Game Development Insights
The medieval city-builder, Manor Lords, experienced a relatively subdued 2025 as its developer, Slavic Magic, took the time to recalibrate following the game’s successful entry into Steam early access in 2024. However, as the year drew to a close, activity surged with the release of a significant patch in December. This update not only reworked core systems but also revamped the castle construction mechanics, setting the stage for an exciting 2026.
In a recent Steam update, Tim Bender, CEO of publisher Hooded Horse, shared an insightful overview of the forthcoming features for the management simulation. A standout addition is the new trade route system, which intricately ties specific locations to the import and export of various items. Bender elaborated, stating, “While a good like iron may appear on multiple routes, some cities will offer better prices than others, making certain routes more desirable…and more contested.”
This innovative system allows each trade route to accommodate up to three merchants. Engaging in trade along any route necessitates hiring at least one merchant. Should all merchants for a particular route be employed, lords have the option to attempt a buyout of that merchant, which not only raises the hire fee but also initiates a cooldown period before another buyout can occur. Bender noted, “This turns profitable routes into contested economic territory rather than guaranteed income.”
Such dynamics enable players to craft tailored economic strategies. For instance, one could aim to monopolize Iron Slabs by securing all merchants on routes that export them. While this strategy may come with significant costs, it could effectively leave rival lords without access to iron, compelling them to adapt by either paying inflated prices, expanding into iron-rich territories, or negotiating directly with the player. Bender even suggested that this could lead to “diplomatic deals where a rival trades excess weapons or other goods in exchange for Iron Slabs, effectively paying you as a middleman.”
Bender’s enthusiasm for this new direction is palpable, yet both Hooded Horse and Slavic Magic are eager to gather feedback from the existing Manor Lords community. They have encouraged players to share their thoughts on this competitive trade concept, expressing interest in how it might enhance strategic choices within the game.
The first week of the year has been particularly eventful for Hooded Horse. On Monday, they launched the 1.0 version of Terra Invicta, a highly ambitious sci-fi grand strategy game from the creators of X-COM: The Long War, which is currently enjoying a ‘Very Positive’ rating on Steam. Meanwhile, on Thursday, Bender voiced his strong opposition to generative AI, emphasizing in a statement that their contracts explicitly prohibit the use of AI-generated assets in their games.
