Factsheet
Developer:
Firefly Studios
Based in London, England
Release date:
July 15, 2025
Platforms:
Steam
Website:
strongholdcrusader.com
Regular Price:
| USD | $19.99 |
| GBP | £16.99 |
| EUR | €19.99 |
Description
Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition is an expanded remaster of the original 2002 ‘castle sim’ from Firefly Studios. Overhauled by the original game’s veteran developers, this new definitive edition features remastered artwork, animations and music, in addition fresh gameplay content, returning voice actors and many fan-requested improvements including larger maps. Improved with new playable units, characters, campaigns and more, Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition is the ultimate way to play this classic RTS.
History
In Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition, players dominate the greatest frontier of the medieval age, waging brutal war across timeless battlefronts and sieging epic fortresses, to relive the glorious clashes that have shaped human history. Journey across the heart of the medieval world and take part in the legendary Crusades for the holy land. Witness the struggle of wills between Richard the Lionheart, King of England, and Sultan Saladin ibn Ayyub, spearhead of the Islamic domain and founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. Command war-honed Crusader warriors as they brave the merciless desert sands, then, as Saladin, lead a mighty army drawn from every corner of the Middle East and repel the invading zealots.
Rebuilt from the ground up as a testament to the collective talent of the veteran developers, artists, actors and series composer Robert L. Euvino, Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition enhances the old-school 2.5D isometric Stronghold gameplay with major new features, fixes and custom options.
Interlacing fresh gameplay content, technical improvements, customisable conveniences and highly requested quality of life additions, Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition allows veterans and newcomers to rediscover a strategy classic and play it the way they want to. Whether that’s flexing their skills against the latest AI lords, charging through the new co-op campaign with a friend or marvelling at their majestic desert domain in all its isometric glory, in upgrading the old and leaving the gold, the core essence of Crusader has been both carefully rebuilt and expanded on.
Features
- CLAIM YOUR BIRTHRIGHT and build a thriving desert city with a full castle economy and vicious defences!
- COMMAND NEW UNITS in the form of 8 brave Bedouin warriors, with their own unique attributes and abilities.
- CLASH AGAINST AI LORDS in skirmish mode, with 4 all-new adversaries employing unique castles and tactics.
- PROVE YOURSELF across 2 new historical campaigns, before facing the challenge of 4 'Sands of Time' skirmish trails.
- SHARE THE LOAD in a new co-op trail, play together against the AI in skirmish or go head-to-head with 8 players online.
- BESIEGE NEW BATTLEFIELDS using larger map sizes, new multiplayer maps and Workshop support for custom scenarios.
- ADMIRE THINE KINGDOM with remastered visuals and music, as well as new recordings from the original game's actors.
Videos
Launch Trailer - YouTube
Gameplay Overview - YouTube
New Art & Animation for 2025 - YouTube
Your Questions Answered about Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition - YouTube
Images
Artwork
Logo & Icon
Selected Articles
- "With a cornucopia of fixes and additions, Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition could be poised to be one of the very best strategy games of 2025."
- Hayes Madsen, Inverse - "Both missions indicate yet again that the level of love and care that's gone into Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition is off the charts."
- Miles Thompson, Finger Guns - "The game has received top-tier treatment from the original game's veteran developers to help create a remastered version of the artwork, animations, and music."
- Amy Eastland, Wccftech - "Almost a quarter of a century since it was originally released, Crusader is about to make a valiant return courtesy of a high-definition remake."
- Ed Smith, PCGamesN - "Huge castle complexes that are besieged and defended. Fire arrows raining down on soldiers. Knights climbing ladders. The real-time strategy game Stronghold Crusader offered all of this in 2002, in single and multiplayer. Now the classic is returning."
- Peter Bathge, GameStar
Additional Links
About Firefly Studios
Boilerplate
Firefly Studios is a BAFTA nominated video game studio consisting of around 40 full time staff, specialising in strategy games since 1999.
More information
More information on Firefly Studios, our logo & relevant media are available here.
Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition Credits
Paul Harris
Studio Head
Nick Tannahill
Studio Head
Contact
Enquiries
pr@fireflyworlds.com
Support Services
firefly-studios.helpshift.com
Bluesky
fireflystudios.bsky.social
Facebook
facebook.com/fireflystudios
presskit() by Rami Ismail (Vlambeer) - also thanks to these fine folks