1. The King is Watching
  2. News

The King is Watching News

New Bundle: The King is Watching & Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition

[h3]Noble Kings,[/h3][p][/p][p]The King is Watching has joined forces with the legendary Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition, an expanded version of the classic game with new units, new lords and additional campaigns, for a new Royal Bundle![/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Gaze at your subjects at home to ensure smooth production of units and resources while your banners ride for the dunes and defeat any opponent on your path. Show everyone how a true King rules and conquers at the same time with royal gracefulness![/p][p][/p][p]Claim this royal bargain today! HUZZAH![/p][p][/p][h3]Follow us or join our communities:[/h3]

The King is On Sale at the Steam Autumn Sale!

[h3]Noble Kings,[/h3][p][/p][p]Autumn is here, and while the leaves are falling it is time for you to rise and become royal! 🍂👑[/p][p][/p][p]Ending October 6th, The King is Watching allies with the Steam Autumn Sale with a 20% royal discount![/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]The royal court has already welcomed over 300,000 Kings, each forging their own tales and adventures. Their voices have spoken loudly, raising the game to a “Very Positive” status on Steam with more than 5,000 reviews. And the story doesn’t end here: as revealed in our last royal decree, the Volcano update is coming soon! A whole new biome, infernal enemies, artifacts, and story events, completely FREE for all Kings![/p][p][/p][p]This is the perfect time to claim your crown or gift one to your friends, and see who truly keeps the sharpest watch! HUZZAH![/p][p][/p][h3]Follow us or join our communities:[/h3]

The Update 1.0.6 is Here: QoL & New Spells!

[h3]Noble Kings![/h3][p][/p][p]In case you missed it, last week we announced our next big content addition: the Volcano Map, a brand new infernal realm full of unique mechanics, events, bosses, and demonic bargains. If you haven’t read about it yet, we urge you to check it out here: it’s shaping up to be one hell of an update![/p][p][/p][p]Work on the Volcano is still in full swing, but in the meantime we felt it was important to bring you this round of quality-of-life improvements, UI updates, and fixes, along with some fiery new spells and long-awaited Steam features. So, here is all you will find in Update 1.0.6![/p][p][/p][h2]Steam Features[/h2]
  • [p]Added Steam Rich Presence: your current King and week are now visible in the Steam Friends menu.[/p]
  • [p]Also Trading Cards and Steam Items are nearly complete! Expect them within two weeks - here’s a sneak peek:[/p]
[p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]New Spells[/h2][p]Five new spells to expand your arsenal:[/p]
  • [p]Bladecaster: Summons a stationary unit that casts a falling blade on any unit attacking it. Blade damage: 50.[/p]
  • [p]TNT Barrel: Places an explosive barrel that detonates after 5 seconds for 250 damage.[/p]
  • [p]Thunderstorm: Calls down lightning strikes in an area for 90 damage each over 5 seconds.[/p]
  • [p]Salt in the Wounds: Enemy units in the area take 30% more damage for 7 seconds.[/p]
  • [p]Bursting Bunch: Summons 3 Bursting Guys who rush enemies and explode, dealing 30 initial + 90 poison damage over time.[/p]
[p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2] UI & Quality of Life[/h2]
  • [p]Kings' first ability is now unlocked from the start. For the second ability you will need to defeat the first boss and for the third the second boss.[/p]
  • [p]Refreshed unit classes popups with improved visuals and readability.[/p]
  • [p]Adjusted building popup layouts so they fit the screen better and don’t obstruct hovered buildings.[/p]
  • [p]Re-added unit info popups for buildings housing multiple unit types.[/p]
  • [p]Added pages to the barracks window, making it easier to manage highly diverse armies.[/p]
  • [p]Resource gain popups no longer overlap, and now display information more clearly.[/p]
  • [p]Rewards in Kingdom tabs are now marked with a more pronounced effect when available.[/p]
  • [p]Druids’ transformations now feature new animations.[/p]
[p][/p][h2]Fixes[/h2]
  • [p]Fixed bosses being able to spawn minions inside castle walls.[/p]
  • [p]Fixed Sleeping and Stunned units being woken up improperly via state manipulation.[/p]
  • [p]Fixed a rare save/load case where Steam Deck could start the game in an unplayable windowed resolution.[/p]
  • [p]Fixed “Deforestation” spell highlight which was misleading about which trees would be chopped near one edge.[/p]
[p][/p][p]We hope this update is gonna make your kingdom and gazing smoother, fiercer, and more fun while we continue forging the Volcano realm. [/p][p][/p][p]That’s all for today: keep your gaze sharp and your castle walls sturdy! HUZZAH!
~ The Hypnohead Team
[/p]

