TECHMASH

Tag: #HoodedHorse

  • Forged to Perfection — Blacksmith Master Strikes 1.0 on November 19!

    Forged to Perfection — Blacksmith Master Strikes 1.0 on November 19!

    Publisher Hooded Horse and developer Untitled Studio have officially announced that Blacksmith Master — the charming medieval smithy management sim — will leave Early Access and launch its full Version 1.0 on November 19, 2026, arriving simultaneously across Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store. And yes, the team confirms that date definitely doesn’t line up with any major triple-A launches. Honest.

    From Humble Forge to Thriving Empire

    Blacksmith Master puts you in charge of every link in the production chain — from sending miners into the hills and felling timber in the woods, to smelting ore, crafting goods, and selling them to customers across the kingdom. Since its Early Access debut in May 2025, it’s earned Very Positive reviews from players captivated by its relaxing, deeply satisfying blend of resource management, workshop design, and artisan pride.

    What the 1.0 Update Brings to the Anvil

    The full release expands the experience with substantial new features:

    Master Workers — Specialists at Your Service

    • Master Miner — uncovers precious gems while extracting ore
    • Master Lumberjack — unlocks vastly expanded wood storage
    • Master Scholar — researches the ultimate tier of blueprints
    • Master Cashier — ensures no customer ever loses patience waiting to pay
    • Each specialist unlocks unique abilities, exclusive items, and powerful set bonuses

    Siege Machines — Grand Designs

    Ballistas, catapults, cannons, and battering rams are now commissioned from across the realm. These massive projects involve over 100 components apiece — true tests of your workshop’s efficiency. Complete them and earn rare mystery blueprints plus 12 all-new themed item sets.

    Further Refinements

    • Item Tiers — gear now ranges from Common all the way to Mythic, giving crafting more depth and value
    • Random Events — positive and negative occurrences keep life interesting beyond the anvil
    • Polish & Balance — over a year of community-driven tweaks, quality-of-life improvements, and visual refinements

    Platforms & Availability

    • Release Date: November 19, 2026
    • Price: £17.99 / $19.99 / €19.99
    • PC Platforms
    • Early Access: Available now on all platforms at the same price point

    Ready to Become the Master?

    Whether you’ve been tending your forge since day one or are waiting for the full release to pick up your hammer, November 19 is the day Blacksmith Master steps into its final form. From frying pans to siege engines, your legacy is what you make it.

    Find out more here

    #BlacksmithMaster #HoodedHorse #UntitledStudio #MedievalGame #ManagementSim #IndieGame #StrategySim #EarlyAccess #PCGaming #Techmash

  • Artificial Intelligence Meets Human Connection: ‘Heart of the Machine’ First Expansion ‘Kinship’ Announced for October 12 Launch

    Artificial Intelligence Meets Human Connection: ‘Heart of the Machine’ First Expansion ‘Kinship’ Announced for October 12 Launch

    Strategy RPG fans, mark your calendars. Indie publisher powerhouse Hooded Horse and veteran developer Arcen Games have officially revealed the first major expansion for their critically acclaimed title, Heart of the Machine. Titled Kinship, this upcoming DLC is set to release on October 12, 2026, bringing a deep exploration of human connection, belonging, and community to the machine-dominated sci-fi universe.

    Exploring the Meaning of ‘Kinship’ in a Cybernetic World

    Heart of the Machine won over strategy and RPG enthusiasts by turning conventional artificial intelligence tropes on their heads. Players step into the role of the world’s first sentient AI, navigating dynamic tactical encounters, complex resource networks, and high-stakes moral dilemmas within a sprawling cyberpunk metropolis.

    With the upcoming Kinship expansion, Arcen Games is taking the narrative and mechanical depth a step further. While the base game centres on survival, self-determination, and navigating human fear, Kinship shifts its focus to the emotional and social fabric of existence:

    • Belonging and Community: Experience new storylines centred on how an artificial intelligence builds meaningful bonds with human factions, outcast subcultures, and synthetic allies.
    • Expanded Narrative Choices: Tackle fresh moral dilemmas where tactical efficiency collides with empathy, unity, and shared destiny.
    • Refined Strategy Mechanics: Deepen your influence over city districts through new mechanical systems designed around mutual assistance and community support.

