From Press Release:
DALLAS, TX (October 13, 2026) | Apogee Entertainment and developer Strollart today announced that Below The Stone, the punishing dwarven extraction roguelike, will launch into Version 1.0 on November 17, 2026, for Windows PC via Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store for $14.99.
After years of burrowing through Early Access alongside its community, Below The Stone‘s 1.0 release brings the dwarves’ greatest expedition yet. Descend into the all-new Layer 3, explore nine new biomes, face powerful new bosses, master an entirely new tier of magical weapons and equipment, and continue rebuilding the Dwarven Kingdom with new quests, characters, and progression.
But no matter how deep the dwarves dig, one rule remains unchanged: if you die below the stone, everything you carried down with you remains below the stone.
Dig Deeper Than Ever Before
Every expedition in Below The Stone begins in the Dwarven Kingdom. Prepare your loadout, craft weapons and armor, choose what precious equipment you’re willing to risk, and descend beneath the surface on missions in search of rare resources, treasure, and answers hidden deep underground.
Each descent generates a new network of caves, dungeons, creatures, resources, and dangers to overcome. Make it back to the kingdom alive and those riches can be safely stored, crafted into stronger equipment, or used to prepare for an even deeper expedition.
Fall in battle, however, and the equipment and treasure carried by that dwarf are lost below. Not all hope is lost, though! Certain items from your previous expedition may turn up in the hands of the Kingdom’s Goblin Trader, where particularly attached dwarves can buy them back… for a price.
With 27 biomes across three increasingly dangerous cave layers, unique enemies, dungeons, quests, bosses, and character builds spanning melee, ranged, and magical combat, Version 1.0 completes the journey from the Dwarven Kingdom to the deepest reaches of the stone.
What’s New in Below The Stone 1.0
- Descend Into Layer 3: The deepest and most dangerous layer yet arrives with nine new biomes, new creatures, resources, dungeons, equipment, and challenges awaiting dwarves brave enough to reach it.
- Big Dwarf, Bigger Bosses: Layer 2 and Layer 3 receive major boss encounters that put everything players have learned, crafted, and collected to the test. Just don’t expect us to the danger awaiting at the very bottom.
- Master Dwarven Magic: Harness an entirely new tier of magic weapons and equipment, opening another way to conquer the depths alongside established melee and ranged playstyles.
- Suit Up with Nine New Armor Sets: Layer 3 introduces nine new armor sets supporting different builds and playstyles. Combine equipment, armor set bonuses, weapons, and accessories to specialize or mix and match across melee, ranged, and magic.
- Meet the Magic Crafter: A new NPC joins the growing Dwarven Kingdom, helping players turn their discoveries below the surface into powerful magical equipment.
- Build a Better Kingdom: Complete new NPC quests and watch the Dwarven Kingdom grow alongside your progression, expanding the home dwarves return to between expeditions.
- More Reasons to Explore: Biome-specific resources have been expanded throughout much of the Early Access content, making exploration and discovery an even greater part of crafting and character progression.
- Let There Be Light: New dynamic lighting brings additional atmosphere to the caves, biomes, dungeons, spells, and dangers lurking beneath the surface.
- Accessorize: Discover and craft accessories that can further modify your build and help prepare for the increasingly dangerous layers below.
- Achievements: Put years of dwarven determination to the test with achievements arriving alongside Version 1.0.
Forged Alongside the Community
Below The Stone has grown considerably throughout Early Access, with Strollart continuing to shape the game around feedback from the dwarves actually risking their beards below the surface.
Updates have expanded the Dwarven Kingdom with new NPCs and questlines, introduced ranged combat and alternate melee attacks, added armor set bonuses and accessories, overhauled enemy behaviors and combat, expanded the caves with new biomes, and provided players with new ways to recover from a particularly disastrous expedition.
Version 1.0 brings those years of development together into a complete journey through all three layers, while laying the foundation for Strollart to continue supporting Below The Stone after launch.
