Dev Blog 4: Update, Roadmap, and Early Access Release Date!

Hello one and all! Today’s Dev Blog is a special one.

You guys may have noticed that the playtest is no longer available. That’s cause we are in the final phase of testing and bug-fixing before Early Access release! It is in this time that we have decided to announce the release date for AlexanderBall: A Countryball Tale!

So, without further ado, we at Red Thorn Interactive are proud to announce that AlexanderBall: A Countryball Tale will enter Early Access on the 15th of January, 2023!

So what can you guys expect? A host of new additions are coming into the game during early access.
The most important of these are the addition of the diplomacy and building systems. At long last, AlexanderBall can build a bunch of cities named after himself throughout the ancient world. At long last, AlexanderBall can threaten the myriad peoples of his vast empire, demand tributes, send gifts, and take hostages!

The diplomacy tab will allow AlexanderBall to see what his subjects think of him and the exact reasons why they may not want to send their young men to die in his conquests.

We’re adding in 4 new resources - Wine, Salt, Food, and Iron!
You can use Iron for hiring new units, Wine for holding festivals in your different cities, Food to keep your populations fed, and Salt to pay your soldiers in wages (this bit may not be historically accurate… welp).

Siege battles!! (Need we say more for this one?)

The random events system is ready to go!
Over 120 random events have been added to the game. Taking a leaf from many other historical strategy games before us, we believe these random events can add a lot of replayability to our game and make the whole experience more immersive.

We’re implementing a Legacy Point system!
Now players can lose campaigns, secure in the knowledge that they have earned some Legacy Points and can go into the next run with some permanent upgrades.

At early access, the classic campaign will extend up to the Battle of Guagamela!
Players will be able to romp their way through Greece, Asia Minor, the Levant, Egypt, Assyria, and reach the gates of Persia in the upcoming Early Access release.

After the early access release, there will be monthly updates until we reach the summer of 2023 (we hope to enter full release around then). So, after early access release, be sure to drop-by. In the months following January 15th, players can expect more random events, a building system that lets the player customize individual cities, multiplayer battles, unique units, and whatever else fun mechanics we can come up with!

And if you haven’t seen it already, be sure to check out our brand new cinematic trailer!