The most wishlisted game on Steam has just arrived, and Manor Lords already looks to be satisfying those hopeful players. Soaring up the Valve charts for both sales and player count, Slavic Magic’s medieval city building and strategy game already boasts a ‘very positive’ 91% rating from almost 7,000 reviews in its first day. Tim Bender, CEO of the game’s publisher Hooded Horse, thanks players for their overwhelming support and tells prospective buyers not to feel pressured to jump in immediately if early access isn’t right for you.
Our Manor Lords review praises the “beautiful, ambitious city builder,” but notes that its early access launch “feels more like an extended demo” with some of the bigger features still yet to arrive. “If it’s the battlefields or castles you’re after, you’re probably better off waiting on this one,” our reviewer Ian says of the strategy game in its current state. It’s a sentiment that the game’s publisher appears to share, with Bender writing a “personal note of thanks” to the Manor Lords community and any potential purchasers.
“You have all been incredibly supportive of Manor Lords, this city builder started by a solo developer, and taken it to 3.2 million player wishlists,” Bender writes. “Your support of developer Greg and his game has already been huge, and so I want to say: please, don’t feel any pressure to buy the game if waiting is better for you.”
“Early access isn’t for everyone,” Bender notes. “If you check back later, the game will just keep getting better. We want you to make the right decision for you, without any pressure or rush of any kind.” It can certainly be easy to get caught up in the hype of a big launch, but while some players love to get stuck in at the ground level and help build a game into something special, others are better served waiting for a more fully formed product.
With a 25% off introductory offer until Friday May 10, you can currently get Manor Lords for $29.99/£26.24, down from its base price of $39.99/£34.99. The early access period is loosely planned to last for around a year, however, and Bender reassures players, “We’ll run those 25% discounts often and give you plenty of opportunities to get the game later as well; no one should feel any fear of missing out or any kind of pressure.”
If you’re keen to jump in and see what’s going on, it’s also worth noting that you can play Manor Lords on Game Pass if you have a subscription to the Microsoft service. That might be just what you need to get a feel for things and decide if it’s right for you. If you don’t have access to that however, don’t worry – it sounds like regular Steam sales will keep coming as the game continues to improve and grow over time.
For those of you who are playing, we’ve got everything you need to know to increase your Manor Lords approval rating, along with the best ways to gain Manor Lords influence and even a more general Manor Lords beginner’s guide to all the basics.
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