- Stormbinders - Dev Diary #13: Refining Combat, Tooltips, and Progress - 21 July 2026
Stormbinders is built on interconnected systems. Spells affect buffs, buffs change units, weather reshapes battles, hero progression unlocks combinations, and world-map decisions can resurface several turns later.Much of our recent work has happened beneath the surface: refining combat rules, save-state restoration, spells, weather, buildings, campaign progression, and the way these systems communicate through the UI.Now those changes are becoming increasingly visible.We are spending less time on new foundations and more on connecting and polishing the whole game - while creating plenty of new maps.Tooltips should reflect the real gameOne of our main focuses is making tooltips reflect the real game.In a strategy game, a tooltip cannot be just flavor text; it must support a decision. If a spell scales with stack size, lasts for several turns, applies a buff or debuff, or creates a battle…
- Stormbinders - FAQs - 27 May 2026
Since the game was announced, we’ve had many great interactions with you here on Steam, on social media, and on our Discord server. First of all, thank you for sharing your thoughts, feedback, questions, and ideas so far—this genuinely helps us shape the game and better understand what matters most to the community.Today, we want to answer some of the most common questions we’ve spotted across these channels. Frequently Asked QuestionsArmy & CombatHow many unit stacks can a hero carry? A hero can carry up to 9 unit stacks (for comparison, classic HoMM uses 7). This gives players more flexibility while still keeping battles readable and manageable. Can you choose which units to deploy before battle? No, that’s not the plan. When you enter a battle, your entire army is at stake. Otherwise, there would be no real risk in holding units back. What happens when you lose a battle? Defeat has r…
- Stormbinders - Dev Diary #12: Refining the experience - 28 April 2026
Over the past months, we’ve been fully focused on development, pushing the game forward and bringing it closer to completion. This required our full priority and attention, but now, we’re ready to return to more regular updates and give you a clearer look at where things stand. What We’re Currently Working OnUI / UX ImprovementsRight now, a major part of our work is focused on UI/UX clarity and overall readability.We are improving:overall interface clarity battle readability map visibility how information is presented to the player From a pure readability perspective, this is one of the most important stages of development. Systems are already there – now we’re making sure players can actually understand them quickly and naturally.The goal is simple: Make every decision clear, fast, and intuitive.So instead of adding new layers of complexity, we are refining what already exists and maki…
- Stormbinders - Dev Diary #11: Campaign Map Design - 22 January 2026
Balancing exploration, danger, and discovery on sprawling maps When we talk about campaign map design in Stormbinders, it’s very easy to jump straight into terrain layouts, enemy placement, or balance numbers, but in reality none of that matters if you don’t first understand why those maps should feel good to play.So before we talk about design rules, we always go back to something much more basic – what actually made old strategy campaigns feel cool in the first place.While we talk about maps and exploration, here’s a short clip to immerse you in the game’s atmosphere. Turn up the volume and enjoy your reading:Going Back to What Made Campaigns WorkAs players, we grew up with strategy games where exploration wasn’t safe and maps didn’t rush you forward. You moved because you were curious, not because a quest marker told you where to go next, and every step into the fog of war felt like…
- Stormbinders - Dev Diary #10: Battle Spellcasting Systems - 5 December 2025
Before We Begin…Before diving into our 10th Dev Diary, we want to thank everyone who has been following and supporting our work. We are fully committed to delivering a great experience. While the beta is still a few months away next year, we invite you to stay tuned by joining our Discord channel (link) and saving the date for the next Slitherine Next livestream event:When: December 9th, 2025 – 6:00 PM CET Where: Live on YouTube and Twitch Tactical spellcasting that turns the tideMost strategy games handle magic the same way: classic fireballs, frost bolts, meteors. Stormbinders keeps those familiar roots, but rebuilds everything around our core idea: storm-driven battle magic that reacts to the world and reshapes every fight.This is how it works. What Makes Stormbinders Magic DifferentIn most games, magic is a fixed toolbox. In Stormbinders, it’s a living system. Our Battle Spellcastin…
- Stormbinders - Dev Diary #9: Tactical Combat Design - 15 October 2025
When you think about great strategy games, it’s not just the world map that stays in your memory – it’s the battles. Those moments where every move matters, where a single mistake or lucky spell can turn victory into defeat. In Stormbinders, we wanted to capture that same tension, and then take it a step further. At first glance, our combat looks familiar: classic, hex-based, turn-based warfare inspired by timeless strategy games. But under the surface lies something much more dynamic – a system where terrain, weather, storms, and magic schools constantly interact, turning each encounter into a living, evolving puzzle.1. Introducing the Third Player – StormsOur tactical combat draws inspiration from Heroes of Might and Magic III & V, combining clarity and depth with modern gameplay logic. Each battlefield is handcrafted with real tactical variety – choke points, elevations, destructible…
