A small thought about the first year of Early Access possible reward that @itsmechiie7 mentioned here and on Discord.
It could be great if players who were around during this first year received some kind of permanent badge or achievement tied to that period. Something simple but meaningful that shows you were part of the early days of the game.
For example, a badge or achievement like: “Year One Pioneer”, “Founding Zoier”, • “Early Access Veteran”.
It could appear as a small badge on the Canvas page, and when you hover over it, it could say something like:
“Here since the first year of Early Access.”
Another option could be expanding this into a full achievement system, similar to games like Don’t Starve or ACNH sort of thing. For example:
• Exploration achievements
• Career / work milestones
• Gardening or cultivation achievements
• Social interaction milestones
• Creativity / building achievements
It wouldn’t change gameplay, but it would give players fun long-term goals and also celebrate the people who helped shape the game during Early Access.
Just a small idea, but I think things like this help create history and identity for the community.