Greetings My Liege!

As the warmth and green of spring finally begins to break through (At least... Here in the UK!) we are marching ever closer to our July 15th release date for this long awaited expanded remaster of your favourite Stronghold.

We know July feels like a million miles away right now, but rest assured we are working hard to implement your feedback and suggestions before launch. This is thanks in no small part to the more than 6,000 of you who filled out our demo feedback form and the 150,000 potential future players who have wishlisted Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition!



With today's new video we thought... What better way to toast this new season and alleviate some of that wait than with a sneak peek at our deadly new AI opponents, awaiting you this summer! From the wily and dastardly to the blunt and brutish, each of these new characters embody different cultures, employing unique units, castles and battle tactics, resulting in a completely fresh challenge for new players as well as returning series veterans.



In today's Feature Spotlight we also touch on a few changes coming to the game's original 16 enemy Lords, inspired by your suggestions and feedback in the whopping 20+ years since the game's initial release in 2002. This is just a taste of things to come, so please look forward to future videos spotlighting other tweaks that bring Crusader up to date in 2025.

Let us know which of these opponents you’re looking forward to fighting first and be sure to stay tuned here on Steam for the latest news on Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition!

👇 Add to Wishlist 👇
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3024040/Stronghold_Crusader_Definitive_Edition/

Since revealing Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition in January's Real-Time Strategy Fest, you have responded to our rally war cry in full force! With over 150,000 wishlists, 130,000 demo downloads and more than 6,000 helpful responses to our in-game player survey... Let's just say the granary is full, my Lord.

While you wait for our July 15th release, we hope this collection of updates from the team here at Firefly helps bring you up to speed about what you can expect from the final game, before we march back to the desert fortresses and arid plains of the past.

Please enjoy these updates and subscribe to Firefly Studios on YouTube for more reveals!

🎨 Artists Niall, Darrin, Jorge and Tom dive into the recreation of Crusader: DE's new visuals! Discover the extra animals and features coming to Crusader from our talented art team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTLaSzli2aQ

🏰 Studio Head Nick provides a general breakdown of our new expanded remaster of the classic Stronghold title. What is it exactly?! What's changed? Find out all this and more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGQWSeQ4KqA

💬 Scouring the web for your most pressing questions, we present the Crusader: DE Community Q&A! From Discord to Reddit, Sak covers as many topics as he can.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbz4Psdk3r4

👾 Aaron and Josh play through our Ascalon scenario, as featured in the first Crusader: DE playable demo. Enjoy this dev commentary and give us tips in the comments!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA__DBPWTQw

🎵 Masterfully composed by the legendary bard of Stronghold himself, we are proud to present ‘Caravan 2025’. Produced exclusively for Crusader: DE by Robert L. Euvino!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usMbeJ2-hMQ

Like what you see? Then wishlist Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition now ahead of the game’s July 15th 2025 release!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3024040/Stronghold_Crusader_Definitive_Edition/

Travel back in time to the legendary crusades for the holy land in this new expanded definitive edition, releasing this year on July 15th 2025 with brand new content, elevated graphics and extensive player-requested features all rebuilt by game’s original developers!

This title is many people’s favourite old-school 2D RTS, so taking this cult favourite and elevating it for the modern player has been an endeavour of passion for us – one that is only possible because of the community’s clear desire for this kind of classic strategy experience. The best way we could think of thanking you for your support has been to go above and beyond, with new AIs, missions, modes and maps, as well as the Steam multiplayer and workshop integrations that the original could never have had.

What better way to kick off the Steam RTS Fest than a demo of this reinvented gem, heralded with a shiny new reveal trailer, masterfully scored by the legendary bard of Stronghold himself, Robert L. Euvino! This trailer showcases the depth of work and love poured into the remaster. We really hope you enjoy it!

Flex your might against 20 challenging AI lords, charge through the new co-op trail with a friend or dive into skirmish mode featuring larger maps, custom options and quality of life fixes – Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition allows you to revisit a reimagined strategy classic and play exactly the way you want to!

Date: 13/01/25

Players recently reported an issue running the game after the release of the Microsoft Windows 11 24H2 Update. The Microsoft Update prevented the game running in full screen.

We are pleased to announce that we have resolved the issue. We have also supplied Microsoft with an explanation of what caused the issue which we hope they will use to release a new Microsoft Update to help any other games affected by the same issue caused by the Microsoft Windows 11 24H2 Update.

Snarls Soon you will see what it means to wage real warfare! That is... In our final instalment of the Stronghold: Definitive Edition 'Jewel' campaign! Valley of the Wolf extends the base game with seven new missions and extra achievements. Under the tutelage of the wise Sergeant, finish the fight by rescuing Sir Longarm's captured kin once and for all, when this new DLC releases for $2.99, €2.99 and £2.49 on April 30th.

This final chapter of 'The Jewel' campaign pits players against the greatest rogue of them all... The vicious Wolf! To safely retrieve the Jewel of the North and put an end to The Wolf's insidious scourge, players must plunge directly into the belly of the beast and bring the fight to his borders. Against great odds in unfamiliar territory, survival alone demands that nothing is held back.