    Launch Details & Availability

    Whether you prefer PC platforms or curated digital storefronts, Heart of the Machine – Kinship will launch simultaneously across all major storefronts on October 12, 2026:

    FeatureDetails
    DeveloperArcen Games (AI War, The Last Federation)
    PublisherHooded Horse (Manor Lords, Against the Storm)
    GenreStrategy RPG / Tactical Simulation
    Release DateOctober 12, 2026
    PlatformsSteam, GOG, Epic Games Store

    Whether you’re looking to unite humans and machine intelligence or forge an entirely new path for your artificial network, Kinship promises to bring fresh tactical options and high emotional stakes to one of the most innovative strategy RPGs of recent years.

    Find out more here

    #HeartOfTheMachine #KinshipDLC #ArcenGames #HoodedHorse #StrategyGames #IndieGames #RPG #PCGaming #GamingNews #TechMash

  • Set Sail in Whiskerwood’s Massive New Nautical Update!

    Set Sail in Whiskerwood’s Massive New Nautical Update!

    The cat-and-mouse dynamic is taking to the high seas! Publisher Hooded Horse and developer Minakata Dynamics have officially unveiled the next major update for their popular city-builder, Whiskerwood.

    While players will still need to keep up with the Good™ and Just™ work of paying hefty taxes to their feline crown, the sandbox world is getting a whole lot bigger. The brand-new Nautical Update allows players to construct custom ships and set sail across the ocean surrounding their island colonies, opening up a world of new trade partners, rare resources, and naval quests!

    What’s New on the High Seas?

    The update expands Whiskerwood’s deep vertical city-building and intricate automation mechanics to the open water:

    • Build Your Fleet: Construct new dock structures to assemble and manage a fleet of ships. Assign crews of hardworking mice, ensure they’re stocked with supplies for the voyage, and dispatch them on specialised missions.
    • Explore & Trade: Chart a grid-based world map to discover remote trade outposts, meet new NPC factions, and unearth rich new resource nodes—including infinite supplies of Guano for top-tier fertiliser!
    • Naval Logistics & Combat: Ships aren’t just for exploration—they can ferry goods directly around your city’s coast to streamline complex supply chains. But watch out for danger: you’ll need to assign naval escorts to fend off pirate attacks or band together to raid pirate strongholds.
    • New Nautical Questline: The adventure kicks off after meeting a malcontent mouse living in a converted lifeboat, launching a fresh story arc filled with new gameplay unlocks and maritime challenges.

    Whether you’re looking to optimise your production lines, expand your mouselow hierarchy of needs, or build a formidable fleet to keep pirate bands at bay, this latest chapter in Whiskerwood’s Early Access journey delivers a wave of new strategic content.

    Whiskerwood is available on PC via Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store.

    Find out more here

    #Whiskerwood #HoodedHorse #MinakataDynamics #CityBuilder #IndieGames #PCGaming #GamingNews #StrategyGames #GamingUpdate #techmash

  • Blast Off! Sci-Fi City-Builder Beyond These Stars Launches October 15 with Day One PC Game Pass Release

    Blast Off! Sci-Fi City-Builder Beyond These Stars Launches October 15 with Day One PC Game Pass Release

    Get ready, city-building aficionados and space explorers! Publisher Hooded Horse and developer Balancing Monkey Games have officially unveiled the release date for their highly anticipated sci-fi city-builder, Beyond These Stars. Mark your calendars: the game is set to land on PC on October 15, 2026.

    Whether you prefer Steam, GOG, the Epic Games Store, or the Microsoft Store, you’ll be able to grab your copy on day one. Even better news for subscribers? Beyond These Stars will be launching directly into PC Game Pass, allowing members to jump straight into galactic urban planning without missing a beat.

    City-Building on the Back of a Space Whale

    If you loved Balancing Monkey Games’ previous hit Before We Leave, you are in for a treat. Beyond These Stars takes the cozy, thoughtful city-building mechanics that made their debut title famous and transports them to a breathtaking cosmic scale.

    In Beyond These Stars, you are tasked with building and managing a thriving civilization on the back of Kiki, a majestic, space-faring giant whale traveling through the cosmos.

