Manor Lords release time and countdown clock – when is it coming out?

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Manor Lords early access release date

• Manor Lords will be released on April 26, 2024 on PC.
• It will be released later for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
• Manor Lords is a Steam Early Access game, which means it is still in development but you can play it.

Steam’s most wish-listed game, Manor Lords, is inching closer to its release date later this month. The medieval RTS title won many over with its sheer attention to detail, gorgeous visuals, and interlinked systems befitting the genre. Read on to learn about the game’s mechanics and how to play Manor Lords in early access before it launches.

When is the Manor Lords Early Access release date?

Manor Lords will be released into Steam Early Access on April 26th 2024 according to the Steam Store Page. It is releasing on PC via Steam/GOG and will be released later on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. The release date was announced at the Xbox Partner Preview alongside some fresh gameplay that showed off its impressive scale. Despite being an early access title, Manor Lords’ details are incredible across both city-building and its battles.

Manor Lords countdown to release

We’ve compiled a countdown clock to help you know exactly when the game will be available. Remember, it’ll also be playable on Game Pass and, at some point, GeForce NOW.

What is the Manor Lords release time?

This is in line with when the Steam store typically refreshes. As this is an Early Access game, its not complete and the experience may change further. These notes and changes are usually logged on Steam.

With more wishlists than games like Hades 2, Black Myth: Wukong, and Hollow Knight Silksong, the game has attracted the attention of a massive audience. Based on what we’ve played so far, Manor Lords might just be one of 2024’s biggest hits. Word of mouth fueled by solid demos gave the game a well-deserved spotlight.

How do you play Manor Lords early before release?

You may have seen some people are currently playing Manor Lords even before the early access launch. To play Manor Lords early, you need to have been invited to play the game by the developers, which is typically an honour reserved for streamers and other content creators.

The developers, Slavic Magic, seemingly sent out invitations to some people already, giving access to the game before it even launches into Early Access on Steam. If this is something you’ve seen, the people playing are likely content creators. As it stands, there is no other way to play the game early and you will have to wait until the official Manor Lords release date.

What to expect from Manor Lords gameplay

Manor Lords is a real-time strategy game that lets you pick a region before creating your first settlement. Right from developing burgage plots and housing to assigning roles to settlers and growing your city, the game leaves no stone unturned in its pursuit of authenticity. Every decision requires you to consider a variety of factors like soil fertility, groundwater, and food sources. Buildings like the woodcutter’s lodge, marketplace, and church lend a European aesthetic to the game. Unlike most RTS titles, the world reacts to your choices, with deforestation and unsustainable hunting drastically changing the terrain. You can mitigate some of this by taking advantage of major trade routes. Paths even erode based on how many people use them.

Weather conditions play an important role as well, dictating what crops you can plant and what supplies you’ll need to survive the harsher months. This plays into battles, be it against banditry, rebellions, or feuds, with movement determined by the condition of the ground. While we didn’t get to test out combat much, trailers have shown off massive skirmishes that can injure your economy if you aren’t careful. Troops are split between peasant militia, trained mercenaries, and the pricey Lord’s retinue.

Melee troops can ‘push’ or ‘give ground’ while archers have ‘volley’ and ‘quickdraw’ orders. Siege engines will also play a role in combat. Weapons for spearmen, archers, and cavalry can either be forged or imported, giving you free rein on what your settlements should focus on. Stats like morale and fatigue will also impact the flow of combat. We’re not sure how well this experience will translate to consoles but our first impressions on PC are pretty positive. 

What we think about Manor Lords

We had a great time playing Manor Lords back when its demo dropped during Steam’s Next Fest event back in October 2022. Its solid visuals and performance, even in demo form, have us hopeful for a smooth launch without too many bugs. Buildings and settlers worked as expected, managing economic chains and resources without slowing down. While some of its mechanics can feel obtuse to pick up, much of its little wins rely on you picking up knowledge from experience, letting you improve with subsequent settlements. 

And yes, you can walk around your city with a third-person view as a Lord or Lady, making Manor Lords even more immersive. We didn’t get to try the diplomacy features between medieval lords and ladies. But with letters that can be written line by line, expect a decent degree of nuance when it comes to winning neighbouring kingdoms over. Overall, it’s an experience that we are looking forward to.

Latest news on Manor Lords

Developer Slavic Magic has shared a look at the game’s soundtrack via a trailer. They have also confirmed that an OST will be released separately for players to crank up some medieval tunes at work. The soundtrack was made by a separate team of musicians. Publisher Hooded Horse has ensured that both the tactical battles and in-depth city-building scenarios sound great.