The King is Answering your Questions: Future Plans and Q&A Part #01
[p]Noble Kings,[/p][p][/p][p]From the very beginning, through development, the demo, and now launch, we’ve tried to listen closely, adapt quickly, and give our best with the limited means of a small team, but always with heart and passion.[/p][p][/p][p]Recently, we asked for your feedback again, and the question we saw the most was simple: what’s next for the game, and when? Before answering, here’s a bit of context.[/p][p][/p][p]We never expected the incredible love and attention The King is Watching has received. As a team of just four working full time, we’ve been blown away by your support. Passing 300,000 copies sold in only a few weeks is a milestone we thought would take years. Thank you for making this possible.[/p][p][/p][p]![]()
[/p][p][/p][p]In the first month after release, we focused on fixing critical bugs (many we could never have found without your reports, thank you!) and adding much-requested quality-of-life features like mid-run saves. Now that we finally have some breathing room, we can start looking ahead. What follows are our current thoughts and priorities, not yet a fixed roadmap. We hope to share a proper one later this month as things become more concrete.[/p][p][/p][h3]![]()
What We’re Thinking About Next[/h3]![]()
The King is Answering: Q&A Part #01![/h2][p][/p][p]Q: Could you imagine implementing a co-op mode?[/p][p]A: We would love to, but we don't think it's a good fit for the game as of now due to basically having to rebuild the entire code and balance it for two players. However, never say never: once we are further with the already in-production updates, we will check back on the idea![/p][p][/p][p]Q: Is there an official wiki? If so, how come I can’t find it? If not, do you plan on working with the community to create one?[/p][p]A: Yes, there is! It's run by the community with some informational support from us. You can find it HERE[/p][p][/p][p]![]()
[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Hey Hypnohead, love the game!! Is there any interest in adding career and post-game stats?[/p][p]A: Thank you for the kind words! :)[/p][p]We really want to add more stats to the game, but it's a big task and we are currently working on getting other content in-game. But feedback noted![/p][p][/p][p]Q: Where can I get the soundtrack?[/p][p]A: You can find it for sale on the Steam store at this link: [/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Q: Do you have plans for mobile or console versions?[/p][p]A: Not at the moment, but it's something we will look into in the future and announce separately.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: We want not just to defend, but to attack the enemy castles. Will you add something like this?[/p][p]A: That's in the backlog as one of the ideas for future maps (but not the next one we plan to add).[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Do you plan to experiment with the geometry of the castles and not just do the 5x5 grid? Maybe some T-shaped castles?[/p][p]A: That’s an interesting idea, but we won't be changing the 5x5 field, since it would require rebalancing how the buildings work… like, a LOT. We think the current negative modifiers for the tiles are enough to push people to experiment with layouts.[/p][p][/p][p]![]()
[/p][p][/p][p]Q: More unique maps and variety? Also are you gonna add the encyclopedia to be available during a run?[/p][p]A: The encyclopedia was made available just a couple of days after you asked in the 1.0.5 update! :)[/p][p]Yes, we want to add more maps, though the first ones won't be too wildly different.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: What do you think of adding to the game something like archer towers or moats to make more defensive options?[/p][p]A: We even had a prototype of a map where you could build extra defenses on certain points (think of sending out builders instead of gravediggers). It was fun, but not enough to make it into the final game. We plan to go back to the drawing board on that idea in the future.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: What are the inspirations for the Kings?[/p][p]A: We worked backwards in the process: we first created the abilities, then King animations, and only after that thought of names for them :)[/p][p][/p][p]![]()
[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Are you planning to add controller support?[/p][p]A: Yes, we are working on improved UI and control layout for Steam Deck. We want to bring The King is Watching to handheld in a proper fashion. It's already playable, but there's still room for improvement (especially the text size).[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Will the monsters be added to the encyclopedia?[/p][p]A: We know this is a requested feature, so it might be added in the future. Still, we need to choose our priorities right, and the new map looks like a more interesting addition to the game right now.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Could you add shortcuts to everything please? As a player I feel I could play better if I could use the mouse to point on stuff and press the keyboard for the action.[/p][p]A: We definitely will add them, but we're not 100% sure when. And of course, you'll be able to assign keybindings.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Are you planning to release it for macOS users?[/p][p]A: No plans for a macOS version for now.[/p][p][/p][p]![]()
[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Do you plan on collaborating with other games?[/p][p]A: We regularly add new bundles on Steam, and that will definitely continue.[/p][p]Steam only allows us to display three bundles on the game page at once, which means some collaborations are time-limited. But worry not: if a bundle disappears, it doesn’t mean it’s gone forever! We love working with other amazing games, and some of the most popular bundles might return in the future.[/p][p]If you're referring to deeper, in-game collaborations, that’s something we’d love to explore one day. But for now, there are no firm plans.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: What do you see as more of a priority: the creation of new content or the tweaking of existing content?[/p][p]A: It really depends on when you ask. A month ago, we would’ve said tweaking existing content. Now we’re looking more into adding new things.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: I would like more challenges centered around using certain builds. E.g. only these units, only this class of units, this King with these units only, etc. Will you implement more of this stuff?[/p][p]A: That’s a great idea which we’ve experimented with a bit, but it didn’t quite land.[/p][p]That said, we’re always looking for ways to expand the challenge system, so feedback like yours helps a lot.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: How long did the development process take? How did the number of people working on the game change during development?[/p][p]A: It took us around a year and a half to go from an improved prototype on itch.io to 1.0. And a bit longer if you consider the very first version of the game we made during a Game Jam.[/p][p][/p][p]![]()
[/p][p][/p][p]That’s all for today, thank you very much for joining us and see you soon with more of your questions answered! HUZZAH![/p][p]~The Hypnohead Devs[/p]
- [p]A New Map: We have plenty of ideas, from a fresh set of bosses to special mechanics (different from Graveyard), plus themed enemies, events, and buildings. We can only tease for now that it’s shaping up to be a hell of an addition. This will be free content for everyone. We’re aiming for a release this year, but can’t promise just yet.[/p]
- [p]New Kings: Expanding the roster with new rulers, each bringing unique abilities and playstyles. Some of them will be free, some of them will be part of a paid DLC we plan to introduce next year.[/p]
- [p]Improving Build Predictability: Right now, creating a specific build can be too dependent on luck. While roguelite randomness is part of the fun, we believe players should have more reliable ways to steer their build’s direction. For example, if you don’t get Poor Man’s Shield or Assassins, there should still be ways to make Grunts useful. We have ideas here, but we’ll share more once we’ve tested them.[/p]
- [p]Steam Features: Trading cards, Steam's Rich Presence, and other platform functionality.[/p]
- [p]More QoL Improvements: Because smoother play makes for a stronger kingdom![/p]