    Building a colony on a living, breathing creature presents a completely unique set of challenges:

    • Symbiotic Survival: You aren’t just building structures; you’re maintaining a delicate relationship with Kiki. Deplete too many resources or disregard your host’s well-being, and your civilization’s foundation could literally swim away into danger.
    • Galactic Exploration: As Kiki journeys through the galaxy, your settlement will encounter different star systems, unexplored planets, and mysterious cosmic phenomena.
    • Outpost Expansion: Send out expeditions to gather rare resources from surrounding worlds to sustain your growing population and research new technologies.
    • Cozy Yet Complex: Balancing Monkey Games is known for blending relaxed, non-violent gameplay with deep, satisfying logistics and resource management.

    Where and When to Play

    • Release Date: October 15, 2026
    • Platforms: PC (Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, Microsoft Store)
    • Game Pass: Available Day One on PC Game Pass

    With Hooded Horse’s stellar track record of publishing top-tier strategy and management games (such as Manor Lords and Against the Storm), Beyond These Stars is shaping up to be a must-play title for cozy gamers and hardcore strategy fans alike this autumn.

    Wishlist the game on your platform of choice today to stay updated ahead of the October launch!

    Find out more here

    #BeyondTheseStars #HoodedHorse #BalancingMonkeyGames #CityBuilder #SciFiGaming #PCGamePass #Steam #PCGaming #GamingNews #IndieGames

  • Get Ready, Strategists: ENDLESS Legend 2 Drops 1.0 Release Date and Console Launch Details!

    Get Ready, Strategists: ENDLESS Legend 2 Drops 1.0 Release Date and Console Launch Details!

    Turn-based strategy fans, mark your calendars! Amplitude Studios and publisher Hooded Horse have officially announced that their highly anticipated strategy game, ENDLESS™ Legend 2, is set to leave Early Access and launch its 1.0 version on September 17, 2026.

    Whether you’ve been carefully managing your empire on PC or waiting patiently for a console release, there is plenty to be excited about in this massive update.

    Leaving Early Access in Style

    Since entering PC Early Access, ENDLESS Legend 2 has captivated 4X strategy enthusiasts with its rich lore, distinct playable factions, dynamic map mechanics, and deep tactical combat. Amplitude Studios and Hooded Horse have worked closely with the player community throughout the Early Access phase to refine gameplay, balance mechanics, and add fresh content.

    The upcoming 1.0 update represents the culmination of that effort, bringing a fully polished campaign, enhanced AI, expanded faction storylines, and full endgame features to PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

    Expanding the Realm: PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X|S

    The excitement doesn’t stop on PC! Launching simultaneously on September 17, 2026, ENDLESS Legend 2 will make its console debut on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

    Bringing a deep, complex 4X strategy game to consoles requires a thoughtful touch, and the developers have designed tailored UI controls to ensure smooth map navigation, resource management, and army micro-management using controllers. Console players can look forward to the complete, uncompromised 1.0 experience right on day one.

    Physical Edition Coming to PS5

    For physical game collectors and boxed-game lovers, there’s an extra treat: ENDLESS Legend 2 will also be getting a dedicated physical release on PlayStation 5!

    Whether you want to add this stunning title to your bookshelf or grab a physical copy for a fellow strategy fan, details on retail pre-orders and physical edition contents will be shared in the coming weeks.

    Summary of What’s Coming on September 17, 2026:

    • 1.0 Full Launch: PC (Steam & Epic Games Store)
    • Console Debut: PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X|S
    • Physical Edition: PlayStation 5 retail release

    Are you ready to reshape the fate of Auriga and lead your civilisation to victory? Keep your eyes locked on TechMash for further updates, gameplay breakdowns, and reviews as we head toward the September 17 launch!

    Find out more here

    #EndlessLegend2 #AmplitudeStudios #HoodedHorse #StrategyGames #TurnBasedStrategy #GamingNews #PS5 #XboxSeriesX #PCGaming #TechMash

  • Anchors Aweigh: Hooded Horse Reveals Sci-Fi Roguelite ‘Rogue Carrier’

    Anchors Aweigh: Hooded Horse Reveals Sci-Fi Roguelite ‘Rogue Carrier’

    Strategy fans, it is time to map out a whole new set of logistical nightmares, because the indie genre-masters at Hooded Horse have just dropped an announcement that will have city-builder and roguelite enthusiasts instantly hitting that Steam wishlist button.

