Conan Exiles Early Access release date set, new in-game footage unveiled

First teased in January this year, Funcom's Conan Exiles now has an Early Access launch date: January 31, 2017.

To mark the occasion, the open world survival sandbox also has a new trailer which showcases combat, brief glimpses of crafting, and a huge terrain-smashing statue that has not only been mysteriously brought to life, but is also going toe-to-toe with a similarly sized and equally aggressive snake. Need to be seen to be believed? Please, be my guest:

As we noted last week, Funcom hasn't exactly inundated us with Conan Exiles information since its announcement earlier this year, however the developer suggests this "shows the results of the hard work [it] has put into both graphics and gameplay since June"—the last time it released anything in the way of footage.

According to game director Joel Bylos, the open-world survival genre is suited to the Conan the Barbarian universe and narrative. "If there ever was a world that can truly test your strength and skill, it is the brutal and savage world of Conan the Barbarian," he says. "Conan Exiles is not just an empty sandbox, it is a world rich in history where you must discover the secrets of ancient civilizations as you struggle to build your own."

Conan Exiles is due to enter Steam's Early Access initiative on January 31, 2017.