each one gives you a little something to get you started in the world, though the highest tier obviously gives you the most to work with and is best for those planning on building a lot. I’ve outlined what’s included in each Founder’s Pack and how much they cost below.
Pax Dei Journeyman Founder’s Pack ($39.99)
The cheapest version of the game. This Founder’s Pack is ideal for those who just want to get in and play. It includes the following.
- Access to Pax Dei
- 2 Character Slots
- 1 Plot of Land
- A Founder Discord Role
- The Founder’s Outfit recipes
Pax Dei Artisan Founder’s Pack ($59.99)
This is the mid-range Founder’s Pack, giving you a bonus on top of the main game purchase. Think of it as the Deluxe Edition. This version includes everything below.
- Access to Pax Dei
- 4 Character Slots
- 2 Plots of Land
- A Founder Discord Role
- The Founder’s Outfit recipes & Hunter’s Lodge recipes
Pax Dei Master Founder’s Pack ($99.99)
The most expensive edition of Pax Dei available. This is the Founder’s Pack to purchase if you plan on investing hundreds of hours in the game. It gives you a lot to work with, all of which is listed below.
- Access to Pax Dei
- 6 Character Slots
- 4 Plots of Land
- A Founder Discord Role
- The Founder’s Outfit recipes, Hunter’s Lodge recipes & Wyvern Building Set
What is Pax Dei?
Pax Dei is a social sandbox MMO similar to EVE Online. Players are given a loose framework of systems and mechanics to work with and are allowed to do whatever they want. In early alpha tests, players constructed massive settlements working with architects and streamers. At one point, a glitch was even used to create checkpoints where players could tax each other as they walked along the main paths in the wild areas.
There is no economy, and there are very few rules in Pax Dei. Players could head out to a dungeon and work with strangers they meet inside or screw them over and take their loot. A player could also become a hunter, delivering meat and skins to a settlement, or be a tanner using those skins to craft clothing. Every role you’d see in a game like Skyrim that’s fulfilled by an NPC must be fulfilled by a player.
If you love a good adventure, there’s something for you to do in the Wilderness area. The game is perfect for me because it will let me become a trader of all sorts of junk worldwide. Both roles are important: one brings in vital gold and resources, while the other gets rid of all the trash and brings in other commodities a settlement might need.
The heart of the game for many will be building. You can use the preset building templates to craft anything you can imagine. Castles have already been built into mountains and goat-shaped halls that look out into the distance. There really are no limits, because every building part can be completely customized.
We won’t truly know what Pax Dei is until players are in it, building their settlements, and filling out the world. For now, you can think of it as an evolving world in its very early stages, waiting for players to push it in one direction or another before a wave of change washes through it.
Why is Pax Dei launching in Steam early access, and how long until full release?
Pax Dei is coming to Steam early access first because the developer wants to build it alongside its community. It’s said as much on the game’s Steam page. This social sandbox MMO doesn’t have a linear story to follow. Its world is filled with dungeons to explore and save zones that players never need to leave. The idea is for players to create the economy, the guilds, the factions, and everything that most other games have already baked in upon release.
Over time, new features will be developed and added based on player feedback and the needs that arise organically as players build up their settlements. Many of these won’t be known until the game is out and has been in players’ hands for a few weeks, so the roadmap could change over time, depending on how many people play Pax Dei and what sort of civilization they build inside it.