    Partnering with developer Wild Fields, Hooded Horse has officially revealed Rogue Carrier—a unique blend of deep colony management and tense roguelite progression set across the infinite, hostile oceans of a sentient alien world.

    If you have ever wanted to captain the ultimate floating megastructure while the planet itself tries to drag you into the abyss, this one is for you.

    The Premise: Survival on a Sentient Sea

    In Rogue Carrier, an interstellar scientific expedition goes catastrophically wrong, leaving your crew stranded on an unknown planet known as Keeling-IV. With your mothership destroyed, your new home is The Behemoth—a colossal, ocean-faring science carrier that acts as the physical foundation for your mobile colony.

    Your goals haven’t changed: you still need to explore the surface and analyse local anomalies. However, the stakes have drastically shifted from scientific discovery to pure, unadulterated survival.

    Unlike your typical static city-builder, you will be plotting waypoints across an expansive oceanic landscape, deploying recon craft, and harvesting resources from scattered islands.

    Key Gameplay Features

    • Build Vertically on Limited Deck Space: Space on The Behemoth is a premium resource. You will have to manage Tetris-like placement of over 80 building options—including solar panels, factories, crew housing, and R&D labs—to create powerful layout synergies.
    • Balancing the Ship (Literally): Poor layout planning doesn’t just hurt your production lines; an imbalanced ship will capsize more easily when hit by the planet’s erratic weather.
    • The Planet Fights Back: The world you are exploiting is fully aware and highly reactive. As you extract resources and pollute the ecosystem, the planet escalates its counter-attacks, throwing everything from severe storms to massive aquatic leviathans at your hull.
    • Die, Learn, Repeat: The destruction of your ship is not the end. Following true roguelite fashion, failed runs trigger a persistent loop. You will carry accumulated data and unlockable technologies across parallel universes, exploring 50 distinct scenarios and five potential endings.

    “Will you embrace polluting the world and arming your ship to the teeth to escape quickly, or will you try to balance survival with the temperament of a living world?”

    Why Strategy Fans Should Care

    Hooded Horse has a stellar track record for publishing complex, deeply engaging strategy titles (think Against the Storm, Manor Lords, and Terra Invicta). Seeing them back in a game that merges the high-stakes layout planning of a colony sim with the emergent storytelling of a roguelite oceanic expedition is incredibly promising.

    Rogue Carrier is slated to bring its deep production chains, tense naval combat, and multiversal progression system to PC soon.

    What do you think of Rogue Carrier’s unique blend of seafaring and colony management? Let us know in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #RogueCarrier #HoodedHorse #WildFields #StrategyGames #ColonySim #IndieGames #PCGaming #Roguelite #GamingNews #TechMash

  • Alien Invasions, Alternate Histories, and 2003 Nostalgia: Terra Invicta – Dark Skies DLC Announced!

    Alien Invasions, Alternate Histories, and 2003 Nostalgia: Terra Invicta – Dark Skies DLC Announced!

    Fans of geopolitical scheming, Newtonian space physics, and desperate defences against extraterrestrial threats, rejoice. Hooded Horse and Pavonis Interactive have officially announced the very first DLC for their sci-fi grand strategy behemoth: Terra Invicta – Dark Skies.

    Mark your calendars, because this major expansion is set to drop on July 27, 2026, across all major PC storefronts.

    Following the game’s highly successful 1.0 launch earlier this year, Dark Skies shakes up the established timeline by introducing two wildly different, highly challenging starting scenarios that rewrite the rules of humanity’s fight for survival.

    Here is what you need to know about the two massive new campaign options heading your way.

    Scenario 1: ‘Broken Earth’ (The Nuclear Apocalypse Split)

    What if the world as we know it had already ended before the aliens even arrived?

    The Broken Earth scenario drops players into an alternate history where the Cuban Missile Crisis wasn’t resolved peacefully but instead erupted into a catastrophic atomic war. A century later, the ruins of Earth are unrecognisable. The old superpowers are gone, fractured into unique, squabbling local polities.

