A single city-state against empires: the hybrid strategy game leaves Early Access with its full 1.0 release

Toronto, Canada – July 9, 2026 In an age of sprawling empires, City States: Medieval bets on the underdog: a lone merchant city fighting to survive and profit between powers far larger than itself. The hybrid strategy game will leave Early Access and launch its full 1.0 version on July 24, 2026. Developed by Reverie World Studios and published by indie.io, it casts players as the leader of a merchant republic navigating the turbulent 12th century across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, on Steam and the indie.io Store.

Players assume the role of a leader guiding a merchant republic rising from the currents of history. Spanning from Tripoli and Granada to Novgorod and Genoa, the game focuses on establishing a trade empire while defending against powerful neighboring kingdoms. The objective is to shape the history of one such city-state, bringing it to glory or watching it disappear into obscurity.

Distinct from traditional grand strategy, the title emphasizes surviving between larger powers as an individual city-state rather than building continent-spanning empires. New hero mechanics require fresh strategic approaches for both newcomers and veterans within the dynamic 12th-century setting featuring unpredictable challenges.

Across six major updates, Reverie World Studios worked alongside its community to sharpen the strategic core during Early Access, and the 1.0 release brings that work together. 

Key features include:

• Build a Mighty City: Grow through economy, military, faith, trade and building chains, and defend your wealth with fortifications and an all-new siege system featuring real-time tactical combat.

• Command Through Heroes: Historic leaders grant full control of your city and armies. In their absence, you govern with limited orders, turning a hero's location into a constant strategic calculation.

• Chart Trade Routes: Establish outposts across the known world to trade twelve commodities, backed by a refined trade-balancing economy and a Global Market for emergency deals.

• Shaped in Early Access: Six community-driven updates added systems like Lord's Armies, Academy-gated research limits and city-happiness productivity, plus a fully reworked tutorial, overhauled trade and resource interfaces and major performance gains.

• A Single-Player Campaign: Play solo with adjustable difficulty, accessibility options and support for five languages including English, French, Italian, German and Spanish.

One city, a world of larger powers, and a single question of whether it can outlast them. City States: Medieval leaves Early Access and reaches 1.0 on July 24, 2026, priced at $19.99 USD with a 20% discount on  Steam and the  indie.io store.

ABOUT REVERIE WORLD STUDIOS

Reverie World Studios, founded in Toronto, Canada in 2007, boasts a completed next-gen game engine, five previously released titles, and a talented team ready to seize opportunities in the expanding interactive entertainment market. Drawing from diverse global talent, including North America, Europe, and Australia, the team behind the Kingdom Wars series operates in a multicultural environment, leveraging virtual office technology for over a decade to streamline operations. Inspired by Canada's game development successes, Reverie aims to excel as a leading exporter of interactive media, focusing on innovation and fostering a concentrated talent pool. 

ABOUT INDIE.IO

indie.io is home to over 100 of the world’s best independent video games and developers. Our platform was built to provide independent developers with the resources, services, and management tools needed for success. Through collaboration and passion, we strive to cultivate a diverse and vibrant gaming landscape that resonates with players and creators alike!