On April 21, Drop Duchy Complete Edition launches on PS5. It’s a strategy game about building a kingdom, making tough choices, and sometimes watching everything fall apart. I’m JB, the game director, and I’d like to tell you how this project grew from a small idea into the game it is today.
So, how did the idea start?
The initial spark came from the realization that I enjoy playing tile-laying board games but couldn’t find many video games built around such mechanics. I was telling myself: imagine if there was a forest tile, and when you place a “Lumber camp” tile next to it, you gain some wood, which you can then spend to build on another tile. And thus the core of Drop Duchy was born.
Once this basic idea was in place, I had ideas for many more buildings and terrains, but it also opened the door to many questions. Figuring out the answers took many iterations in the early phases of the project.
I opted for a medieval theme because I love this time period, but that begged the question: how do I fit combat into it? I tried different ideas before landing the final design but one thing that remained throughout was the mechanic of forcing the player to place enemy tiles, too (and making them think about how to negate their effect).
Then there were questions about the structure: how do you win or lose? When does it end? What makes each game varied? And the answers came naturally once we started introducing roguelite elements. Mechanics like procedural runs and having to draft your buildings from a random selection were making for diverse runs where you had to figure out a new strategy each time. The tension of losing your progress if you lost a fight added stakes to each decision.
From an outside perspective, Drop Duchy looked like a lot of mechanics at once, so we had to playtest heavily the early prototypes to make sure everything was intuitive and flowing smoothly from one part to the next. As a game developer, there is no better feeling than handing a controller to a friend and, instead of politely going “ok, this is a nice prototype,” they can’t stop playing for hours. I knew I had something good in my hands.
After pitching and signing with The Arcade Crew, I hired two artists to bring the game to life: Gautier & Tom. They worked in tandem to create the charming atmosphere of *Drop Duchy* while keeping the gameplay readable: we had to make sure you could immediately recognize the different terrains and buildings. One bold choice they made, for instance, was to use 2D trees, giving the game a diorama feel.
Meanwhile, the rest of the team and I spent most of the production adding lots of content to the game, new buildings, new game modes, new bosses, etc., and constantly playtesting to make sure the balance was in check.
For instance, we put a lot of effort into the design of factions, which are the “characters” you select before starting the run. Each faction brings its unique gameplay twists and specialties: The Republic builds a massive, sprawling city, and The Order can recruit and send crusaders on expeditions.
The Complete Edition that comes out on PS5 also includes the two additional factions we’ve added since release: the druids of the Tribe and the Vikings of The North. I’m really proud of how both factions ended up because their apparent “weaknesses” can be turned into fantastic strengths once the player figures out the right strategy.
On top of these factions, PlayStation players will be able to start their journey enjoying all the additions we’ve made since launch. We’ve added new bosses (including a mighty one that steals your buildings), a challenging ascension mode to test your skills, and endless runs if you want to push your deck to the limits. We’ve also used player feedback to introduce quality-of-life options (such as a button to undo accidental moves).
Looking back, it’s crazy to think that all of this started with a simple tile-laying prototype.
I’m incredibly proud of what the team and I built, and I can’t wait for you to experience it on PS5. Drop Duchy Complete Edition launches on April 21, so if you enjoy strategy games that reward experimentation and smart decisions, I think Drop Duchy will be right in your alley.
