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Caves of Qud: Diaspora, the science-fantasy roguelike’s first expansion, enters Steam Early Access on December 9, 2026. Its defining change is available at character creation: you can begin a run as a Mutated Animal or Mutated Plant instead of starting as a human and acquiring those forms later. That includes a tree, alongside other animal and plant bodies.
What Diaspora changes about starting a run
In the base game, a human character can develop plant or animal traits through mutations. Diaspora reverses that direction as well: Mutated Animal and Mutated Plant become starting genotypes. The official description summarizes the option as, “Play as a dog, cat, frog, chameleon, vine, tree, etc…”
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That makes the sapient-tree premise literal at the level that matters most to a roguelike player: the body and identity you choose before the first expedition. PC Gamer’s Lincoln Carpenter described the symmetry as beginning “as a tree and mutat[ing] into a man,” rather than beginning as a human and mutating into plant form. The exact mechanics of every stock are not all specified yet, so the tree should be understood as a selectable plant starting type, not as a promise that every plant plays identically.
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Release date, price and required game
Diaspora launches into Steam Early Access on December 9, 2026. The official announcement lists a $14.99 launch price. It is downloadable content, not a standalone game, and the Steam listing says it requires the base game Caves of Qud.
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| Detail | What is confirmed |
|---|---|
| Release | Steam Early Access, December 9, 2026 |
| Launch price | $14.99, as listed in the official announcement |
| Dependency | Requires the base game Caves of Qud |
| Format | Paid downloadable expansion |
| Development plan | Ongoing Early Access updates expected through 2027 |
Playable animals and plants
The current Steam product description lists nine animal stocks and three plant stocks. Named examples include dog, cat, frog, chameleon, vine and tree. Diaspora also adds progression systems and mutations designed for animal and plant characters, so these are more than cosmetic starting portraits.
The practical distinction from a conventional humanoid opening is character identity. Your species traits, mutation choices and emergent interactions can shape a run from its first decisions, while the game’s existing systems still provide the broader framework for experimentation. The listing does not yet provide a complete mechanical breakdown for each of the 12 stocks, so players should expect details to become clearer during Early Access.
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Launch content beyond new genotypes
The plant-and-animal starts headline Diaspora, but the launch build also broadens several other parts of Qud’s simulation.
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- A new True Kin arcology with additional castes.
- Two new humanoid callings.
- Spear weapons, plus new creatures and items.
- Dromad caravans and mountable saltbacks.
- Improved road and river networks.
These additions matter because Qud’s appeal comes from systems colliding in unpredictable ways. New travel routes, caravan encounters, mounts, equipment and species options can alter how a run develops even when you are not playing a plant.
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What is planned during Early Access
Freehold Games and Kitfox Games have announced a roadmap that extends beyond the December launch. Roadmap features are plans, not fixed guarantees; Early Access content and timing can change.
- A multi-step questline centered on migrant influxes.
- Additional animal and plant stocks.
- Foxen and Snailfolk factions.
- Roaming mega-caravans.
- Underground villages.
- Large multi-zone dungeons and arcological spaces.
- Dynamic quests.
- New creatures, items, item mods, biomes and ingredients.
- Diseases and fungal infections.
- New music.
The official announcement says development is expected to continue through 2027, making the launch version a starting point for the expansion rather than its final scope.
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How Diaspora compares with the base-game experience
| Axis | Base game before Diaspora | Diaspora |
|---|---|---|
| Character identity | Humanoid starts, with animal or plant traits acquired through play | Selectable animal and plant starting genotypes, including tree and vine examples |
| Systemic depth | Mutation, cybernetics and emergent interactions | Adds animal/plant progression and mutations alongside the existing systems |
| World scope | Existing creatures, factions, settlements and travel networks | Adds an arcology, castes, callings, creatures, items, caravans, saltback mounts and improved roads and rivers |
| Purchase model | Standalone base game | Paid Steam DLC that requires Caves of Qud |
| Maturity | Established game | Early Access expansion with announced updates through 2027 |
Who should pay attention
Diaspora is aimed at players who want the game’s mutation-driven experimentation to begin before character creation ends. A plant or animal genotype changes the premise of a run immediately, while the added arcology, factions, caravans, equipment and travel systems expand the world for existing Qud players. The Early Access model is the key trade-off: the $14.99 launch build has documented content, but the broader roadmap remains unfinished and subject to change.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIf you are deciding whether to buy, check the dependency first: ownership of the base game is required. If you already have Caves of Qud and specifically want to begin as a tree, vine or another listed stock, December 9 is the date to watch; if you want a finished expansion with every roadmap feature, the announced 2027 development period means waiting may suit you better.
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