Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition Post-Launch Roadmap Detailed

Developer and publisher Firefly Studios has revealed the post-launch roadmap for its upcoming RTS Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition. The latest video released by the developer dives deep into what you can expect to arrive in Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition after its release next week. The developer is aiming for two major updates for this fall, which will not only bring new content to the game but will also include the usual fixes, improvements, and balancing that are expected from an expanded RTS.

Firefly Studios has high hopes for the upcoming release of Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition because the game’s past two public demos, the first was released on January 20th with the second one during last month’s Steam Next Fest, attracted over 195,000 demo downloads with around 230,000 wishlists. Post-release, Firefly Studios is aiming for two major updates titled, the Autumn Update and the Winter Update. Both updates will arrive alongside two separate paid DLCs.

Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition already includes some community-driven improvements such as new buildings and increased unit caps. During surveys, 93% of players showed an interest in a post-launch DLC, and the developer is now actively working towards creating future content for the title. The Autumn Update will feature a series-first economic campaign along with a brand-new CPU commander.

The new campaign will feature five missions where you will need to meet challenging economic targets to complete them. These will lean heavily into the city builder gameplay mechanics of Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition. The new AI Commander will be either your friend or foe, and you will be able to select it in either the offline Skirmish mode or the online Multiplayer modes as an opponent or ally. This update will also bring three new maps, one for Skirmish, one for Free Build mode, and the final one for Multiplayer.

Later this year, the free Winter Update will be a major update for Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition and it will be filled to the brim with content. It will bring one of the highest-rated player-requested features of all time: the ability to customize CPU opponents. This update will allow you to customize your opponent’s castles and campaigns. To try them out, you will be able to design their defenses and place them on custom mission maps created by the community. The update will also bring a second campaign of missions for you to play and three brand-new maps as well.

The free paid DLCs will arrive alongside these free updates and each DLC will introduce two new CPU opponents, and a series of challenging missions called Skirmish Trial. Additional details about these paid DLCs will be revealed at a later date. If you have a keen eye, you can find out a little bit about these new CPU opponents in the post-launch roadmap trailer linked above but if you want more details, you will need to wait for the developer to share them.

Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition is an upcoming expanded remaster of the original 2002 castle sim released by Firefly Studios. It has been overhauled by the original game’s veteran developers, and it features remastered artwork, animations, and music, along with fresh gameplay content, returning voice actors, and tons of fan-requested improvements like larger maps, new playable units, characters, campaigns, and much more.

Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition is slated for release on PC via Steam on July 15, 2025. A Steam page for the game is now live, and you can add it to your wishlist ahead of its release.

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Are you looking forward to playing Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition and what are your thoughts on its post-launch roadmap? Let us know in the comments section below.