Moonlighter developer delays ReVamp Steam playtest over AI clone fears

Digital Sun has scaled back the first public playtest for ReVamp, saying it is concerned that releasing a large pre-launch build could make the game easier to reverse-engineer and copy with generative AI tools.

The studio behind Moonlighter and Cataclismo originally planned to begin inviting Steam users into the game from October 29. Testing will still begin that day, but access will now be distributed in smaller waves through Digital Sun’s Discord instead of opening the build to a much larger Steam audience.

Digital Sun said recent examples of games being cloned before their original releases caused the team to reconsider its plans. The studio has not said that ReVamp itself has already been copied, making the change a preventative measure rather than a response to an existing clone.

 The developer also argued that early public testing remains particularly valuable to indie studios because it provides feedback while helping games build an audience before launch. The change does not mean the wider Steam playtest has been cancelled permanently. Digital Sun currently hopes to open public testing around January, while its smaller Discord-based test will start on October 29 and add players gradually.

ReVamp describes itself as a “Tower Defensevania” in which players control Dracula and defend his castle from repeated attacks by mortal invaders. Instead of entering someone else’s dungeon, players construct and rearrange their own fortress room by room while commanding monsters and fighting attackers directly.

Each siege can introduce changing enemy formations and stronger leaders, while defeat feeds into a roguelite progression system. Blood collected across runs can be spent on new rooms, stronger creatures and additional strategic options for future attempts.

Digital Sun announced earlier in October that ReVamp will launch on Steam on March 25, 2027. That release date has not changed as part of the revised testing plans.

Digital Sun is not alone in becoming more cautious about distributing playable builds. Other developers have recently raised concerns that demos, trailers and early builds can give copycats enough material to reproduce recognizable mechanics or presentation using increasingly capable generative AI tools.

That creates an awkward problem for smaller studios because public demos and playtests are also useful for gathering feedback and building wishlists. Restricting access can protect more of an unfinished game, but it also reduces the number of players able to test it before release.

For ReVamp, Digital Sun is trying to keep both options open. Selected players will still get access beginning October 29, while the studio is targeting a broader public test around January before the full Steam launch on March 25, 2027.