Today, UK-based Long Jaunt showed off what is next for the next year of its hit medieval kingdom sim, Norland, showcasing the general roadmap that is currently planned for 2026.
The developers plan to deepen existing systems in Norland rather than expand the physical city indefinitely, as this is constrained by the characters’ complex behaviors and computational resources. City Progression, Global Map Progression, and War will play an integral part in these improvements, with each getting significant changes to its core gameplay and features.
For City Progression, you’ll see the game develop in an upward spiral via more complex productions and services (theaters, refined goods, etc.) as the player introduces craftsmen who are efficient but have higher demands. This system will replace peasants and keep the overall population stable for performance reasons.
The introduction of feudalization will also allow players to appoint dukes over regions to manage large territories, collect tribute, and reduce micromanagement, makingdukes stronger opponents and central power players. Seasonal changes and four different climates/biomes will be added at the end of winter 2026, requiring mechanics for alternative food gathering, storage, and heating, each with its own complex trade route system.
The late game is also getting some cool changes, as a survival mode is being considered, letting you test your city’s resilience against a chain of crises such as famine, nomadic invasions, and epidemics. In spring-summer 2026, Norland will update its combat a bit by giving weapons and armor greater tactical advantages against each other.
Alongside gameplay, characters and story will each get a major overhaul, introducing systems that generate compelling stories about power and hierarchy. For starters, Character Traits will add weaknesses that can be exploited in politics, and the talent skills will be expanded into small skill trees.
Stories will now focus on intriguing tales of power, including violence, sex, and money, featuring multi-stage conflicts, intimidation, control through dependent characters, and a church politics system with temple influence zones.
Norland is available on PC via Steam Early Access for a typical price of $29.99. For more information on this, other updates the medieval kingdom simulator has received since its release, be sure to check the rest of Simulation Daily.