The Volcano is Watching: Free Infernal Map Incoming

[h3]Noble Kings![/h3][p][/p][p]The time has come to expand the horizons of your royal gaze. Village and Graveyard have served as noble proving grounds, but a kingdom such as yours deserves more variety, more peril, and more wonders to conquer. That is why our next step is the addition of a brand new map, a biome unlike anything you’ve ruled before: the Volcano![/p][p][/p][p]With it comes not just a change of scenery, but a whole new set of mechanics, events, bosses, enemies, buildings, and artifacts to challenge even the most seasoned monarchs.[/p][p][/p][p]We are aiming to release this update later this year, closer to December. Development is still at an early stage, so consider this an announcement of direction rather than a royal promise. Things may shift as the fires of creation continue to burn, but rest assured: this is where the development leads us![/p][p][/p][h2]Welcome to the Volcano[/h2][p]This time your ruling extends to a precarious settlement built at the foot of a vast volcano. Officially, you tell your subjects you’re here for rare alloys and valuable ores. But only your closest advisors know the truth: your true aim is to study the occult, for sages whisper that volcanoes are gateways to the Infernal dimension. [/p][p][/p][p]You’ve had your share of dealings with demons before (sometimes even at your services) but what if you could speak with one of their Archdukes, someone higher in the infernal hierarchy? What bargains might such a creature strike? And what blasphemies might you unleash by accepting?[/p][p][/p][h2]A Realm of New Gameplay Possibilities[/h2][p]The map itself will evolve with the volcanic cycle, shifting through around five distinct stages. These will change not just the appearance, but also the gameplay, keeping every part of the run tense and interesting. And should you play your cards right, you might find yourself negotiating directly with an Archduke of the Inferno. Will you accept his infernal pact, or reject it and carve your own path without such unholy aid? The choice will be yours.[/p][p][/p][p]To make things more interesting, Threat Levels on this map will be uniquely tuned. Much like how Graveyard is unlocked after beating a certain Threat Level, Volcano will require the same. So we think that you will be ready for a new challenge and distinct modifiers. Expect them to be fiercer than on other maps, shaking up the predictable spikes of difficulty you’ve grown used to.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Infernal Enemies Await[/h2][p]Every new map brings its own host of horrors. Just as zombies shamble across the Graveyard and goblins terrorize the countryside of the Village, the Inferno will send forth its legions to batter down your gates. Expect twisted imps darting across the skies, hulking demons pounding at your walls, and relentless waves led by mighty bosses, each with their own agenda, powers, and reasons to see you fail.[/p][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p][/p][h2]Tools to Match the Challenge[/h2][p]But fear not, noble rulers, because with new dangers come new ways to prevail. This update will introduce:[/p]
  • [p]Esoteric artifacts preserved only by the fickle mercy of demons, granting powers unlike anything seen before.[/p]
  • [p]Infernal-themed buildings, expanding your kingdom’s reach in strange and dangerous ways.[/p]
  • [p]Recruitable creatures from the Infernal realm, willing to serve in your armies… if you dare to command them.[/p]
  • [p]Potentially even new advisors, drawn from otherworldly planes, ready to whisper their cryptic counsel.[/p]
[p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]New Events, New Dilemmas[/h2][p]A new map would not be complete without stories and challenges to match its tone. Expect to see a host of fresh events, each presenting dilemmas to test your judgment. Below you may see an example and also several royal illustrations we are ready to share with you, handcrafted by the court’s best human artists![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The nobles of your kingdom whispered in secret, poring over forbidden tomes and hoarding rare ingredients. Their obsession bore fruit - or perhaps fire - when at last they succeeded in summoning a powerful Lord of Hell.[/p][p]Bound within a blazing circle, the demon offered them a single wish in exchange for freedom. Unfortunately, your subjects immediately began shouting conflicting demands: eternal life, death to their rivals, unmatched skill in the bedroom - the list went on, and on, and on. Hours passed in bickering while the demon, clearly regretting his career choices, finally reached out to you in desperation.[/p][p]Now, Your Majesty, the circle still burns, the nobles still argue, and the demon waits for your word to end this absurd stalemate.[/p]
  1. [p]Set the demon free in exchange for the wish[/p]
  2. [p]Kill the cult members and imprison the demon forever[/p]
  3. [p]Blow out the summoning candles and see what happens next[/p]
[p][/p][h3]And here other royal illustrations:[/h3][carousel][/carousel][p][/p][h2]New Music for a New Realm[/h2][p]Alongside the Volcano map, we’ll be adding a full set of new music tracks, created to capture the ominous, fiery atmosphere of the Infernal theme. These tracks will also be added to the Soundtrack DLC once the update goes live.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][h2]Free for All Kings[/h2][p]All of this content will be free for everyone who owns the game. Consider it a humble token of our gratitude for your overwhelming support and the love you’ve shown our little project.[/p][p][/p][p]Until next time! HUZZAH![/p][p]~ The Hypnohead Team[/p]

The King is On Sale at Serbian Games Week!

[h3]Noble Kings,[/h3][p][/p][p]For the first time since launch, The King is Watching is on sale with a 20% discount at the Serbian Games Week![/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]From September 22nd to September 29th, the gates of the kingdom open wide to all who seek strategy, sacrifice, and majestic challenges! Get yourself a copy today! Got a fellow strategist friend at your court? Well then, consider surprising them with one too![/p][p][/p][p]So gather your Advisors, focus your eyes and make your kingdom proud! HUZZAH![/p][p][/p][h3]Follow us or join our communities:[/h3][p]Twitter[/p][p]Discord[/p][p]Reddit[/p][p]Bluesky[/p][p]Our Official Wiki[/p]