Project Heartbeat

Early access since Mar 2020

Project Heartbeat is the ultimate cute community-driven rhythm game, featuring music from top artists of the Eurobeat genre made popular by the Initial D anime and manga.

90% positive · 413 reviews

Not yet

In early access, content still planned

High confidence

Content Planned

Not yet

In early access, content still planned

High confidence

Content Planned

Where to buy

Steam Updated 9 Oct 2026 $9.99

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Evaluation

Project Heartbeat has been in Early Access since March 2020 and remains there today. The Steam Early Access flag is still active, and the developer has explicitly stated the game will stay in Early Access until proper marketing materials are ready for a properly promoted launch. The most recent substantive developer communication was on February 27, 2026 (News Roundup #11), in which the developer confirmed that version 1.0 has been soft-launched to the stable branch but the official exit from Early Access is being held until marketing materials are ready. That post detailed 4 new songs currently in development (one already in-game but missing its artwork), an ongoing UI redesign with an external designer contracted, and a checklist of remaining items: a new trailer, PHZ format stabilization, and a "secret thing" in progress. An April 1, 2026 post was an April Fools joke and carries no substantive development information. The April 2025 update (0.20.2) announced a collaboration with content creator BananaJuju for an upcoming song, and noted that two previously licensed eurobeat classics were in limbo due to a licensor going silent. Development slowed after the developer took a full-time job at a game studio in early 2025, but they have been transparent about continuing to work on Project Heartbeat on weekends and during free time. The game has received consistent updates: the major Phoenix engine overhaul shipped in May 2024 (full Godot 4 migration with rebuilt input, multiplayer, and video systems), update 0.20 "All Aboard!" shipped in January 2025 (the final planned Early Access-era update, adding rush notes and new songs), and several patch updates followed in February and April 2025. New songs, a UI overhaul, and a formal 1.0 marketing launch all remain outstanding. The developer is actively working toward that milestone.

Evidence

Developer confirms 1.0 has been soft-launched to stable branch but the game will remain in Early Access until marketing materials are ready. Four new songs are in development (one already in-game without graphics), a UI redesign is underway with a contracted external designer, and the remaining checklist includes a new trailer, PHZ format stabilization, and a 'secret thing'.

news post · Feb 27, 2026 source content planned

high

Update 0.20.2 released with bug fixes and performance improvements. Developer announces a BananaJuju collab song in development. Notes that two previously licensed eurobeat classics are in limbo due to licensor going silent. Developer confirms working on PH weekends and spare time after taking a full-time job.

news post · Apr 27, 2025 source content planned

high

Media

Details

Developer

EIRTeam

Publisher

EIRTeam

Achievements

Platform

Windows, Linux

Controller

full support

Steam Deck

Not rated

Players

Single-player · Multiplayer · PvP

Indie Early Access Rhythm Music Moddable Anime Competitive

About this game

NOTE: Project Heartbeat makes no use of generative AI in the game code or its assets.

Project Heartbeat is the ultimate cute community-driven rhythm game, featuring music from top artists of the Eurobeat genre made popular by the Initial D anime and manga.

Play over 25 hand-charted official songs, enjoy the insanity of multiplayer or make your own using the chart editor!

Play officially licensed high-quality songs from many different artists!

Project Heartbeat features songs from SuganoMusic, TORAV4 and Galaxian Recordings! More than 15 songs are in development! Hit the indicated buttons to build your score and conquer the fast adrenaline pumping Eurobeat and pop songs!

The game allows for two different styles, hopefully you will enjoy both of them!

Play, create and share custom content on the Steam Workshop!

With our bespoke professional-grade editor you create your own charts and share them with your friends on the Steam Workshop, all community-made songs get their own leaderboards and you can even use videos as backgrounds!

Additionally, you can also share and play custom resource packs made by the community! You can create your own note graphics and even change the whole UI completely!

The Project Heartbeat community is highly welcoming to new players and content creators!

Compete against other players in the global leaderboards!

All songs, including community-made ones, get their own leaderboards for all difficulties! Try and match and beat the scores of other community members! You can get in depth stats and progression history by visiting the website!

Featuring the Shinobu engine: An audio engine specifically made for rhythm games

Project Heartbeat uses its own custom open source audio engine named Shinobu, refined after 5 years of development, it results in the lowest latency, most responsive rhythm game experience!

Shinobu also makes use of a tickless system (popularized by Counter-Strike 2) to ensure sub-frame accuracy of inputs, truly delightful!

Features

Hit notes to build up your your score.
Compete for the top spot in the leaderboards for official and community-made songs!
Create and share your own charts!
Play against your friends with the multiplayer mode
Import charts from your existing PPD install using the PPD manager tool.
Play with the included songs from top artists from popular eurobeat circles such as SuganoMusic and Galaxian Recordings or from independent artists like Odyssey Eurobeat, with a total of more than 25 songs, with more to come!
Complete Steam Workshop support, play the existing 2000+ community-made charts.
UI skinning!
Note skinning!
Full FFmpeg integration, so you can use video files in your custom songs!
Challenge yourself with the higher difficulty songs!