The Unlikely Evolution of Wartorn: From Free-to-Play Multiplayer to Tactical Roguelite

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As a passionate movie buff diving into the world of video games, let me share my excitement about “Wartorn”, a captivating turn-based tactical roguelite created by the talented team at Stray Kite Studios, led by industry veteran Paul Hellquist.

Paul Hellquist has an impressive resume under his belt; he’s the creative mind behind the beloved “Borderlands 2”, a key designer for the iconic “BioShock”, and a lead designer for “SWAT 4”, among other projects. Despite his background in first-person shooters, “Wartorn” is a refreshing departure from the norm. In fact, it’s a stark contrast to its initial concept – a free-to-play multiplayer game, as revealed by none other than Paul Hellquist himself.

In a chat with Game Rant, Hellquist shared insights about the early stages of Wartorn, before it transformed into the tactical roguelike now available in Early Access. He also expressed thoughts on the team’s innovative strategy for designing roguelikes and how each playthrough is crafted to feel unique.

Wartorn’s Unlikely Start as a Multiplayer Game

Initially, the team designed their game with a clear goal – to catch the attention of publishers. Consequently, the project evolved into a multiplayer, free-to-play title. However, it’s essential to create something genuine and heartfelt, as games built on these principles can draw in players seeking unique experiences. Recognizing this, Hellquist shares that the team decided to shift their focus towards their true passions: roguelite tactics. In his words, “We realized we needed to follow our interests, and that led us to roguelite tactics.

The concept originated from various perspectives. For some time, we had developed a distinct version of the game. It was a multiplayer, free-to-play title, but upon revisiting it, we recognized that certain aspects were included to appease potential publishers rather than our true creative vision. This led us to significantly alter the design direction towards a rogue-lite tactics game. Our team is particularly fond of rogue-lite games due to the impact each choice can have on the final outcome and the personal growth they offer, encompassing both character progression in terms of equipment and stats, as well as the improvement of player skills.

After that, we incorporated various aspects into our project, such as a setting where war has devastated the world, to provide context for the combat scenes. However, our goal was not to focus on the war itself, but rather on people who are struggling to survive amidst the conflict and attempting to reunite their family. This approach eventually led us to incorporate elements reminiscent of the Oregon Trail into the game, at which point we recognized that we had a unique concept on our hands.

In time, further features of this game were activated, one by one. A battlefield ambiance was introduced to support its strategic, turn-based combat system, while a heartfelt narrative focusing on survival was also developed to foster a deeper emotional bond with the in-game characters.

How Wartorn Blends Turn-Based Tactics With the Roguelite Formula

In the crowded realm of turn-based strategy games, not many explore roguelike advancement. That’s where the game Wartorn carves its unique space. Players traverse a distinct journey across the game world map, mirroring progression found in Slay the Spire‘s intricate branches, gathering diverse resources and enhancements to boost the odds of a successful campaign as Hellquist puts it.

In our game, you’ll find various items to gather during your adventures and use strategically to enhance your abilities. These could range from enhancing your characters’ weapons, learning new spells, recruiting family members, or boosting your overall army capabilities. The possibilities are numerous for you to customize and strengthen your team!

Moving forward, various experiences and interactions take place during your journey. These occurrences don’t always happen in a specific sequence, and each one can lead to multiple results. This motivates players to delve into these events to discover all potential outcomes. The more information you gather, the wiser decisions you’ll be able to make down the line.

Each playthrough offers a unique battle experience due to variations in the composition of the opposing forces and the player’s caravan, which are distinct for each campaign.

In the tradition of roguelike games, each playthrough of Wartorn offers a distinct experience due to the varying combinations of player’s troops and the dynamic battles they’ll face. It’s an appealing cycle for strategy enthusiasts who enjoy a challenge that involves understanding the game mechanics, rather than just mastering levels.

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2025-08-03 13:35