Stronghold is back, and developer Firefly Studios has revealed some information regarding the next entry in the popular franchise.
The Stronghold series is comprised of real-time strategy games, with a focus on historical settings in the medieval times. Stronghold is well known in the RTS genre for its realism and believable tone; the first game, Stronghold, still has a very active fanbase these days, including an active modding scene through the game’s built-in game map editor/scenario creator.
It’s been five years since the most recent title in the series, Stronghold Crusader II, was released, way back in 2014. Now, Firefly Studios has decided that it’s time once again to release a new title, only this time, we can expect some new changes to its design.
In a YouTube video from the British developers, Firefly Studios confirms some things and brushes aside some rumors, all with regards to their next Stronghold title.
This will be the studio’s first appearance at E3 since Stronghold Crusaders II was revealed, and Firefly confirms that the game’s working title will be Stronghold Next. The full gameplay reveal will be shown at E3, and it will go live at the same time as first impressions from the press. The developer has also promised to reveal more tidbits about the game in the coming weeks before and after E3, so it might be worth noting to check their YouTube page out, as well as our coverage once it drops.
Firefly Studios has also confirmed that Stronghold Next is not a direct sequel to Stronghold 3. While the next title will be a main Stronghold game, it takes place in an all-new setting that’s not been experienced yet in the series. It will be in the same vein as Stronghold Crusader, which featured the Crusades in the Middle East instead of the usual medieval Europe setting.
Firefly has also confirmed that Stronghold Next will be available on Steam and not an Epic Games Store exclusive title. This makes sense according to them, as there are already millions of fans of the game on the Steam marketplace, and as such pandering to the people actually buying your game is the best decision to make.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a Stronghold title, so it will be exciting to see what Firefly Studios can offer with their next installment, especially in a market filled with other RTS titles.
Stronghold Next is set to be revealed at E3 2019, and playable demos will be released at various gaming events throughout the year. Stay tuned with us here for more information once it drops.
