Drop Duchy News

Hear ye, hear ye!

We are ecstatic to announce that Drop Duchy has reached 50K+ wishlists and 40k+ demo players! Seeing such an enthusiastic response to the game is truly heartwarming, and we wanted to thank each and every one of you for trying out the demo and sharing your feedback with us! It is essential to help us improve the game in order to provide you with the best gaming experience possible once Drop Duchy releases!

To celebrate, we’ve got a couple of announcements for you…

[h3]Drop Duchy releases May 5th![/h3]
You’ve heard me right, in a few months you’ll get to experiment Drop Duchy’s full campaign!
Get a new look on what Drop Duchy has to offer in our release date trailer:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
And, until then...

[h3]A New Demo is live![/h3]
If you don’t want to wait until May 5th to try out Drop Duchy we’ve got you covered! This new, expanded demo brings you the debut of the playable Republic faction along with brand-new challenges, features, cards, and more!

Note: Progress from the previous demo will not carry over to this version.

[h3]What can I expect from this new Demo?[/h3]

Wanna jump into this new demo, but you’re curious about what’s in store for you?

Well, get ready to:

👑 Lead the playable The Duchy, and the now unlockable Republic faction – learn to master the power of the City and its Citizens to prosper!
🏰 Expand your realm through Drop Duchy’s full first act and become the best block-stacking tactician out there
⚔️ Test your tactician skills when facing the mighty boss from Drop Duchy’s first act: The Wall
🃏 Customize your deck with 30+ unlockable cards (out of the 110+ ones available at launch!)
🌳 Unlock new features and cards through a progress tree by completing challenges, and earning 👑 points!
⚙️ Three difficulty settings, an updated tutorial, and balancing improvements
🏆 Three Steam achievements to celebrate the land’s most proactive rulers
🔁Enjoy unlimited runs to improve your tactician's skills

For those who tried the first demo and want a detailed breakdown of the improvements made to the game, don’t hesitate to check out the Steam post about it!

This is your chance to try out new strategies, and learn more about what Drop Duchy has to offer!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2525310/Drop_Duchy/
[h3]New Devlog Alert![/h3]
ICYMI: we released a new Devlog focusing on Map, Deckbuilding, and Combat in Drop Duchy! If you want to learn how to master your tactician skills and improve your runs, don’t hesitate to check it out!

And if you want to learn all about the brand-new Republic faction, stay tuned for our next devlog coming up next week!👀



To keep up with all the latest updates and get exclusive behind-the-scenes sneak peeks of Drop Duchy, don’t forget to join the official Discord server, and follow us on social media:

X / Twitter:
https://x.com/SleepyMillGames

https://x.com/TheArcadeCrew


And join us on Facebook, Threads, Instagram, and Bluesky!

Hello again!

Thanks for the warm reception on our first devlog, we're delighted to see people intrigued by Drop Duchy's unique blend of genres – how can this be a puzzle, a city builder, a roguelite, and a deckbuilder all at once, you’ll ask.
Rest assured, you'll understand how each element fits perfectly together after reading this series of articles!
Or you can… you know… play the demo or watch one of your favorite streamers having a blast.👀

In the previous devlog, we covered the basics of placing pieces in the grid to gain resources; today, let’s dive deeper into how you progress and win a run!

[h3]Using the map to play your next move[/h3]
A run of Drop Duchy consists of several rounds: your goal is to progress as far as possible despite the increasing enemy presence. If you can reach and defeat the final boss, you win! Each map is procedurally generated: learning to select the right path is essential to optimize your chances of success.

To choose your next location, you must first look at the terrains; each grid provides a different selection of forests, plains, rivers, etc.
You should focus on picking the one that suits your current deck better, and keep in mind the resources you'll need to upgrade your cards – for instance, forests are ideal for gathering wood in large quantities if that's what you need.



Secondly, you should watch out for hostile regions: some locations require fighting against enemies, while others don't. Going unprepared for a battle against the enemy could end your run early!
Choosing a peaceful region gives you an extra calm round, which may be beneficial to hone your skills, but it also increases the boss' strength – so, make that decision wisely.



Finally, you can use the bonus locations available on your way: each guild, depot, trading fair, etc. grants you additional resources, cards, and buffs.



