Bristol-based publisher Yogscast Games and Hungarian indie team Save Sloth Studios have announced that The Royal Writ, a laugh-out-loud lane-based deckbuilder about loyalty, betrayal, and bug-powered warfare, will officially launch on PC via Steam on August 7.
Set in the whimsical medieval kingdom of Aranfold, The Royal Writ puts players in the not-so-capable shoes of King Mikolt II, whose last-ditch attempt at diplomacy has—shockingly—failed. Now, it’s time to send a ragtag legion of lizards, ants, and axe-wielding maniacs to restore order… or at least die trying.
A Deckbuilder Where Your Best Fighters Are Also Your Funniest Casualties
The Royal Writ is a lane-based roguelike deckbuilder with a darkly comedic twist: your troops are disposable. With only a few units and lanes to play with, players must strategically summon allies, apply multipliers, and push toward enemy lines—all while managing power, positioning, and inevitable casualties.
Every unit is brimming with personality, from ant swarms that scale in power together, to The Tax Collector (a vampire bat who feeds on both necks and wallets), to Gereb the perpetually drunk frog who fights harder the closer he is to death.
Between battles, you’ll upgrade units through bizarre medieval events like horse racing or visits to the dentist. You’ll also earn relics, gear, and modifiers that deepen the tactical pool and make each run unpredictable.
Permadeath with a Punchline
In true roguelike fashion, The Royal Writ doesn’t pull punches. Your favourite character is probably going to die—but that’s part of the fun. With randomized battle layouts, modifiers, and multiple Hardship and Challenge options, no two runs are the same, and the game gleefully encourages you to laugh, cry, and then throw another army into the grinder.
“The Royal Writ rips up the rulebook and offers a unique lane-based deckbuilder where sentiment and loyalty go out the window in the pursuit of victory,” said Simon Byron, Managing Director of Yogscast Games. “Our players are going to fall in love with their weird little troops, and then have to throw them into a spike pit five minutes later.”
Players can wishlist The Royal Writ on Steam now. The game officially launches August 7.