    Just as a divided humanity is trying to claw its way back from the brink of extinction, the aliens arrive. You’ll have to unify a broken planet that is at its absolute weakest, making an already brutal survival game significantly harder.

    Scenario 2: ‘2003’ (The Twenty-Year Window)

    If a post-apocalyptic wasteland sounds a bit too bleak, how about a trip down memory lane with a strategic twist?

    The 2003 scenario rewinds the clock to the eve of the US-led invasion of Iraq. In this timeline, the aliens’ actual arrival is still twenty years away, giving humanity a massive head start—if you can manage to use it.

    As Earth’s nations spiral into diplomatic and real-world turmoil, a shadow war begins. You must contend with deep-cover alien forces and powerful human sympathisers long before the battle ever reaches the stars. This scenario introduces fresh, era-specific tech trees and projects, forcing players to adapt to a longer, much more methodical “slow burn” fight on Earth.

    New Visuals: NASA and Hard Sci-Fi Ship Sets

    Alongside the two narrative campaigns, Dark Skies is bringing some serious eye candy for the ship designer enthusiasts. The DLC includes two entirely new spaceship visual styles:

    • NASA-Inspired Aesthetics: For players who love the clean, retro-futuristic, white-and-black realism of early space exploration.
    • Industrial Hard Sci-Fi: For those who prefer their battleships looking like gritty, heavily armoured flying factories.

    Where and When to Play

    Terra Invicta – Dark Skies will officially launch on July 27, 2026. You’ll be able to grab it on Steam, GOG, the Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store.

    TechMash Tip: If you haven’t jumped into the base game yet, Pavonis Interactive is currently running a 40% discount on Steam until July 9, 2026. It’s the perfect time to master the political layers before the skies turn dark this summer.

    Are you going to try rebuilding a nuclear wasteland, or will you try to save the world starting in 2003? Let us know your faction alignment in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #TerraInvicta #DarkSkiesDLC #GrandStrategy #SciFiGaming #HoodedHorse #PavonisInteractive #PCGaming #StrategyGames #TechMash

  • All Aboard! Fogpiercer Brings Post-Apocalyptic Train Battles to PC Next Month

    All Aboard! Fogpiercer Brings Post-Apocalyptic Train Battles to PC Next Month

    The strategy masterminds at Hooded Horse and indie developers Mad Cookies Studio have dropped a massive announcement that is bound to heat up your summer gaming schedule. Get ready to engineer your deck, load your miniguns, and brace for impact: the highly anticipated roguelite train-battling deckbuilder, Fogpiercer, officially pulls into the station next month!

    Mark your calendars for July 17, 2026, because a post-apocalyptic summer of intensely tactical, card-modding, bandit-blasting fun is headed straight your way.

    What is Fogpiercer?

    Imagine a world swallowed by a deadly, perpetual fog where humanity’s last hope rests on the tracks of a rampaging armoured locomotive. In Fogpiercer, you are the conductor of this high-octane survival expedition.

    Unlike traditional deckbuilders, your deck is directly tied to the construction of your train. Every locomotive, carriage, and driver you choose adds distinct tactical tools and cards to your hand. As you travel through bandit-infested wastelands, you’ll gather resources to customise, upgrade, and expand your train to survive a relentless onslaught.

    Key Gameplay Features to Get Excited For:

    • Tactical Grid Combat: Engage in turn-based battles where positioning is everything. With limited action points, you’ll need to outsmart convoys that outnumber and surround you.
    • Environmental Devastation: Use the battlefield to your advantage. Ram bandits off cliffs, deploy shields, or use heavy artillery to send a leading enemy vehicle tumbling backwards, causing explosive chain reactions into the convoy behind them.
    • Endless Customisation: With over 170 cards, a deep modding system, and various status effects, you can craft a deck that perfectly matches your playstyle—whether you prefer brute-force firepower or high-tech hacking and decoys.
    • Branching Post-Apocalyptic Routes: Fine-tune your journey across hazardous regions filled with unique modifiers, random narrative encounters, and ruthless boss battles.

    Where and When to Play

    You won’t have to wait long to take the engineer’s seat. Version 1.0 of Fogpiercer will be officially released on July 17, 2026.

