When I first laid eyes on the captivating footage of the medieval city builder Manor Lords a few years back, I hastily added it to my Steam wishlist even before the trailer concluded. Little did I know, I wasn’t the only one eagerly anticipating its release.
Manor Lords has not only secured a place among the top wishlisted games on Steam for over a year but has also rubbed shoulders with gaming giants like Hades 2, Starfield, and Hollow Knight: Silksong. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that Manor Lords is the brainchild of a single developer, Greg Styczeń, from Slavic Magic.
The unexpected twist to this story comes from the revelation that Manor Lords has amassed a staggering 2 million wishlists on Steam, a revelation that caught even Styczeń off guard. The publisher, Hooded Horse, shared this astonishing number, highlighting the game’s widespread appeal.
“When we first launched the announcement trailer in 2020, my girlfriend said she expected me to get 7,000 wishlists,” Styczeń recalls. “I was more optimistic and said it would be more like 14,000, and that would be awesome. Suffice to say, I did not expect the game to pick up so much interest and hit over 2 million.”
Manor Lords’ popularity can be attributed to its unique blend of medieval-inspired city building and epic real-time strategy battles. The game stands out not only as a city builder in a genre that has dominated Steam wishlists but also for its ambitious approach. Having explored the impressive demo in 2022, I was amazed at the level of detail, even allowing players to stroll through their city in third-person perspective at street level.
The immense interest in Manor Lords is a testament to the game’s appeal and innovation. For developers toiling away on their own projects and aspiring to climb the wishlist ladder, Manor Lords serves as a beacon of inspiration. Styczeń shares his optimism, saying, “I hope this is encouraging for other devs who struggle to get their games out there. I had no idea how the game would be received or if I’d be bad at marketing, but luckily I wasn’t discouraged and kept going.”
Originally slated for a 2023 release, Manor Lords is now set to launch on April 26 of this year, promising an exciting journey for the multitude of gamers eagerly awaiting its arrival.
