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Latest News
Stronghold 4: Second Demo and Release Date
Posted on 8th Oct 2026
Hello Everyone!
There are multiple news in the SH4 department, as it is a double whammy: a new demo version has been made available for download on Steam, as well as details about the early access period arrived.
About the Demo
There are two demo versions coming up: one already available as of October 8, while a second one will release on October 19 with the Steam Next Fest.
The current demo is featuring a Free Build mode to play around with the toys at our disposal, as well as resources can be added at will along with preset invasions to lay siege on your fortification. On top of it, the tutorial missions have been preserved for play, should you prefer a more narrative approach to economy and military alike.
The second demo will come with the yet unseen Skirmish Mode, where you can battle it out against three computer opponents in 1v1 or 1v3 preset settings: Penryn, The Snake and Sir Longarm.
The download link for the current demo is unchanged: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2153760/Stronghold_4/ (4.6 GB size).
About the Early Access
As alluded to in earlier news: an Early Access period will precede the 1.0 launch, starting on December 7, 2026 and it is going to last approximately six months. According to the game's Steam Store page, the EA will contain partially complete features and builds may vary based on community feedback on the studios' Discord. Pricing is not yet known, however the early access price may be increased by the full release.
At this time, SH4 EA promises to include a prequel story campaign, Skirmish mode against 8 opponents, Freebuild and a Skirmish Trail.
Please note that this public demo does not reflect the ready product and as a result, bugs and unfinished features may occur. Refer to the SH4 megathread for more information about potential features, as well as the Stronghold 4 Steam page for system requirements.
Have fun with the demo!
Ai Character Articles Complete
Posted on 16th Aug 2026
Greetings Everyone!
In recent days, another article collection of our AI lords has been completed: this time for Stronghold Crusader.
These articles intend to help with the inner workings of the computer characters, when faced in Skirmish games, such as what troops they use, what kinds of castles they attempt to build, and in general how much they go on your nerves with their raids. If a character has had a major change in the Definitive Edition - e.g. Frederick who buys weapons there -, it is also indicated.
With this collection in place, I also recommend checking out our similar article collections for other games:
- Stronghold Crusader 2 AI Lords (from @ Sir Windows )
- Stronghold 2 AI Lords (from @ Lord_Chris )
- Stronghold Legends AI Lords
Until next time, m'lord!