Early Access strategy city builder Manor Lords has released its first update since January 2025. While developer Slavic Magic has kept players updated through blog posts on Steam, this marks the return of in-game content after eight months of silence.
Background: The Early Access launch back in April 2024 was a massive success, selling over one million copies in a day. Despite early momentum and regular updates in 2024, the game went quiet after January 2025. Now, Styczeń has addressed the hiatus while announcing the new beta update on Steam, where he apologized for the delay by stating he was ‘rethinking what went wrong to ensure it won’t happen again.’ He acknowledged that expanding the team and tackling numerous issues simultaneously created challenges.
In the update, players can expect more depth in gameplay, including upgraded castle mechanics, soldier positioning on walls, and the ability to peek inside towers. New maps and progress on AI implementations are also part of the new content. However, existing save files will not transfer to this beta version.
Major Changes Introduced:
- Starting Location Selection: You can now preselect your starting area during game setup.
- New Maps: Playable maps include Devil’s Hill and Jagged Cliffs.
- New Game Modes: Introducing Duel (1 vs 1) and Fractured Realm (4-player free-for-all).
- Castle Upgrade System: Features new upgrade paths for castle components.
- Expanded Job System: Including new jobs like Quarry and Stonemason.
- AI Improvements: Enhanced AI for controlled players.
With hopes for more frequent updates moving forward, Styczeń aims to balance smaller, regular updates with bug fixes and polish to maintain player engagement.
