Fans of real-time strategy games should be paying close attention to Manor Lords, an upcoming RTS experience developed by Slavic Magic and published by Hooded Horse, which had a spectacular showing at the October 2023 Xbox partner preview program.
Created by a single game developer, Manor Lords looks to blend the best of RTS combat with expansive city-building features that take into account the historical context within the game.
A quick example, residences in Manor Lords are built on burgage plots, which were historically allocated by Kings and Lords to their city's residents.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves, let's tell you everything you need to know about Manor Lords, including when it releases, where will you be able to play it, and more.
Manor Lords - Release date & platforms
Manor Lords is expected to release on 26 April for PC. A console launch is happening, although it'll be at a later, unconfirmed, date. Confirmed consoles are Xbox Series S and X, with no word of a possible PlayStation release discussed.
Is Manor Lords coming to Game Pass?
Yes, Manor Lords is coming to Game Pass. First, it will launch on PC Game Pass on 26 April. The console version of Game Pass will also get access to the game, although as we mentioned, there's no release date for Manor Lords on Xbox Series S and X.
Manor Lords gameplay
A key gameplay feature of Manor Lords is that certain things like the weather will impact how you develop your settlement.
Seasons impact settlements. Weather cycles between spring/summer, fall, and winter shape how people live and fight. Temperature and weather conditions affect decision-making. Use crop seasons to stock up for harsh months. Realistic changes add depth.
Another big element to take into consideration is your battle units. This is not like Age of Empires where you can craft as many as you want as long as you have the resources.
Your soldiers are not simply infinite resources that can be created at will. They are primarily composed of actual citisens from your city, who will have to leave their regular jobs to take up arms. If these individuals are contributing to resource production, you will feel their absence if you send them off to battle. The impact will be even greater if you fail to bring them back home.
You can check out the trailer down below to see some of these systems in action.
For more RTS content, check out why fans believe Paradox needs to do a Total-War RTS.