From Press Release:
Watford, UK – October 27th, 2026: Some developers avoid launching alongside the biggest games in the world. Others apparently look at the release calendar and think, “Hold my cannon.” Independent publisher Wired Productions and acclaimed solo developer Tomas Sala have announced that ShipShaper is getting multiplayer combat on November 19, 2026, in a major free Early Access update on Steam.
Yes, that’s the same day as Grand Theft Auto VI.
ShipShaper is a standalone creative shipbuilding sandbox, built around the freedom to design, experiment and bring incredible ships to life. From the creator of The Falconeer and Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles, the game invites players to explore the possibilities of shipbuilding through a deep, physics-driven simulation.
Now, there’s a whole new reason to build.
The upcoming multiplayer update brings ShipShaper’s creative shipbuilding and realistic physics together with the chaos of naval battles, allowing players to design their own vessels, put them through their paces and put them to the test against friends!
Create it. Make it work. Put it to the test.
- Build your ship: From elegant sailing vessels to pre-dreadnought French ironclads, ShipShaper gives players the freedom to design and create their own ships, piece by piece.
- Master the physics: Every design is put to the test through ShipShaper’s physics simulation. Balance, weight, sails and engineering all matter. Just because something looks seaworthy doesn’t mean it’ll stay afloat.
- Battle your creations: Take your ships online, challenge friends and other players, and enter persistent multiplayer arenas for naval combat and racing. Discover whether your masterpiece is a formidable fighting machine or an overladen, half-sinking piece of junk.
The multiplayer update marks the third major stage of ShipShaper’s Early Access journey, bringing together the three pillars of the experience:
Creativity. Physics. Multiplayer.
What began with the freedom to build has evolved into a physics-driven sandbox, now taking its next step with multiplayer. Whether you’re building the ultimate warship, racing friends or simply seeing whose questionable engineering survives the longest, there’s plenty of room for fun and chaos on the open seas.
Of course, November 19 is shaping up to be a rather busy day in gaming… one game has fast cars, sprawling cities and high-speed chases. The other has boats. And cannons… and the open ocean.
Players won’t have to wait until November 19 to get involved. An exclusive multiplayer playtest is live today through https://shipshaper.firstlook.
gg, giving players an early opportunity to experience the new mode and help shape the update ahead of launch. SHIPSHAPER is available now in Steam Early Access, with the multiplayer update launching as a free update on November 19, 2026.
Build it. Battle it. Sink your friends.
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