4J Studios, the Scottish developer famous for the monumental task of porting Minecraft to consoles, has transitioned its new sandbox project into a more public phase. After nearly a year of closed testing, the studio’s open-world builder, Reforj, is now available via the Xbox Insider programme.
The move marks a significant milestone for the Dundee-based team, shifting from a restricted “Pioneer Program” to a broader audience. While the game remains in pre-alpha, the Xbox Insider release allows a much larger pool of players to stress-test the proprietary Elements Engine and provide feedback on the procedural voxel worlds.
Built on a custom foundation
Unlike many modern sandboxes that rely on off-the-shelf engines, Chris van der Kuyl and Paddy Burns have opted to build Reforj on their own tech. The Elements Engine is designed specifically to handle the demands of high-fidelity voxel manipulation, offering sculpting tools and architectural flexibility that go beyond simple block stacking.
The current pre-alpha build features diverse biomes, multiplayer functionality, and community-influenced content. One such addition is the Stalac, an ore-consuming mob that originated from player suggestions. This focus on “player-studio collaboration” suggests 4J Studios is leaning into the community-driven development model that made its previous work so enduring.
A lost civilisation and exotic voxels
In its current state, Reforj tasks players with exploring exotic landscapes to uncover the remnants of a lost civilisation. The gameplay loop balances creative expression with survival elements, though the primary draw remains the “sculpting” mechanics. These tools allow for more organic shapes and intricate décor than the rigid grids typically associated with the genre.
Chris van der Kuyl, Co-founder of 4J Studios, explained in the press release:
“The team at 4J Studios have been working hard to bring Reforj to our passionate community, and we are so excited to finally be going open on Xbox Insider for all to enjoy. Our Pioneers, and wider Reforj community, have helped the 4J team reach this milestone in the title’s roadmap with their feedback and dedication, and we cannot wait to see all of the amazing builds that will come from our Pioneers going forward!”
The game is available for free to members of the Xbox Insider programme. As a pre-alpha title, it is expected to receive regular updates as 4J Studios moves toward a full commercial launch. For those looking to dive deeper into development, the studio is also centralising its community efforts on the official Reforj Discord.
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