Also arriving on April 30th as part of our 'Spring Update' is a second castle trail of 10 siege scenarios. This new 'Noble Trail' will arrive alongside additional maps for Multiplayer, Free Build and Siege modes, with the exciting (and long overdue!) introduction of our first ever Polish castles to be featured in a Stronghold game.

Malbork, the fortress erected by the Teutonic Order to signify their Prussian conquest, Biskupin, an ancient stronghold built at the dawn of Rome, and Niedzica, a daunting gothic castle that Dracula himself would be proud of, will all be found in the new castle trail, while another castle, Ogrodzieniec, will be playable as a standalone map through Siege mode.



We would like to thank our Polish fans who suggested these epic citadels online and in person last year, at events like Gamescom and EGX. Your support for Stronghold: Definitive Edition has been incredible and we hope to bring demos of future Stronghold games to events in Poland. So please keep an eye on our socials for the latest news!

Be sure to return on April 30th and check out our full patch notes at release. These will include a run down of other minor features, fixes and improvements coming to the game as part of the Spring Update in version 1.3.

Thanks for playing!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2728000/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition__Valley_of_the_Wolf_Campaign/

Happy New Year! After a launch that quite frankly exceeded all our expectations... We are pleased to announce that the first substantial gameplay update for Stronghold: Definitive Edition releases on Steam on February 13th! A simultaneous launch of free content and paid DLC, the Winter Update will be available to all players, while the Swine's Bay Campaign DLC will retail for $2.99, £2.49 or €2.99.

Feeling lucky? You could even win this DLC through a giveaway being run in the above development diary! Check it out to learn more and get the inside track on what to expect of Firefly in 2024 and beyond.



As announced before launch, we intend to support Stronghold: Definitive Edition with both free and paid post-launch content, releasing as two major updates. The aim of each DLC is to offer fresh missions, created by veteran developers for players who want to challenge their two decades of castle sim experience. While the free updates will bring a host of fixes and improvements, alongside extra missions designed to compliment the main story.

Releasing on February 13th, the Swine's Bay Campaign DLC follows the events of the main game and is narrated by returning series actor Christopher Kent. Players will be met with seven ruthless military combat scenarios across original maps, as they seek to retrieve the Jewel of the North from the clutches of the infamous slaver Captain Hogsfoot.



Releasing alongside this DLC, our free Winter Update will add a second economic campaign, voiced by another returning Stronghold actor in Jay Simon! These missions are designed to test players’ strategic skills beyond the warfront, with a series of resource production and management challenges. Kingdoms may be crushed by warriors, but they can only be raised by those with the vision to build.

Looking forward to the future we are actively engaged in a number of projects, the most prominent of which is the as of yet untitled ‘Stronghold Unreal’ project, built using Unreal Engine 5. Needless to say, witnessing the love for mechanically deep, passionately made strategy games like Stronghold: Definitive Edition has lit a fire under our little studio and the team can’t wait to share more!

In the meantime our Swine's Bay Campaign is available to Wishlist, ahead of its release on February 13th:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2727990/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition__Swines_Bay_Campaign/

Greetings sire! Your stronghold awaits you. The ultimate version of our first ‘castle sim’ is now available on Steam with upgraded visuals, new missions, Steam multiplayer support and more. We are incredibly excited to be launching our first 2D Stronghold game with new content for over 20 years and even more thrilled by your warm response to the game over the past few months.



When we were in the planning stages for Stronghold: Definitive Edition we had faith in the demand for new 2D isometric strategy games, but could never be 100% sure. Your overwhelming support, feedback and love for our series’ 2D roots made this project possible and we cannot wait to hear what you think of it. This game has been a labour of love for the team, both for Stronghold 1 itself and also a bygone golden era of isometric 2D strategy. We hope that shines through, as we continue to improve it with updates and new content into early 2024.



As a way of saying ‘Thank you!’ on the community side, please enjoy our launch trailer scored by series maestro Robert L. Euvino with a brand new Castle Jam inspired composition. The man himself was kind enough to compose this new piece for today's trailer, a roaring tribute to your favourite Stronghold song, celebrating the launch of a project that is dear to us.



Stronghold: Definitive Edition comes packed with updated graphics made using the original source art, a new 14 mission single player campaign, 10 mission historical castle trail, remastered audio, returning voice actors, community requested features, gameplay modernisations, Steam multiplayer, Workshop support and more.

It is out now on Steam with a 10% launch week discount!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2140020/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition/

Our final pre-release update for Stronghold: Definitive Edition is a big one... As we reveal our post-release plans for the game!

We can now commit to two major updates for the game, with a new economic campaign and second castle trail planned alongside new maps and the usual mix of smaller features and fixes. These two updates will release early next year and arrive at the same time as one of two paid DLC military campaigns, which will each cost $2.99, £2.49 or €2.99.



It gives us great pleasure to confirm these today alongside a recap of community driven features added since our most recent public demo, which now include (optional) auto-trading and selectable team colours in all game modes! During our two public demos and player surveys thousands of you told us that post-launch support and paid DLC were both of interest, so we made plans to release these in early 2024.