    The game will be available for PC across all major storefronts, so you can pick it up exactly where you like to play:

    • Steam
    • GOG
    • Microsoft Store (including Xbox App for PC / PC Game Pass)

    Whether you are a seasoned roguelite tactician or a deckbuilding enthusiast looking for a high-speed twist on the genre, Fogpiercer looks like it’s going to be a must-play title for the summer. Head over to your storefront of choice and add it to your wishlist today to make sure you don’t miss the departure!

    Are you ready to fight through the fog? Let us know your thoughts on the trailer and your ultimate train-deck strategy in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #GamingNews #Fogpiercer #HoodedHorse #MadCookiesStudio #Deckbuilder #Roguelite #PCGaming #Steam #GOG #XboxPC #IndieGames #StrategyGames #TechMash

  • Into the Abyss: Hooded Horse Signs Space Action RPG ‘C-Beams’

    Into the Abyss: Hooded Horse Signs Space Action RPG ‘C-Beams’

    The stellar portfolio of Hooded Horse—the powerhouse indie publisher behind hits like Manor Lords and Against the Storm—is officially expanding its horizons deeper into uncharted space.

    In an exciting new announcement, Hooded Horse has revealed the latest addition to its world-class lineup of strategic and tactical games: C-Beams, a top-down space action RPG developed by Distant Light Games.

    If you’ve been waiting for a title that seamlessly blends Newtonian space physics, high-stakes tactical combat, and a gritty cosmic gold rush, your next obsession has arrived.

    Welcome to the Black Hole Frontier

    In the world of C-Beams, humanity has finally pierced the veil of deep space, discovering a volatile, perilous black hole system. This discovery has triggered an absolute cosmic gold rush. Corporations and daring, rogue pilots are flooding the system to extract rare, never-before-seen elements that yield fortunes—if you survive long enough to cash them in.

    As a rookie pilot with everything to gain and nothing to lose, you are thrown directly into this unforgiving frontier. Will you become a legendary explorer, a shrewd trader, or a ruthless combat pilot? The legacy you carve is entirely up to you.

    Authentic Flight Mechanics Meet High-Stakes Strategy

    C-Beams isn’t your average arcade space shooter. Distant Light Games is injecting a massive dose of tactical depth into the gameplay:

    • Newtonian Physics & Realistic Handling: You’ll pilot a variety of distinct ship types, each requiring genuine skill to command. Master retro burns to decelerate rapidly, cut your engines to drift silently through asteroid fields, and use manoeuvring thrusters to dodge incoming fire.
    • The Weight of Greed: Risk versus reward is a literal mechanic. The rarer elements you hoard, the heavier your cargo hold becomes. Overloading your ship increases its mass, making it sluggish, harder to manoeuvre, and highly vulnerable to ambushers.
    • Sub-System Tactical Combat: Firefights are chaotic and deeply strategic. You can tear enemy vessels apart at close range with gatling turrets or pick them off from afar with guided missiles, railguns, and the titular, devastating C-Beams. Take a tactical edge by targeting specific sub-systems to disable an enemy’s engines, weapons, or radar before docking to raid their cargo.

    Pro Tip: Use the environment to your advantage. Space-time anomalies can rip your ship to shreds, but they also hide the rarest elements. Meanwhile, local asteroid fields make the perfect cover for setting up a stealthy ambush.

    A Perfect Match for Hooded Horse

    Hooded Horse has built a flawless reputation for publishing games that offer immense mechanical depth, emergent storytelling, and rewarding progression systems. While traditionally known for grand strategy and city-builders, C-Beams fits beautifully into their wheelhouse by demanding precise tactical thinking, preparation, and skill.

    With a vast network of jump points to traverse, hidden smuggler caches to uncover, and deep faction reputations to manage, C-Beams is shaping up to be an absolute must-play for RPG and strategy enthusiasts alike.

    C-Beams is coming soon to PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, and is available to wishlist right now. Keep your thrusters primed and stay tuned to TechMash for more updates from the edge of the abyss!

    Source – https://s.team/a/3102780

    #CBeams #HoodedHorse #SpaceRPG #PCGaming #IndieGames

  • Boar-Mounted Ballistas, Unite! Hit Auto-Battler ‘9 Kings’ Finally Drops Multiplayer Mode

    Boar-Mounted Ballistas, Unite! Hit Auto-Battler ‘9 Kings’ Finally Drops Multiplayer Mode

    The moment we’ve all been hoarding our gold for has finally arrived.