“Blood, sweat, and tears have gone into Below The Stone over the years, and we’re incredibly excited to finally deliver the complete journey we’ve been working toward,” said Mike Strollart, lead developer. “The community has helped shape this game throughout Early Access, and 1.0 is our answer to so much of what players have told us they wanted. Reaching 1.0 doesn’t mean we’re done digging, either. We’d love to keep building on Below The Stone after launch.”
Below The Stone Key Features
- Every Descent is Different: Explore procedurally generated cave complexes filled with different layouts, resources, enemies, dungeons, and discoveries every time you head underground.
- Risk It or Bank It: Store valuable equipment and resources safely in the Dwarven Kingdom or bring your best gear underground for a better chance at surviving deeper layers. Fall during an expedition and the loot you carried is lost, though there may occasionally be a chance to recover certain prized possessions back in the Kingdom.
- 27 Biomes to Discover: Venture through three layers containing distinct environments with their own creatures, resources, hazards, and treasures.
- Build Your Dwarf Your Way: Equip armor, weapons, accessories, and set bonuses across melee, ranged, and magic-focused builds, or combine them to create your own playstyle.
- Fight Through Dungeons and Bosses: Discover dungeons throughout the depths and prepare to face major encounters standing between your dwarf and the next layer.
- Grow the Dwarven Kingdom: Rescue characters, complete quests, unlock new crafting opportunities, and expand the kingdom that serves as home between expeditions.
Below The Stone launches into Version 1.0 on November 17, 2026, for Windows PC via Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store for $14.99, with a 20% launch discount available for a limited time.
Players can delve into Below The Stone today via Steam Early Access ahead of the Version 1.0 launch.
For more information about Apogee Entertainment, visit www.apogeeent.com, follow Apogee on Bluesky, X (Twitter), Facebook, Threads, and Instagram, subscribe on YouTube, and join the community on Discord.
An Apogee Entertainment press kit containing key art, screenshots, logos, and additional assets is available here.
About Below The Stone
Below The Stone is a punishing pixel art extraction roguelike where dwarves descend into procedurally generated caves in search of riches, resources, and the mysteries buried within the deepest layers. Prepare in the Dwarven Kingdom, choose what equipment you’re willing to risk, complete missions and quests, battle monsters, explore dungeons, and return home with enough treasure to prepare for the next expedition.
The deeper you go, the greater the danger and the greater the reward. But beware: if your dwarf falls below the surface, everything they carried remains buried below the stone. Common games you might compare to Below the Stone include Deep Rock Galactic, Terraria, Stardew Valley’s mining, and Enter the Gungeon.
About Strollart
Founded as a place for a group of friends to come together and express their love of indie games, Strollart looks to break the formula that’s pervasive within the AAA space and build something that can only be found within indie development. Mike Strollart, director, producer, and artist, is joined by Andrew, Karam, Eric, Dean, and Matt in the development of their debut game, Below The Stone, with an eye set on showing what a few friends in a metaphorical basement can put together.
Strollart has an active Discord community that you can join.
About Apogee Entertainment
Founded by industry pioneer Scott Miller, known for his pivotal role in incubating iconic studios such as 3D Realms, id Software, and Remedy Entertainment, Apogee is one of gaming’s most enduring labels. The company enjoys a legacy that spans over three decades, having a hand in launching landmark franchises such as Duke Nukem, Prey, and Max Payne.
Today, the company is an indie powerhouse, publishing and co-developing bold, genre-defining games from the next generation of global independent creators. Apogee continues to build its library of genre-defining hits by catering to underserved audiences, fostering the development of unique, memorable, and highly focused experiences that resonate with players for years to come. Recent Apogee hits include the acclaimed Total Chaos, Turbo Overkill, and Wizordum, with highly anticipated titles such as Below The Stone, Quest Master, LUCID, and Vexlands.
For more information about Apogee Entertainment, visit www.apogeeent.com, follow Apogee on Twitter/X, BlueSky, Facebook, and Instagram, subscribe on YouTube, and join the community on Discord.
