A busy medieval village behind wooden palisades beside a lake in Stronghold 4, with houses, workshops and smoke

Early Access vs 1.0 tracker

Stronghold 4 Early Access vs 1.0: What's In

Stronghold 4 starts in Early Access on December 7, 2026 with the campaign, Skirmish and Free Build; online multiplayer, co-op and an economic campaign wait for 1.0, about 6 months later. The tracker sorts all 20 announced features.

Last updated October 28, 2026Game version: Pre-launch (demo and official info, October 2026)

Free Build sandboxPlayable in the demo now
CPU lords: 3 of the 8 playable in the demo (Penryn, The Snake, Sir Longarm)Playable in the demo now
The Captain, a late-game unitPlayable in the demo now
MoatsPlayable in the demo now
Wool and weaving production chainsPlayable in the demo now
Story campaign: 22 missions, a prequel to Stronghold (2001)In Early Access on December 7
Custom Skirmish against up to 8 CPU lordsIn Early Access on December 7
Skirmish Trail of hand-made scenariosIn Early Access on December 7
TunnelersIn Early Access on December 7
Weather: snow slows crops, heavy rain cuts archery rangeIn Early Access on December 7
Honour, taxes and food to keep the peace among your peasantsIn Early Access on December 7
Castle pieces and cosmeticsIn Early Access on December 7
Castle traps and tactical military structuresIn Early Access on December 7
Steam Achievements, Trading Cards and Cloud savesIn Early Access on December 7
Online multiplayerPlanned for 1.0
Co-op Skirmish TrailPlanned for 1.0
Economic campaignPlanned for 1.0
PlayStation or Xbox versionNot announced
macOS or Linux versionNot announced
Price and editionsNot announced

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What Early Access means for Stronghold 4

Early Access is Steam's label for a game you can buy and play while it is still being finished. Firefly writes that the Early Access version “showcases the core content” of a modern Stronghold, and that it wants to shape the rest with the community, as it did with the public test builds of its last few games. Of the 20 features in the tracker, 5 can already be tried in the free demo, 9 more arrive on December 7, 3 are planned for 1.0, and 3 have not been announced at all.

In Early Access on December 7

Story campaign: 22 missions following Penryn of Wethel, a shepherd in medieval England, years before the original Stronghold.
Skirmish: a full skirmish mode with 8 CPU opponents, Custom Skirmish, and a Skirmish Trail of hand-made scenarios.
Free Build: the sandbox for building your castle without a mission.
Castle life and war: honour, taxes and food to keep the peace, castle cosmetics, traps, moats, tunnelers, and weather that changes farming and archery.

Coming with 1.0

Firefly names three big pieces still to come: online multiplayer, a co-op Skirmish Trail and an economic campaign, plus updates and fixes driven by feedback. It expects Early Access to last around 6 months but has given no date for 1.0. Until then, every mode is played against the computer; our Stronghold 4 multiplayer guide covers what that means.

Should you buy in Early Access or wait?

Buy early if you mainly play campaigns and skirmishes against the AI: that part is in from day one, and Firefly says the price may go up during Early Access. Wait for 1.0 if you want to play online with friends or prefer a finished, polished game. Either way, the free Stronghold 4 demo shows how it runs on your PC, and the Stronghold 4 price page has everything known about the cost.

Questions

What is in Stronghold 4 Early Access?

The 22-mission prequel campaign, a full Skirmish mode with 8 CPU opponents, Free Build, Custom Skirmish and a Skirmish Trail of hand-made scenarios.

How long will Stronghold 4 be in Early Access?

Around 6 months, Firefly says, though this could change. Its priority is player feedback and the remaining major modes.

What does Stronghold 4 1.0 add?

Online multiplayer, a co-op Skirmish Trail and an economic campaign, plus updates and fixes based on player feedback.

Will Stronghold 4 cost more after Early Access?

Possibly. Firefly writes that as new features and content are added, it may consider raising the price during Early Access.

Is the Stronghold 4 campaign complete in Early Access?

Firefly lists the story campaign of 22 missions as part of the Early Access version. The separate economic campaign comes later, with 1.0.

How can I give feedback on Stronghold 4?

Through the feedback form inside the game, Firefly's Discord, the Steam discussions and bug reports in the game or on Firefly's website.

Official sources

Last checked October 28, 2026. Before launch this page follows Firefly's own description and the demo; after launch we add what is confirmed in the game.