Kingmakers Delay Reflects Studio’s Uncompromising Vision

A Bold Premise Meets a Development Hurdle

Kingmakers, the upcoming tactical sandbox from Redemption Road and publisher tinyBuild, immediately captured attention with its over-the-top premise — a modern soldier armed with guns, tanks, and helicopters waging war against entire medieval armies. But fans expecting to experience this chaotic blend of centuries in Early Access on October 8 will now have to wait longer.

In an official announcement, Redemption Road confirmed that the Early Access launch has been delayed indefinitely, citing the need for additional time to realise the project’s ambitious scope fully. The team stressed that they refuse to cut planned features to meet the original date — a rare but refreshing stance in an industry often criticised for premature launches.

Developer Statement: “We Don’t Want to Cut Corners”

In their statement on social media, the studio addressed the community directly:

“Why is Kingmakers being delayed? In short, it’s an incredibly ambitious, uncompromising game, and we don’t want to cut any planned features for the sake of getting it out the door earlier.”

Redemption Road explained that Kingmakers represents a blend of large-scale simulation, action strategy, and emergent gameplay not commonly seen in the indie space. The goal is to deliver something truly unique — not just in its concept of “modern vs medieval,” but in the systems that make it possible.

The developers also emphasised that this delay is not a sign of trouble, but a commitment to quality. In their words, “We want this to be the definitive version of the idea — not an unfinished prototype.”

Technical Ambition on an Unlikely Engine

Redemption Road has been vocal about its desire to push Unreal Engine 4 to its technical limits, a challenge few studios attempt in 2025, given the industry’s migration to Unreal Engine 5.

Among their key ambitions:

• Advanced AI and pathfinding systems designed to simulate massive, dynamic battles.
• Detailed destruction mechanics allowing medieval castles and modern vehicles alike to crumble under the chaos of war.
• Robust optimisation, ensuring smooth performance across both high-end and lower-spec PCs.

The team described Kingmakers as a project where “every explosion, every cavalry charge, and every bullet impact” should feel reactive and authentic — even when hundreds of soldiers are fighting simultaneously.

Keeping Fans Engaged While They Wait

To help ease the disappointment, Redemption Road confirmed that a 30-minute gameplay showcase will be released soon, giving fans a deeper look at the systems and combat loop. The footage will reportedly highlight large-scale battles, dynamic AI reactions, and the absurd spectacle that made Kingmakers a viral hit when first revealed.

Until then, the game remains without a new release window. The studio has not clarified whether the delay will affect console versions or the planned Early Access roadmap.

A Delay Worth the Wait?

In an era where rushed releases have led to high-profile failures, Redemption Road’s decision to hold back Kingmakers could prove wise. By choosing patience over deadlines, the studio is positioning itself to deliver a more polished and ambitious experience — one that lives up to the wild promise of its premise: What if a modern soldier invaded the Middle Ages?

For now, fans of large-scale sandbox chaos will have to wait to find out if Kingmakers truly delivers on that dream.