PlaySide, the developer behind the upcoming real-time strategy game War for Westeros, is preparing for a significant influx of players drawn to the Game of Thrones franchise who may have little to no prior experience with the RTS genre. The studio is focusing on making the game accessible and approachable for these newcomers.
Game director Ryan McMahon explained that while the game will feature a robust tutorial to guide players through its systems, particularly for skirmish mode, approachability has been integrated into the core design. A key feature designed to ease players into the genre is the game's 'set and forget' worker unit system. Unlike many RTS games that require constant micromanagement of worker units to gather resources and construct buildings, War for Westeros's workers will automatically manage resource collection once assigned a building task.
This system is intended to reduce the cognitive load on players, allowing them to concentrate on other strategic elements such as unit production, hero deployment, and building placement. The AI in the game is also being tuned to provide players with sufficient space to learn the mechanics in single-player, with the hope that this experience will encourage them to try multiplayer modes.
War for Westeros will feature familiar characters from the Game of Thrones universe, with likenesses of characters like Jon Snow, Gregor ‘The Mountain’ Clegane, and Arya Stark included. While soundalike voice actors are being used for dialogue, the visual representation of these iconic figures aims to resonate with fans. The Mountain, for instance, can be recruited by House Lannister to disrupt enemy lines, while Arya Stark serves as a master assassin for House Stark.
Playtests have revealed shifts in player preferences for in-game heroes. Initially, Jon Snow was a popular choice, but characters like Tywin Lannister and Robb Stark have emerged as top picks due to their commander abilities that buff nearby units, reinforcing armies rather than relying on individual hero strength. This emphasis on unit synergy and commander effectiveness is a deliberate design choice to ground the gameplay, ensuring that heroes do not single-handedly overwhelm opponents.
The development team is collecting extensive data from internal playtests and tournaments to inform game balance, level design, and hero gearing strategies. This data-driven approach helps refine the strategic depth of the game. War for Westeros is slated for release on PC next year.