Noun Town Is Out of Early Access: What Version 1.0 Looks Like
Noun Town launched on Steam in Early Access in 2023 with a handful of languages and a lot of rough edges. Today it leaves Early Access as a full 1.0 release, with 12 learnable languages, cross-device sync, Steam achievements, and a long list of features that came directly from player feedback.
This post covers everything that changed during Early Access, in the order it shipped. If you bought the game in those early days, this is what you helped build.
What changed during Early Access
Four major updates dropped over roughly 18 months. Here is what each one added.
- Six new learnable languages added: American English, Egyptian Arabic, Greek, Spanish (Mexico), Russian, and Ukrainian
- Game menus and UI localised into nine languages so players can use the game in their own language
- Community bug fixes across several areas of the game
- New text-based input method added as an alternative to voice recognition. Works offline, includes phonetic input, and shows hints when you get something wrong
- LINK feature added: back up your progress and sync your learning across multiple devices, including the VR version of Noun Town
- Steam Deck now fully supported
- Furigana added throughout the game when learning Japanese. This was the single most-requested feature from Japanese learners
- Furigana appears in object info, the dictionary, lessons, all NPC dialogues, and the Colour and Number mini-games
- Progress page added: a dedicated screen showing how much you have learned and what content is still left to discover
- Steam achievements added
- Settings panel added showing all key bindings in one place
- SRS review sessions capped at 30 words per session to prevent overload (you can still run as many sessions as you like)
- In-game Dictionary improved for easier navigation and review
- Fabricator expanded so you can find and spawn items more quickly
Where the game stands at 1.0
At full release, Noun Town covers 12 languages: Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Mexico), French, German, Italian, Russian, Greek, Egyptian Arabic and English. Each language has over 1,000 words and phrases. The game has more than 590 reviews on Steam with an 87% positive rating, and over 200,000 players across the full Noun Town series.
The core experience is the same as it always was. You explore an open world, interact with objects to learn vocabulary, and the game surfaces words for review at the right time using spaced repetition. Progress shows up as colour returning to a world that starts in black and white. There are no lessons, no subscription, and no ads.
What 1.0 adds on top of the original release is a much more complete game: more languages, better input options for players who don't want to use a microphone, the ability to carry your progress across devices, script support for Japanese learners, and proper visibility into how far through the game you actually are.
What does "out of Early Access" mean for existing players?
If you already own the game, nothing changes. You keep access to everything. The 1.0 release just means development has reached the scope we set out to build, and the Early Access label comes off.
Is Noun Town still being updated after 1.0?
Yes. Leaving Early Access is a milestone, not a finish line. We will keep updating the game based on what players ask for, the same way we have throughout Early Access.
What is the price of Noun Town at 1.0?
Noun Town is $19.99 on Steam. One purchase gives you access to all 12 languages, with no subscription and no in-app purchases.
Noun Town is available now on Steam for PC and Mac.
Get it on SteamThanks to everyone who played during Early Access, left a review, or posted in the community hub. The updates above exist because of what you told us. We hope 1.0 feels like it was worth the wait.