[h3]Assembling the Perfect Deck[/h3]
In Drop Duchy, you add a new card to your deck after each round and can collect even more when visiting locations such as the guild or the university.
With each run, you'll be faced with new choices, and your goal is to assemble a strong and versatile deck based on the available options.



Don’t hesitate to check the deck overview menu to manage your cards between rounds. You should focus on spending your resources to upgrade their effect, as their basic form isn't optimal. You can also sell cards you no longer use and get a refund for all the resources you've spent – it's convenient when you want to pivot your strategy!



So, what should you choose in this sea of options?
Ideally, you would want to find cards that work well together; in the first devlog, we've shared an example of a combo based on fields, and we'll tease more synergies in upcoming articles!

[h3]A Word on Combat[/h3]
Now, let's discuss the combat system, a crucial game component for anyone who wishes to survive long enough (so, basically… everyone).
Each combat round has two phases: recruitment and resolution.

At the start of the round, enemy cards get shuffled with your buildings and the location's terrain: the enemy pieces will spawn among the other pieces during the round.
During this recruitment phase, your goal is to place the enemy pieces in a way that minimizes their recruits – the less you have to fight, the easier it'll be. Of course, you should also ensure that your military buildings recruit as many units as possible!



The resolution phase happens at the end of the round once all pieces have been placed. Devise your attack plan by selecting the order in which the groups attack. The outcome is dead simple: just subtract the number of units from both groups.



Sounds easy, right? Well, there's a twist to it: each unit type (light, heavy, ranged) has its weaknesses and advantages – if you have the advantage over another unit type you will be granted a +50% bonus strength against them. To optimize your battle outcome, you must be careful about which unit type you’ll send towards the enemy, and use the group merging to your advantage.
Trust me, it can get head-scratching fast: with just 8 groups on the grid, there are already 40000+ different combat orders!



After the combat resolution, you will lose one defense point for each enemy unit still on the grid. While it might not cause the immediate end of your run, eliminating as many enemies as possible is still a matter of life or death in Drop Duchy.

[h3]Wrap-up[/h3]
That’s it for today! Thanks for reading this new devlog, the whole team hopes you’re having a great time with Drop Duchy’s Demo!

Don’t hesitate to share any questions you may have, I would be happy to answer them!

In the upcoming issues, we'll see about the meta progression, advanced terrains, other factions, and more, so if you don't want to miss out, subscribe to the studio newsletter to receive updates directly in your inbox.



To keep up with all the latest updates and get exclusive behind-the-scenes sneak peeks of Drop Duchy, don’t forget to to join the official Discord server, and follow us on social media:

X / Twitter:
https://x.com/SleepyMillGames

https://x.com/TheArcadeCrew


And join us on Facebook, Threads, Instagram, and Bluesky!

Greetings!

We are thrilled to announce that the free demo of Drop Duchy is available NOW!
This is your chance to dive in and experience the game ahead of its full release in… April 2025!

Curious about what’s in store? Don’t wait — watch our Gameplay Overview Trailer now and get a sneak peek:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3]What is Drop Duchy?[/h3]
Imagine a perfect blend of deckbuilding, puzzle, and rogue-lite gameplay set in a medieval world. Drop Duchy has a charming maquette-inspired aesthetic that you'll love, along with fun and refreshing strategy block-dropping gameplay that'll keep you coming back for more!

🧩 Build your Duchy piece by piece by thoughtfully placing distinct terrain pieces and structures
⚔️ Earn enough resources to prepare your forces to storm through fierce armies
🃏 Customize your deck to suit your strategy and optimize your realm’s growth
🔁 Enjoy endless replayability in this refreshing hybrid rogue-lite game

And if you want to discover more about Drop Duchy’s gameplay, check out our first DEVLOG on Resources, farming & tactical combos!



[h3]What can I expect from this Demo?[/h3]
So, you’re ready to start building your Duchy but want to know more about the content of your journey?

I got you:

👑 Lead the playable The Duchy faction (one out of three!!)
🏰 Expand your realm through Drop Duchy’s full first act and become the best block-stacking tactician out there
⚔️ Test your tactician skills when facing the mighty boss from The Duchy’s first act: The Wall
🃏 Customize your deck with 21 unlockable cards (out of the 110+ ones available at launch!)
⚙️ Two difficulty settings
🏆 Three Steam achievements to celebrate the land’s most proactive rulers

[h3]See you in April![/h3]
Craving for more Drop Duchy’s content? Then, don’t forget to wishlist the game, and get ready for its full release in April 2025!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2525310/Drop_Duchy/
Let every block shape your realm, leading your path to victory!



