Historical strategy sandbox Chronicles Medieval has been saved from bankruptcy

Upcoming historical sandbox game Chronicles: Medieval has been a very promising prospect, but it was almost lost for good. After an impressive showing at Summer Game Fest, the medieval game was on course for a 2027 release, and has even made it up to number 26 on Steam's most-wishlisted games chart. Then, on October 30, developer Raw Power Games announced it no longer had sufficient funding to continue developing the project. Fortunately, just two weeks later, Satisfactory and Goat Simulator studio Coffee Stain confirms it has come to an agreement to take over the project.

The overarching Coffee Stain Group, which encompasses the development arm of the company along with the publishing side that's brought us the likes of Deep Rock Galactic and Songs of Conquest, has announced that it has entered into an agreement to purchase the IP rights and related assets for Chronicles: Medieval. CEO Anton Westbergh writes, "We're happy to step in and help bring it to the players after the recent developments in Copenhagen."

Coffee Stain Group lists the price as 36.75 million Danish Krone (approximately $5.42 million in US Dollars), and says the assets will belong to "a newly established company, owned 75% by Coffee Stain and 25% by a small group of key members of the game's original development team." Once the deal closes, Coffee Stain will fund Chronicles: Medieval's continued development, with a "limited cost base, which is expected to increase gradually as the studio takes shape."

"Chronicles: Medieval ticks many of the boxes that we believe to be fundamental for a great game, and we think it has a good chance of becoming a strong long-term IP for the group," Westbergh remarks. "Things have been moving fast around this deal, and our short-term focus will be on working out how best to complete the game, together with the new company's management team."

I'm certainly glad to hear that Chronicles: Medieval hasn't been consigned to the annals of history quite yet. It was an incredibly ambitious-sounding project right from the start: combining deep roleplaying elements with evolving sandbox storytelling in a world that lives and breathes around you. Starting out by crafting your character's design and backstory, you'll choose your occupation and establish the talents and skills that they excel in.

There's the promise of trade, tournaments, diplomacy, and politics as you gradually find your path towards power, all of which is punctuated by grand-scale battles with potentially thousands of soldiers. These resemble Total War confrontations but with you taking to the battlefield, leading your troops by example and ensuring their morale holds firm. For now, that 2027 date is still provisionally in place, but Coffee Stain says it will deliver further information "including the release timeline" once it's ready to do so.