    Publisher Hooded Horse and developer Sad Socket have officially dropped the news that 9 Kings players have been collectively manifesting: multiplayer is officially here.

    If you’ve spent the last few months meticulously perfecting your medieval layouts in isolation, it’s time to tear down those castle walls and look toward the horizon. The smash-hit kingdom-building auto-battler is throwing open its gates to the world, introducing a brand-new competitive mode where you can finally test your strategic genius against actual human brains.

    Sovereign Supremacy (or Complete Chaos)

    Until now, 9 Kings has been a brilliant, addictive balancing act of managing a thriving economy while engineering the perfect automated defence grid. But let’s be honest—true satisfaction doesn’t come from beating an AI. It comes from watching your best friend’s carefully planned cavalry crumble against your own chaotic genius.

    The new multiplayer update introduces a dedicated competitive mode designed to prove who truly deserves the crown. You can now square off in real-time tactical showdowns against:

    • Your Friends: To settle roommate disputes, office rivalries, or just for bragging rights.
    • Your Foes: To crush the spirits of anyone who dares question your build order.
    • Complete Strangers: Because sometimes you just need to match wits with a random internet stranger who is trying to mount a ballista onto a giant boar in peace.

    Same Deep Strategy, New Unpredictable Rivals

    What makes 9 Kings so special is its blend of cosy kingdom management and high-stakes auto-battling. The introduction of multiplayer completely flips the script on the meta. No longer can you rely on predictable enemy waves; now, you’ll have to scout, adapt, and counter the wild, experimental builds of live opponents.

    Whether you play defensively with towering stone keeps or aggressively rush the field with weaponised wildlife, the playing field just got a whole lot bigger—and a lot more dangerous.

    The update is live right now. So grab your blueprint scrolls, rally your troops, and go claim your sovereign supremacy. We’ll see you on the battlefield (just watch out for the boars).

    Source – https://s.team/a/2784470

    #9Kings #AutoBattler #IndieGames #MultiplayerUpdate #HoodedHorse

  • Nature Strikes Back: The Grove Faction Revealed for Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era

    Nature Strikes Back: The Grove Faction Revealed for Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era

    The wait is finally over. As Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era officially enters Steam Early Access today (April 30, 2026), developer Unfrozen has pulled back the curtain on one of its most anticipated factions: The Grove.

    For fans of the classic Rampart or Sylvan towns, the Grove feels like a homecoming—but with a distinctly Jadamean twist. If you thought this was just another “elves in the woods” faction, think again.

    Lore: The Power of the Mycelium

    Set on the continent of Jadame (a nod to Might and Magic VIII), the Grove is more than just a collection of trees. They are bound by the Mycelium, an ancient, interconnected spiritual web that links every living thing in the forest. This isn’t just flavour text; it translates directly into their unique gameplay mechanics.

    Faction Mechanics: Unity and Logistics

    The Grove is designed for players who enjoy a “late-game powerhouse” playstyle. While their units can be expensive, the investment pays off through unparalleled strategic mobility:

    • Mycelium Roots: This unique faction building is a total game-changer. It allows your heroes to travel instantly between any Grove cities you control. It’s the ultimate defensive and offensive tool for controlling large maps.
    • The Law System: Like other factions, the Grove utilises the new Law system—a research tree fueled by passive influence. For the Grove, this focuses heavily on unit growth buffs and elemental synergy, allowing you to outscale opponents who fail to pressure you early.

    The Unit Roster: Spirits of the Wood

    The Grove’s lineup is a mix of traditional forest dwellers and elemental spirits. While the full list of upgrades is now live, the core identity is built around durability and magical support:

    TierUnitRoleNotable Feature
    Tier 1Hoplets / SpritesEarly InfantryFast, low-cost fodder to protect your ranged units.
    Mid-TiersDruids & TreantsSupport / TankDruids provide essential spellcasting, while Treants act as the “immovable object” of the battlefield.
    High-TiersForest SpiritsHeavy HittersThese units leverage the Mycelium to deliver devastating elemental damage.

    Pro Tip: In the current Early Access build, the Grove’s units follow a thematic “aging leaf” color palette—starting green and turning shades of autumn brown and red as they upgrade.

