Manor Lords release time: When and where you can play the medieval strategy game

Manor Lords, a medieval strategy game that’s out today (April 26), could be the next big smash hit on PC after breaking a huge record on Steam.

In a sign of the massive anticipation around the game, more than 3 million gamers have added Manor Lords to their wishlist on the online gaming store.

If all of them were to buy it, Manor Lords would be crowned the next viral breakout in a year of surprise hits. We’ve already seen Palworld and Helldivers 2 come out of nowhere to notch up millions in sales. Could Manor Lords be next?

Hold on a minute, what is the game even about? Here’s what you need to know about Manor Lords, the grime-caked strategy fest that’s probably going to take over your social media feeds in the coming days.

What is Manor Lords?

Playing as a landowner in 14th century eastern Europe, Manor Lords tasks you with developing a medieval burgh into a thriving village or town.

At the heart of the game is a deep resource-management system, powered by a production chain that pumps out goods from the map’s abundant regions. Therefore, where you choose to lay your roots is of the utmost importance.

Once you’ve landed on a district, your citizens will get to work constructing homes, plowing the fields or mining in pits. Make sure to keep them happy or they may not be fit to ward off hostile invaders. Oh, and good luck explaining why you're taxing the poor peasants.

Alas, you’ll need the funds to buy influence with the church, which can lead to greater rewards (including new regions) from his majesty the King. But, even your best efforts at diplomacy won’t be enough to stave off raiders. Be prepared for bloody battles featuring hundreds of villagers prodding each other with sharp, pointy objects.

If you’ve ever played Age of Empires and Total War, you’ll feel right at home in the rain-soaked hamlets of Manor Lords.

Manor Lords release time

Manor Lords is out on Friday, April 26 at 2pm in the UK on Steam, the Epic Games Store, Microsoft Store, and GOG. The game is being launched in early access, meaning it’s still unfinished and may lack features, content or polish compared to the final product.

How much is Manor Lords?

In the lead up to its launch, Manor Lords’ publisher Hooded Horse was keeping its cards close to its chest regarding the game’s price.

But, now that it’s officially out, we know how much it costs everywhere you can play it.

The game has arrived with a juicy 35 percent discount on most platforms barring the Microsoft store.

It’s a few pennies cheaper on Steam and the Epic Games Store (£26.24) versus GOG (£26.29). Meanwhile, the Microsoft Store is selling it for £35.

Is Manor Lords on Game Pass?

Along with Steam, the game will be available on Xbox Game Pass for PC, which costs £8 per month. Those signed up to Xbox’s gaming service can play it as part of their subscription starting from today.

Don’t forget, new users can grab a 14-day trial for Xbox Game Pass for £1 - a good idea if you want to try before you buy.

Is Manor Lords Steam Deck verified?

There’s good news for fans of Valve’s PC handheld: Manor Lords will be playable on Steam Deck.

Is Manor Lords releasing on consoles?

Console players will have to watch from the sidelines for a while as PC gamers get first dibs on the game.

Ultimately, Manor Lords will come to Xbox systems at some point, according to the FAQ on its subreddit. However, there’s no mention of a PlayStation 5 release.

We’d wager it will arrive on consoles when the early access period ends and the full game is ready. How long will that be? It’s hard to say. The fact that Manor Lords is made by a solo indie developer, known as Slavic Magic, could result in an extensive wait time as niggles from the preview period take longer to iron out.

Then again, it may not be as long as other, more ambitious open-world games. For instance, there was an almost three-year gap between the early access period and full release of Baldur’s Gate 3. On the other hand, there was a two-year window between the early access release of Valheim and its arrival on Xbox consoles.