Spring Development Update + First Gameplay Playtest Reveal
16 Mar 2026
Hello friends, today I am excited to share our Spring Development Update for Kingdom of Hope. This is the very first Steam update, so I wanted to start things properly and give you an early look at how the game is coming together — including a big reveal: our first developer playtest!
Game Development Progress
For the past 8 months the game has been in active development as a solo project, with new systems, mechanics, and world details being added almost daily. The goal is simple: build a world that feels magical, cosy, and full of discovery, where players can explore the kingdom at their own pace and uncover its stories.
I am aiming to participate in an upcoming Steam Next Fest this year, but before that I wanted to reveal the first of many developer gameplay play-tests. It offers an early glimpse into the systems and gameplay currently being built.
Please remember that this is still a work in progress. Many elements — including art, music, and gameplay systems — may change as development continues.
As for the release date, I’m not ready to share that one just yet… but it is coming soon!
Development has been moving quickly, and new ideas often emerge naturally during the process. Whenever something feels right for the world or story, it tends to find its way into the game. The goal is to make Kingdom of Hope as rich, immersive, and story-driven as possible.
Developer Playtest — It’s Here!
Recent Development Highlights
December 2025
- Seed Machine — convert harvested crops into seeds
- Alchemy Table — used to craft potions and other mystical brews
- Wood Carving Table — used to craft wooden items such as bowls and other household items
- Clay Oven — for producing clay items such as storage and fermentation jars
- Advanced Furnace — for Iron, Steel and Glass production
- Charcoal Mound — for charcoal production
- Watering Can — can now refill from additional locations/fishing spots
- Chicken Coop Events — various events can occur depending on how you manage and interact with your chickens on the farm
- Tool, weapon, and item durability system added
- Repair station for tools/items/weapons
- Additional durability cost when tools strike objects above tier level
- Market stalls introduced
- Player footprints added
- Crop Waste system introduced
- Pocket Crafting Hammer and Architect Hammer added for deconstruction
January 2026
- Compost/fertilisation added — apply compost to improve crop growth or accelerate growth speed
- Bee hives — spawn chance on random trees, further chance for bee larvae to drop alongside honeycomb, enabling farm beekeeping
- Well may run dry after several consecutive days without rain
- Rainwater collection and water trough distribution added — the medieval version of sprinklers!
February 2026
- PS5 controller support and haptic feedback added
- Expanded cold weather temperature system affecting player health, energy, and environmental conditions
- Added Royal Library and Library Books
March 2026
- New bandit area added with abandoned houses and loot
- Advanced bandit combat including parry-riposte, punches, and heavy kickback on successful parries
- Log Chopping Station and Log Storage
- Ecosystem monitoring added to farming, requiring a healthy balance of trees, bees, and plants to support successful crop growth
- Beer production and hop farming added
And much more!
More key updates will be shared soon as development continues. Previous updates can be found via our website.
Thank you for following the journey of Kingdom of Hope!
Cheers,
Ben
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