Stronghold Crusader 2 is done when it's done, meaning Summer 2014

Stronghold Crusader 2, sequel to the 2002 original, is coming exclusively to Steam this summer. In the spirit of "it's done when it's done," indie developer Firefly Studios will pin down an exact date as the game nears completion. For now, however, Firefly is relieved to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

"Releasing in the summer is a little later than we had initially hoped, but once again our intention is to release a game that lives up to the Crusader name," Firefly said in a news post on its official website. "We know players are eager to get their hands on the game, but Stronghold Crusader 2 must be fun, stable, and complete at launch."

Can't fault them for that.

The Stronghold series, which is nine games deep, has sold 6 million copies over its lifetime.

     

Stronghold Crusader 2 to Release in Summer 2014, Cover Art Revealed

London, UK– 27th January 2014 – Firefly Studios is pleased to announce that its upcoming medieval strategy sim will see release on PC this summer. With an exact release date to follow closer to launch, the development team is currently hard at work, with the aim of releasing Stronghold Crusader 2 only when it is ready.

In a new post on the game’s official website the independent developer provides a short update on development:

“Releasing in the summer is a little later than we had initially hoped, but once again our intention is to release a game that lives up to the Crusader name. Whenever we meet someone who played and enjoyed the original they always have a story to tell about the time they finally beat that hard as nails Crusader Trail mission or when they took on seven AI opponents at once! When people have such fond memories you can’t rush a sequel out the door, which is why we have chosen to take our time when it comes to feature implementation and play testing. We’re at a point now where we can dip into skirmish mode or a multiplayer game during lunch and have fun, which is a fantastic feeling for the team.

With the game in its current state we can spend extra time tuning and tweaking the various new units and siege equipment that will soon be storming other players online. It will also mean we have enough time to reduce the number of bugs and crashes right down before launch and refine the core gameplay loops that make it fun. We know players are eager to get their hands on the game, but Crusader 2 must be fun, stable and complete at launch.”

Also released today is the game’s final cover art, which reveals Crusader 1 protagonist Richard the Lionheart will once again be returning to the desert. The full news post can be found at www.strongholdcrusader2.com.