Ex-BioShock, Borderlands Devs Unveil Wild New Game

Summary

• Stray Kite Studios has announced their latest game, Wartorn.
• This game blends real-time strategy with roguelite mechanics, featuring destructible environments, challenging moral dilemmas, and a distinctive painterly visual style.
• Wartorn is set to launch in early access on Steam and the Epic Games Store in spring 2025.

Wartorn is the eagerly awaited debut original title from Stray Kite Studios, a Dallas, Texas-based developer founded in 2018. Comprising around 30 industry veterans with experience on iconic titles like BioShock, Borderlands, and Age of Empires, the studio has previously delivered the standalone version of Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands One-Shot Adventure, along with numerous Creative maps for Fortnite.

Now, Stray Kite Studios unveils Wartorn, a game that combines real-time strategy and roguelite elements. The narrative follows two elven sisters on a perilous quest to reunite with their family, navigating a world torn by chaos and making morally complex decisions along the way.

Wartorn Is Chaotic in More Than One Way

Set in a fantasy realm engulfed in turmoil, Wartorn challenges players with a deeply divided world. The game introduces a unique feature: physics-driven environmental destruction, ensuring each encounter feels fresh and unpredictable. Thematically, Wartorn explores the pursuit of purpose amidst chaos. "We’ve poured our hearts into creating a game that not only entertains but also makes players think deeply about sacrifice, survival, and the bonds that unite us," said Paul Hellquist, co-founder and creative director at Stray Kite Studios.

Wartorn Will Require Players To Make Tough Decisions

Between battles, players face tough choices, such as deciding which character to feed or who to rescue from certain doom. These decisions enrich the story-driven roguelite experience, ensuring each playthrough is unique. Combat offers similar flexibility, with a dynamic magic system allowing players to combine elements like fire, water, and lightning for varied and strategic effects.

As with any roguelite, Wartorn includes a progression system where upgrades persist across runs, easing subsequent attempts to complete the journey. The game's visuals adopt a painterly aesthetic, enhancing the drama of its setting. To maximize accessibility, Wartorn features the ability to slow down action for precise command issuance amidst the chaos.

Set to launch in early access in spring 2025, Wartorn will be available on both Steam and the Epic Games Store.