Former BioShock and Borderlands Developers Announce Chaotic New Game

Summary

• Stray Kite Studios has announced their new game, Wartorn.
• Wartorn combines real-time strategy with roguelite elements, featuring destructible environments, challenging moral decisions, and a unique painterly aesthetic.
• The game is set to launch in early access on both Steam and the Epic Games Store in spring 2025.

Stray Kite Studios, a Dallas, Texas-based developer known for their work on high-profile projects such as BioShock, Borderlands, and Age of Empires, has unveiled their latest creation: Wartorn. This tactical roguelite, slated for a PC release in spring 2025, marks the studio's first original title since its founding in 2018.

Comprising around 30 employees as of 2025, Stray Kite Studios has previously worked on the standalone version of Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep, titled A Wonderlands One-Shot Adventure, and numerous Creative maps for Fortnite. With Wartorn, the studio introduces players to a narrative-driven experience centered around two elven sisters on a quest to reunite with their family. Their journey promises to be fraught with challenging encounters and morally complex decisions.

Wartorn Is Chaotic in More Than One Way

Set in a fantasy world engulfed in chaos, Wartorn will immerse players in a deeply divided environment where every battle can unfold uniquely, thanks to the game's physics-driven environmental destruction. This feature, combined with the game's thematic focus on finding purpose amidst chaos, aims to offer a dynamic and thought-provoking experience. "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

In addition to intense combat, Wartorn challenges players with tough decisions that impact the narrative and gameplay. Choices such as deciding which character to feed or whom to save from death will shape each playthrough, enhancing the game's roguelite nature. Combat will also offer flexibility through a magic system that allows players to creatively combine elemental forces like fire, water, and lightning. These spells can interact uniquely with the environment and each other, providing strategic depth.

Progression in Wartorn follows the roguelite format, with upgrades that carry over between runs to ease subsequent attempts at completing the journey. The game's visuals adopt a painterly aesthetic to heighten the drama of its setting. To ensure accessibility, Wartorn includes an option to slow down the action, allowing players to issue precise commands amidst the chaos.

Wartorn is set to launch in early access on both Steam and the Epic Games Store in spring 2025, offering players a chance to dive into this innovative blend of real-time strategy and roguelite gameplay.