To keep up with all the latest updates and get exclusive behind-the-scenes sneak peeks of Drop Duchy, don’t forget to follow us on social media:

X / Twitter:
https://x.com/SleepyMillGames

https://x.com/TheArcadeCrew


And join us on Facebook, Threads, Instagram, and Bluesky!

Hello, and welcome to the first Drop Duchy devlog!

This series of articles will share more information about the game and what’s going on behind the curtain at Sleepy Mill Studio.

First, thank you tremendously for the warm reception of the announcement. We have reached 10,000 wishlists already, had tons of positive comments, and the trailer got well over 100,000 views on YouTube. For the first game of a new studio, that’s outstanding, so thanks a lot!

We’re working hard on the demo, ironing out the bugs and tweaking the last details. In this upcoming demo, you’ll discover the beginning of the game, strategize around resources, and experience the first faction, The Duchy. Let’s see what awaits!

[h2]Resources and Exploration[/h2]
Resources are at the heart of the game: you need them to increase the strength of your cards and have a chance of defeating the most dangerous opponents.
The first way to collect resources is called "exploration," which triggers every time you complete a row.



Each natural terrain explored grants resources: wood for forests, food for plains, and gold for rivers. Buildings don’t give resources when explored, but rest assured they have much more potent effects, as we’ll see in the next part.
To increase your exploration gains, try to play smart: completing several rows simultaneously gives a significant bonus.



Exploration is crucial when you don’t have too many cards at the beginning of each run. As you progress, you can enrich your options by selecting cards that improve exploration, such as the technology Optimizer, which increases multi-row bonuses, or the Town, a convenient line-shaped building that's perfectly suited to a super-powerful exploration combo.



[h2]Fields and The Duchy[/h2]
When you play the demo (and the final game), the first card in your starting deck is the Farm, a building with the power to turn surrounding plains into fields.



The starting faction, called The Duchy, are farming specialists, with several exclusive cards themed around fields.
Fields provide 10 food when explored, a massive upgrade over the 3 food earned when exploring a basic plain. Several cards also benefit from fields, such as the Windmill (even more food!) or the Watchtower, which recruits three times more units from fields than plains.



Food production shouldn’t be a significant concern when playing The Duchy but don’t forget to collect wood. The best option to do so is the Wood Clearer, a building that turns forests into plains—ideal for creating even more fields!



Finding and mastering synergies between your cards and the terrain is the key to success in Drop Duchy (and combos are a ton of fun, trust me)!

[h2]Wrap-up[/h2]

That’s it for today; thanks for reading me, and let me know in the comments if you’ve got any questions or topics you’d like to read about in future devlogs.

Next time, I’ll discuss the map, deck-building mechanics, and the combat system. If you don’t want to miss out, follow us on Twitter or subscribe to the studio newsletter to receive updates directly in your inbox.

JB Oger - Game Director

Greetings everyone,


Thank you all tremendously for the warm reception of Drop Duchy’s reveal. We reached 10,000 wishlists already, received tons of positive comments, and the trailer got well over 100,000 views on YouTube. For our first game as a new studio, that’s outstanding, so thanks a lot!

It’s been a while since we last made any announcements.

After extensive playtests, we uncovered new and exciting ideas that made the game even better than we initially imagined. We thought it would have been a disservice to our players not to include all this additional content in our very first demo. We want to take the time to explore Drop Duchy’s full, unbridled potential to make it the best game it can be.

For these reasons, we decided to delay our demo and game launch until early 2025. We understand many of you are impatient, but please believe us when we say the wait is more than worth it!

In other exciting news, we were featured in the Convergence Game Showcase with a brand-new trailer, take a look!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

We will keep you posted on the game’s development with regular devlogs from now on, so make sure to follow us on our channels:

https://x.com/SleepyMillGames

https://x.com/TheArcadeCrew

Thank you again for your support and patience, we cannot wait for you to try Drop Duchy!