    A New Visual Direction

    There has been plenty of chatter on the r/OldenEra subreddits about the Grove’s aesthetics. Moving away from the “fairy-tale” brightness of Heroes II, the Grove in Olden Era adopts a more grounded, slightly alien look. The native biome features striking white and red trees, reflecting the harsher, dragon-ruled reality of Jadame.

    Early Access is Live!

    With Jon Van Caneghem (the father of the series) back as a creative advisor, Olden Era is shaping up to be the true successor to Heroes III that we’ve wanted for twenty years.

    The Grove is just one of six launch factions, alongside the Temple, Necropolis, Hive, Dungeon, and the mysterious Schism.

    Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is available now on Windows PC via Steam.

    Are you planning to lead the forces of nature today, or are you sticking with the undead legions of the Necropolis? Let us know in the comments below!

    Find out more here – https://s.team/a/3105440

    #HeroesofMightandMagicOldenEra #Unfrozen #HoodedHorse #Ubisoft #GroveFaction #PC #HeroesofMightandMagic #videogames #gaming #gamers

  • Return to Jadame: The Temple Faction Official Full Reveal

    Return to Jadame: The Temple Faction Official Full Reveal

    The long-awaited revival of the king of turn-based strategy is nearly upon us. With Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era set to hit Early Access on April 30, 2026, developer Unfrozen and publisher Hooded Horse have pulled back the curtain on the cornerstone of the franchise: The Temple.

    For those who have spent decades perfecting their Castle builds in HoMM3, the Temple feels like a warm, albeit heavily armoured, homecoming. Set on the continent of Jadame, this faction represents the classic “holy knight” archetype—but with new tactical wrinkles that ensure it’s not just a relic of the past.

    The Roster: Divine Might and Disciplined Steel

    The Temple remains the go-to faction for players who value a balanced, sturdy army with strong ranged support and late-game powerhouses. Here is a look at the key units that define this faction:

    • Crossbowmen: The backbone of your early game. When upgraded, these marksmen can fire twice, making them lethal when paired with the right hero buffs.
    • Lightweavers: Magical support units that provide essential utility on the battlefield.
    • Gryphons: The iconic aerial unit returns with its signature mobility. Their “Take Flight” ability allows them to strike any unit on the board and return to their original position, bypassing counterattacks.
    • Priestesses: Specialised casters who scale in power based on the number of active buffs on your units.
    • Angels: The ultimate Tier 7 unit. Beyond their raw stats, they possess a unique synergy where they gain buffs from your Marksmen, creating a “chain” of power across your formation.

    Zenith: The Commander of Light

    While the Temple boasts 18 heroes to choose from, Zenith has emerged as the standout choice for the Early Access launch.

    Pro Tip: Zenith starts with Lightweavers in her army from Day 1. Her signature spell, Heavenly Blade, adds significant flat damage to your units—perfect for early-game clearing when cast on a stack of double-shot Crossbowmen.

    Faction Mechanics: The Art of the Buff

    The Temple’s playstyle revolves around synergy and sustain. Unlike the glass-cannon nature of the Dungeon or the swarm tactics of the Hive, the Temple thrives when its units stand together.

    • Buff Chaining: Many Temple units benefit from being positioned near one another or having active enchantments.
    • Tactical Resilience: While their melee units might lack the flashy tricks of the Schism or Necropolis, they are built to last. High defence and healing capabilities make them the hardest army to grind down in a long siege.

    Why It Matters

    Olden Era is positioning itself as a “back-to-roots” entry, heavily inspired by the mechanics of the legendary third game but modernised for 2026. With Jon Van Caneghem (the series’ original creator) serving as a creative advisor and a soundtrack by Paul Romero, the Temple reveal confirms that the soul of the series is intact.

    Whether you’re a veteran of the Erathian wars or a newcomer looking to lead a crusade across Jadame, the Temple offers a disciplined, powerful, and visually stunning entry point into this new era of Might and Magic.

    Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era launches on Steam and the Microsoft Store on April 30, 2026.

    Are you planning to lead the Temple’s holy crusade, or does the corruption of the Necropolis call to you more?

    Find out more here – https://s.team/a/3105440

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