Featuring a new story designed by series creator Simon Bradbury, our second economic campaign will involve the work of rebuilding a kingdom nearly shattered by the warring exploits of The Rat, Snake, Pig and Wolf. Narrated by OG Stronghold voice actor Jay Simon, you will travel north to restore peace and order to homelands ravaged by the conflict of the military campaigns over the course of seven unique missions as part of our larger Winter Update.



Following on from this our Spring Update will include a second Castle Trail, which will feature a ‘greatest hits’ mix of old and new historical castles to besiege and defend. As with the base game trail we’re looking at including at least 10 historical castles, with Polish strongholds making their long overdue debut.

Each of our two paid DLCs will release with these updates and come in the form of two new military campaigns, each offering 7 military missions. ‘Swine’s Bay’ and ‘Valley of the Wolf’ will feature the return of two popular series antagonists and lead directly on from the 14 missions included in the Stronghold: Definitive Edition base game. You can expect the difficulty to scale up, some formidable new win conditions and a true challenge for series veterans!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2140020/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition/

In our second Stronghold: Definitive Edition dev diary we discuss the genesis of the game, while delving into changes made as part of this new edition. Join Stronghold series veterans Simon and Paul, as they provide insight into the creation of our latest game from their unique perspectives.

We discuss the aims of Stronghold: DE and goals for everything from new single player content, all the way down to the smallest quality of life enhancements. Starting with the initial project pitch, then leading to questions of the scale of changes and finer elements like the actual difficulty of the new content, the road to release has been carefully considered.

It also gives us great pleasure in this video to confirm some of these changes and a few entirely new ones! In response to player feedback we have increased troop and building limits across all game modes, allowing for up to 3000 units and 2000 buildings at a time. By doubling these limits from the original game, we hope to provide you with more epic Stronghold sieges than ever before.



We then round off our trio of behind-the-scenes videos by adding production expert Dave to the mix! It's time to talk Steam multiplayer, Workshop and the other improvements coming to your favourite game modes. What to expect from Workshop support, more details on multiplayer in DE and planned improvements to Free Build mode are all touched on, with extra insight into the development process of this unique game.

Making Stronghold more accessible has always been a key goal of the Definitive Edition and bringing our amazing multiplayer community - as well as the awesome maps they've created over the course of two decades - front and centre within Steam is how we're hoping to accomplish that. Thousands of fan creations can soon exist within Steam Workshop and be easily accessible for future generations of Stronghold players, with an improved set of multiplayer options to support years of continued play.

Add to this a few choice improvements to Free Build - everyone's favourite cozy game mode - and you have plenty to look forward to come release. In the meantime please check out our recent Free Build Q&A and Campaign Gameplay videos, where we confirm new features like Rally Points and discuss the series' 20 year legacy:





Stay tuned for more updates between now and release as we process all your valuable feedback and incorporate as many changes as we can before launch. Thank you once again for your continued support and we hope you join us on November 7th by wishlisting the game on Steam!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2140020/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition/

Castle builders and fans of feudal taxation rejoice! As part of Steam Next Fest: October Edition and in celebration of almost 200,000 wishlists, we have just released a brand new Stronghold: Definitive Edition demo - Our final playable build before launch!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2140020/Stronghold_Definitive_Edition/

Available exclusively on Steam as part of Next Fest, this demo features never-before-seen-missions - including your first look at our brand new single player campaign. This includes Missions 3 and 8 from the original 2001 Stronghold military campaign, as well as a challenging mission from the exclusive new Definitive Edition campaign. Need a refresher? Then dive into the demo's full tutorial to warm up first.



In addition to both of the original military and economic campaigns, the ‘Jewel of the North’ DE campaign will feature returning fan favourite antagonists The Rat and The Snake. Created by Firefly co-founders Simon Bradbury and Eric Ouellette, these new missions will remain true to the spirit of the first game, while introducing new twists on familiar Stronghold gameplay.

To accompany the release of our final demo, we have also released an in-depth developer diary featuring interviews with veteran series artists. Watch as Darrin and Niall examine the artistic challenges inherent in a project like Stronghold: Definitive Edition:


“Being able to go back to [Stronghold] and updating it in some ways but still keeping the original feel in other ways. That I think is what we really all were shooting for,” explains Senior Graphic Designer Darrin Horbal. Reflecting on the game’s summer reveal, Lead Artist Niall Benzie goes on to explain, “When we first released the trailer and the public demo, I was quite apprehensive on how people might receive the changes, but I do believe we have gone a long way in trying to respect the original art”.



Our new Definitive Edition demo will remain available for one week, until the end of Steam Next Fest on October 16 at 10:00 AM PDT / 17:00 GMT. We encourage you to download the demo and leave us feedback! As with our previous demo there is a feedback form embedded in the game's main menu. So please build, besiege and let us know what you think.

We can't wait to share more DE news as we approach launch on November 7th - So stay tuned for more Stronghold goodness in the coming weeks!