- Stormbinders - Dev Diary #8: City and Fortress Building - 19 September 2025
Some of you have asked how city and fortress building works in Stormbinders.The answer: classic castle building – starting from a small village and growing into the capital of your kingdom.Each castle has:A shared set of buildings that work the same across all factions.A unique set tied to each faction.For example: one faction can skip upgrade requirements, while another might convert weaker units into skeletons.In total, with upgrades included, each faction reaches around 50 building options – that’s nearly two months of development in gameplay time! Different strategies will definitely encourage skipping or delaying certain upgrades. 😉Castle LevelsTo prevent “optimal rush” tactics (army → resources → top-tier units in week 2), we added city levels. You need a set number of buildings upgraded before moving to the next tier.It slows things down just enough so strategies stay flexible,…
- Stormbinders - Dev Diary #7: Combining Magic Schools with Dynamic Storm Effects - 13 August 2025
In Stormbinders, we wanted to push tactical combat one step further. That's why we introduced a third player into every battle: Storms.Yes, you read that right.We designed a dynamic Stormbinding system that changes the flow of every match. It doesn’t just affect the battlefield – it transforms the rules of engagement across the entire world map.So… what do storms actually do in a 1v1 fight?Depending on the currently active Global Storm, you’ll notice several things happening as soon as a battle starts:Random storm zones (whirlwinds, fire swirls, ice fields) are generated on the battlefieldThe active storm casts random spells inherited from its elemental theme (e.g. Blizzards during a Spirit Storm, Meteors during a Firestorm – you get the idea)Certain units and spells get buffed or nerfed, depending on the stormYour battlefield positioning and strategy may need to change on the flyIn oth…
- Stormbinders - Dev Diary #6: Underground Exploration - 31 July 2025
One Map, Infinite LayersIn Stormbinders, you don’t switch between separate maps. The entire world, including both surface and underground areas, exists on one continuous map. That means everything works seamlessly: units, storms, seasonal changes, and terrain effects apply across every layer.This is made possible by our multilayering system, which lets us nest any number of levels within each other. You can have undergrounds below undergrounds, hidden chambers within ruins, or underwater tunnels beneath lava caverns. Each layer runs within the same map and can have its own biome, rules, or events.In practice? We can create any type of dungeon labyrinth, vertically.Any biome, even below groundEvery layer can have a completely different biome. Want a frozen cave beneath a scorching desert? Or a ruined city below an enchanted forest? No problem. Each layer supports unique weather, movement…
- Stormbinders - Dev Diary #5: Hero Design - 18 July 2025
Hero Classes – Archetypes with a Twist When we started designing our class system, we asked ourselves a simple question: What if each class could evolve and change over time?That’s how our branching class paths were born.For example, here’s the progression path for a Warrior archetype:Knight (Might) → evolves into → Paladin (Might & Magic) or Duelist (Might & Might)Paladin can become → Inquisitor (Might & Magic & Magic)Duelist can become → Warlord (Might & Might & Might)So a single warrior archetype in a given faction has 5 stages of progression. Add the Mage archetype to that, and you end up with 10 unique class paths per faction.At any stage, you can lock in your current class – preserving your chosen specialization and its unique stat growth, skill trees, and talent distribution.It might seem like a small detail – but when you multiply 2 archetypes per faction × 4 factions, you end u…
- Stormbinders - Dev Diary #4: Unique Faction Abilities - 24 June 2025
After introducing the core identities and philosophies of Stormbinders’ four factions in the last entry, we’re now ready to focus on how each faction plays thanks to their exclusive powers and faction mechanics. These distinctive abilities shape your strategies in meaningful ways and will lead directly into our upcoming topic: how we create distinct heroes, classes, and ability trees. Empyrium - Kingdom of the Sun and Order We’ve already mentioned that Empyrium believes in structure, balance, and order. These humans hold onto tradition while using advanced technology to keep chaos at bay. Their empire may be divided, but their armies still march forward – proud and powerful. In gameplay, Empyrium is the most balanced faction in the game. Their armies are elite and expensive, but each unit has a clear purpose. They can adapt to offense or śdefense depending on the situation. Ideal for pl…
- Stormbinders - Dev Diary #3: Factions Overview - 13 June 2025
In this third dev diary, we’re diving into the heart of Stormbinders’ core experience: its four factions. You’ll get an overview of the four major factions, their playstyles, unique faction abilities, and the creative thinking behind their unit designs. Empyrium Once a strong and united kingdom, Empyrium is now divided and troubled by betrayal. It is a human faction trying to stay in control in a world full of magic and chaos. Their greatest strength is flexibility – they can adapt to any situation. Playstyle Empyrium is a human faction that mixes tradition with new ideas. They have a balanced army and a strong economy, which helps them control the pace of the game. They are good at both defending and attacking. This faction is great for players who enjoy a well-rounded and flexible playstyle. Faction Ability Empyrium has a unique power that lets them bring back fallen living units. Usi…
