Game of Thrones: War for Westeros will no longer land in 2026. Australian developer PlaySide Studios confirmed on July 17 that the PC real-time strategy game has been pushed back to early 2027, making this the title’s first significant update since its reveal at Summer Game Fest in June 2025.
Why the Delay?
PlaySide framed the decision as a quality call. In a statement posted to Steam, the studio said it remains “unwavering” in its mission to deliver a game that meets the expectations of both RTS fans and Game of Thrones devotees, and that the extra time is needed to hit the quality bar it is targeting. The delay announcement arrived alongside the studio’s first dev blog – a lengthy breakdown covering factions, combat mechanics, hero units, and skirmish maps – signalling that PlaySide intends to maintain more regular communication ahead of the new launch window.
What’s in the Game
War for Westeros lets players take control of the armies of House Stark, House Lannister, House Targaryen, or the Night King, with hero characters including Jon Snow, Jaime Lannister, and Daenerys Targaryen. Each house features iconic heroes who can level up, unlock new abilities, and bolster their surrounding armies.
PlaySide says it is placing a massive emphasis on responsiveness, unit behaviour, and physical impact – ensuring that unit pathing and engagement feels right requires extensive iterative work, and players will command full squads that react dynamically to orders. The studio highlighted a few standout faction mechanics: cavalry can break through exposed archer lines and scatter units, while each house has a high-impact “trump card” – House Stark’s Giants, for instance, can physically launch entire enemy squads into the air with a club strike.
The confirmed playable factions and their broad combat roles break down as follows:
| Faction | Signature Unit | Hero Example |
|---|---|---|
| House Stark | Giants | Jon Snow |
| House Lannister | Heavy infantry | Tywin Lannister |
| House Targaryen | Dragons | Daenerys Targaryen |
| Night King | Army of the Dead | Night King |
Skirmish Maps
Skirmish battles span the regions of Westeros, from iconic locations like King’s Landing and The Wall to battlefields inspired by the many kingdoms, castles, and contested lands of the continent, with each map built for its own visual identity, terrain layout, and strategic challenges. One map currently in development is Ashemark in the Westerlands – tied to Robb Stark’s campaign during the War of the Five Kings – designed as a focused 1v1 battlefield with two open lanes and defensible positions for flanking and counterattacking.
More Reveals Planned
PlaySide confirmed that development has been “progressing well” and that beginning with the July 17 blog, it will share more news and updates over the coming weeks, building toward “exciting reveals later this year.” The game is being developed under licence from Warner Bros. and HBO, putting significant commercial weight behind the project for the Melbourne-based studio.
For deal hunters keeping an eye on pricing ahead of the rescheduled launch, here is the current best price across key stores:
Game of Thrones: War for Westeros is currently available to wishlist and pre-order from [price] – check live prices below.
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The delay is frustrating for fans who have waited over a year with minimal updates, but PlaySide’s decision to kick off a blog series at least gives the community something tangible to follow. If the dev updates continue on the promised cadence, early 2027 could arrive with a game that genuinely earns its licence.