- Anvil Empires Steam access: the game is expected to enter early access soon, with pre-alpha testing available now
- Three homestead playstyles: solo wilderness homestead, group village, or protected keep housing
- Persistent war world: factions battle for territory, but peaceful farming and crafting are viable paths
- Not just Foxhole: slower survival, gathering, and player-driven markets define the experience
- Join early: sign up on the official Anvil Empires Discord for pre-alpha testing access
Anvil Empires on Steam: Current Status
Anvil Empires is a massively multiplayer persistent war game from the developers of Foxhole, set in a medieval world where thousands of players build, gather, trade, and fight over territory. While the game is not yet in full release, the developers have stated it is expected to enter early access in the near future, making the Anvil Empires Steam page the destination players should watch for launch news.
Video Highlights:
- Three distinct homestead lifestyles: solo, cooperative village, and keep-based living
- Survival mechanics like farming, hunting, fishing, blacksmithing, and horse breeding
- Player-driven marketplaces and resource specialization
- Early access expected soon; pre-alpha signups open via the official Discord
For players who want hands-on experience before the Steam early access launch, joining the official Anvil Empires Discord and signing up for pre-alpha testing is the recommended path. Testing periods let you try new systems — including the homestead, marketplace, and territory mechanics — before they go live.
Anvil Empires has been in periodic pre-alpha tests rather than continuous availability. Check the official Steam page and Discord for the current test schedule before expecting a permanent, always-on server experience.
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Developer | Siege Camp (Foxhole team) |
| Genre | Persistent-war MMO with survival and economy systems |
| Setting | Medieval, player-driven factions |
| Access stage | Pre-alpha testing, early access planned |
| Official channels | Steam page, official Anvil Empires Discord |
Three Ways to Live in Anvil Empires
Although Anvil Empires advertises itself as a chaotic, persistent war game, it also supports remarkably peaceful play. There are three main ways to settle down, each with different tradeoffs between freedom, safety, and community.
Solo Homestead
- Full creative freedom: no blueprint restrictions
- Build anywhere in fields, mountains, or woods
- Specialize in one resource or gather everything
- Risk of raids, total independence
Group Village
- Cooperative base building with friends
- Role split: farming, smithing, hunting, trading
- Scales into larger production facilities
- Walls and defenses needed at scale
Keep Housing
- Safety inside city walls
- High-tier crafting stations and public forges
- Marketplace access for crafters
- Silver tax and limited customization
| Playstyle | Freedom | Safety | Customization | Upkeep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo homestead | ★★★★★ | ★★ | Full | Self-sustained |
| Group village | ★★★★ | ★★★ | Full | Shared |
| Keep housing | ★★ | ★★★★★ | Restricted | Silver tax |
Solo homesteading is the most rewarding way to experience Anvil Empires' peaceful side. Focusing on a single resource type — such as mining and blacksmithing, or lumberjacking — gives your homestead a clear identity and strong trading leverage.
Solo Homestead Career Paths
Out in the wild, you are surrounded by many resource types, and each one supports a different livelihood. Choosing a specialty shapes your entire gameplay loop.
| Career | Activities | Products |
|---|---|---|
| Miner/Blacksmith | Gather stone and ore, refine, forge | Tools and weapons |
| Lumberjack | Chop trees, process lumber | Building materials, trade goods |
| Hunter | Track animals with a bow | Meat for cooking, leather for armor |
| Fisher | Fish rivers, lakes, oceans | Steady food supply |
| Farmer | Plant, harvest, raise animals | Crops, food, bred horses for soldiers |
Specializing in one resource gives your homestead a clear identity and makes you valuable on the player market. Diversifying is safer early on, but produces less surplus for trade.
Horse breeding deserves special mention: selling mounts to soldiers heading off to war is one of the most distinctive peaceful professions in the game, directly linking homesteaders to the frontline war effort without ever picking up a sword.
Getting Started: From Signup to Settlement
Follow the Steam Page
Add Anvil Empires to your Steam wishlist and follow the official page so you catch the early access launch announcement the moment it goes live.
Join Pre-Alpha Testing
Join the official Anvil Empires Discord and sign up for pre-alpha testing through the linked channels to get hands-on experience before release.
Choose Your Homestead Style
Decide between a solo wilderness plot, a cooperative village with friends, or a secure homestead inside a keep's walls.
Pick a Specialty
Commit to a resource focus — mining, lumber, hunting, fishing, or farming — to establish your homestead's identity.
Engage the Economy
Use marketplaces and neighbor-to-neighbor trading to turn your surplus into the resources and silver you need to grow.
If you are brand new, settle inside a keep first. You get free access to high-tier crafting stations, public forges, marketplace access, and protection from raids while you learn the systems. Move out to your own homestead once you know what lifestyle suits you.
How Anvil Empires Differs From Foxhole
Both games share the concept of persistent war, but Anvil Empires leans heavily into survival mechanics, personal homesteads, resource gathering, and player-driven marketplaces. This creates a slower, more immersive style of play.
| Feature | Foxhole | Anvil Empires |
|---|---|---|
| Pacing | Fast, combat-focused | Slower, survival-driven |
| Personal property | Limited | Full homestead ownership |
| Economy | Faction logistics | Player-driven markets |
| Playstyle range | Frontline focused | War, trade, or peaceful life |
| Island living | N/A | Optional isolated island bases |
If you are a diehard Foxhole fan expecting the same experience, Anvil Empires may not fully scratch that itch. It is becoming its own distinct game — try the pre-alpha before committing to a specific playstyle.
Early Access Checklist
Before and During Early Access:
- Wishlist Anvil Empires on Steam and follow the official page
- Join the official Discord and sign up for pre-alpha testing
- Choose your homestead style: solo, group, or keep
- Pick a resource specialty for trading identity
- Trade surplus at keep marketplaces for silver and supplies
FAQ
Q: Is Anvil Empires available on Steam yet?
Anvil Empires is expected to enter early access soon according to the developers, and pre-alpha testing is currently available through the official Discord. Watch the official Steam page for the exact launch date.
Q: Can I play Anvil Empires peacefully without fighting?
Yes. You can build a solo homestead, farm, hunt, fish, breed horses, or specialize in a resource like smithing or lumber, and trade through player-driven markets without direct combat.
Q: What are the three main homestead options?
You can build a solo homestead in the wilderness, build a larger cooperative village with friends, or claim a small homestead inside the protected walls of a keep, trading freedom for safety and convenience.
Q: Does living in a keep cost anything?
Yes, keep living comes with a silver tax. You also give up most customization options, but in exchange you get safety from raids, high-tier crafting stations, public forges, and marketplace access.