Stronghold 4 “ran away” from GTA VI and the new Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV — the game will not be released in 2026

Recently, the Firefly Studios team announced the delay of Stronghold 4. Originally, the real-time strategy game was expected to be released before the end of 2026.

The developers explained that the additional time will be used to refine the game: they will work on the RTS's quality and pack it with content. In a video dev diary, they joked that Stronghold 4 is “running away” from Grand Theft Auto VI and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV, which are scheduled for release in November and December, respectively.

In terms of the franchise's timeline, Stronghold 4 will be a prequel set in medieval England. Players will be told the story of Penryn of Wethel, an ordinary shepherd “whose life falls apart overnight, forcing him to endure severe hardships and become a leader.”

An economic campaign will be added to the originally planned feature set, gameplay will be refined, and the game will be polished more thoroughly.

You can add Stronghold 4 to your Steam wishlist via the following link. The game is scheduled for an “Early Access” release on April 20, 2027.