It feels like forever since we first heard that iconic, distorted "yippee" of the hoarding bug, doesn’t it? Honestly, the timeline of this game is a bit of a trip. People keep searching for a "final" release date like there’s going to be some massive, world-changing 1.0 drop tomorrow, but they’re missing the forest for the trees.
The lethal company release date wasn't just a single day in history; it was the start of a weird, chaotic era of indie gaming that we're still living through in 2026.
When was Lethal Company actually released?
If you want the hard numbers, the game officially hit Steam Early Access on October 23, 2023.
Zeekerss, the solo dev behind the madness, basically dropped it onto the storefront with a "here you go" attitude. It didn't explode instantly. It took a few weeks for the clips of people getting absolutely flattened by landmines or snatched by the Bracken to start circulating on TikTok and Twitter. By November 2023, the game was a juggernaut. It sold over 10 million copies by January 2024. That's insane for a game made by one person who started out making Roblox maps.
The development timeline (The "Real" Dates)
Most players don't realize the game existed way before the Steam page.
- May 26, 2022: First teased on Patreon.
- July 8, 2022: The announcement teaser trailer dropped on YouTube.
- October 23, 2023: The Early Access launch that changed everything.
- Late 2024 - 2025: The era of the "Big Updates" (v50, v60, etc.).
Is there a 1.0 release date yet?
Short answer: No.
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Longer answer: Zeekerss is kinda famously unpredictable. Early on, back in November 2023, he mentioned wanting to finish the game within six months. Well, we've blown past that deadline by about two years now. But that’s actually a good thing. Instead of rushing to a "finished" state and stopping, the game has evolved into a platform. We’ve seen "The Hopping Update," "The Cruising Update," and "The Stuffy Update" bring everything from drivable vehicles to creatures that are "technically the most powerful in the game" according to the dev’s own tweets in 2025.
The community stopped asking for a 1.0 date because, frankly, the Early Access tag doesn't mean much when the game is already this polished and fun. It's essentially a live-service game without the corporate greed.
Why the release date still matters in 2026
You might think a game from 2023 would be dead by now.
You’d be wrong.
Lethal Company has maintained a weirdly stable player base. Even in the "lulls" between major patches, you’ve still got thousands of people trying to hit that high quota. The game even made its way into Fortnite back in 2024—the "Employee" skin is basically a badge of honor now.
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The reason people still hunt for the lethal company release date is often because they’re looking for the next "big" thing. They want to know when the next wave of content is hitting so they can drag their friends back into the facility. Recent Patreon posts from Zeekerss have hinted at even more ambitious tiles for the interiors—think garages and massive mansion expansions—meaning the "finished" date is likely still a moving target.
What most people get wrong about the updates
People see a gap of a few months and assume the game is abandoned. Zeekerss has been pretty open about burnout and the pressure of such a massive hit. He’s taken breaks to play other games—like the competitor REPO—and even released smaller, weirder side projects. This isn't a AAA studio with a roadmap carved in stone. It’s one guy with a vision that changes as he goes.
Actionable insights for players
If you’re waiting for a "full release" to jump in, you’re doing it wrong. Here is what you should actually do:
- Check the Version History: Don't just look at the store page. Look at the version number in the bottom left of the main menu. If you aren't on at least v60+, you're missing out on the Company Cruiser and some of the most terrifying late-game moons.
- Mod it until it breaks: The release date matters less than the modding community. Use the Thunderstore Mod Manager. Mods like MoreCompany (for bigger lobbies) or LateGameUpgrades are essentially the "1.0 version" players have built for themselves.
- Follow the Patreon: If you want the real "release dates" for upcoming features, Zeekerss posts his most detailed thoughts there.
- Watch the Sales: The game almost always goes on sale during the Steam Summer and Winter sales, usually dropping from its base $9.99 price to around $6.49.
The Company doesn't care about "official" launch dates. The Company only cares about the quota. Get back to work.