- Stormbinders - Dev Diary #2: Beyond the Classics - 27 May 2025
We know many of you grew up with games like Heroes of Might and Magic, Disciples, or Age of Wonders, just like us. But from the start, we knew we weren’t here to recreate what’s already been done. We asked ourselves not, “How do we remake a classic?” but rather: “What’s next for turn-based strategy? What else can we add to this genre before it becomes stale?” And after many tests and ideas, we landed on something surprisingly simple: There’s never really been a strategy game with a dynamic weather system, one with changing weather, magical storms, and chaotic elements that can either be harnessed or feared. That’s how Stormbinders was born. Stormbinding Features At the center of the game is our stormbinding system — a system means weather is not just decoration, but becomes part of gameplay. It changes the map, the missions, the experience; and therefore your strategy and your choices.…
- Stormbinders - Dev Diary #1: Introduction to the Lore - 13 May 2025
A few weeks ago, we revealed Stormbinders. Today, we're kicking off a series of dev diaries to dive deeper into its world, starting with a look at the lore and creative vision behind the game. This first entry includes conceptual art pieces to help set the tone and atmosphere of the game. As the series continues, we’ll dive deeper into gameplay systems, tools, and footage, giving you a closer look at what the team is working hard to bring to life. Let’s begin! The World and the Weave Everything in this world is connected by something called the Magic Weave. It’s not just magic, it’s life itself. It controls emotions, growth, decay, even the weather. It keeps nature breathing and time flowing. But something has gone terribly wrong. The weave is broken. No one knows why, or who caused it. But the effects are everywhere. Magic lashes out in wild surges. Storms arrive without warning. The d…
- Stormbinders has been unveiled - 10 April 2025
It’s official: Stormbinders has been unveiled! Today’s Showcase Event gave fans their first-ever look at Stormbinders gameplay, along with a deep dive into the standout in-development features that will make this a must-play for strategy lovers. Stormbinders takes inspiration from legendary turn-based classics, blending the nostalgic charm of old-school strategy games with fresh, modern mechanics and plenty of new content to explore. Missed the livestream? No worries, you can re-watch the full showcase here: https://youtu.be/IAJ0k8vUD4Y Join the community in our Discord server to stay up to date with future reveals, activities, and community events. Wishlist Stormbinders https://store.steampowered.com/app/2134720/Stormbinders/
- Heroes of Might and Magic gets successor in new strategy game Stormbinders - 8 April 2025
At first glance, you'd be forgiven for assuming that Stormbinders was a new Heroes of Might and Magic game. High fantasy? Check. Turn-based action? Check. Hexagonal grids galore? Triple check. But Slitherine's latest isn't just a carbon copy of the Ubisoft classic: it adds a brand new mechanic that not only changes the game entirely, but tests your mettle in unique ways. If you're looking for a new challenge, this one's for you. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: PUBG creator's grueling survival game Prologue gets a new Steam playtest Roguelike tactical RPG DeathTower hits Kickstarter goal, expands Steam demo Promise Mascot Agency review - a bizarre and unique open-world RPG
- Reminder: Stormbinders Showcase Event - April 10th at 5:00 PM CEST - 1 April 2025
Only 9 days left until our exclusive Stormbinders Showcase Event on April 10th at 5:00 PM CEST. Join us live on our Twitch channel for a detailed look into the gameplay and a sneak peek at what’s to come as we continue to develop the game. If you haven’t checked out the latest updates, be sure to visit our Steam page, where you’ll find fresh GIFs and new content. And if you want to chat with other fans and stay tuned for every update, make sure to join us on our Discord server. Wishlist Stormbinders https://store.steampowered.com/app/2134720/Stormbinders/
- Save The Date: April 10th - Stormbinders Showcase Event - 25 March 2025
It’s official! You can now explore the key features of Stormbinders on our store page, complete with new GIFs and updated details as the game continues to develop. But that’s not all: mark your calendar for April 10th at 5:00 PM CEST, when we’ll unveil an exclusive deep dive into gameplay during our showcase event on Twitch. Don’t miss it! Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/FzwedWg3Vv Wishlist Stormbinders https://store.steampowered.com/app/2134720/Stormbinders/
- The countdown has started: Stormbinders is coming - 24 March 2025
Thunder echoes on the horizon, and distant voices whisper in the air… The storms of war are rising. For centuries, the world has remained in balance and its people at peace. But change is coming. The magical weave has been torn apart, and the world now teeters on the brink of ruin. Who will restore balance and forge a new destiny? The clock is ticking: something is about to be revealed tomorrow at 4:00 PM CET. Wishlist Stormbinders https://store.steampowered.com/app/2134720/Stormbinders/
