Today, Three Friends, the indie publisher formed of industry veterans, has announced their first signed title Romestead, developed by Swedish studio Beartwigs. Revealed today at the Future Games Show Spring Showcase 2025, this survival town-builder invites players to build and expand their home, alone or with friends, as they seek to rebuild Rome and conquer the legendary foes that inhabit these ancient lands.
The pixel art world of Romestead offers eager adventurers a canvas upon which they can turn a meagre village into a thriving town; constructing buildings for leatherworkers, altars to gods, insulae for citizens, and more, all connected by straight roads of course. Through exploration, players will discover new materials, giving rise to the advanced technologies essential to a flourishing realm.
Key gameplay features of Romestead include:
- Extensive Town Building that enables players to live out their dreams of being a great Roman leader; rebuild civilisation from ruin, and set your citizens to work; farming crops, smithing weapons, collecting resources, and much more.
- Worship System thanks to which worthy rulers can dedicate their gratitudes to the many gods of the Roman pantheon, acquiring unique and special technologies, buildings, and upgrades. These are unlocked through Worship, a currency gained by completing quests, pledging resources, and sacrificing the very citizens that have helped the settlement grow.
- Dungeon Crawling & Boss Fights that will challenge even the most mighty of warriors. Players must arm themselves, smith tools, build fortifications, and prepare siege weaponry, especially crucial for those seeking to take on the most fearsome threats.
- A Vast World with mystery waiting to be uncovered throughout. Explore six unique biomes, including the plains, forests, swamp, desert, volcanic, and a massive ruined city. Each environment adds its own twist, requiring players to improvise and adapt to new threats and discoveries.
- Co-op Multiplayer Experience that rewards cooperation and coordination, cuts down the tedium and crystalises the fun. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it certainly wasn’t built alone.
“Romestead hits that sweet spot,” says Albert Säfström, Co-Founder and Producer at Three Friends. “It combines the perspective and aesthetics of A Link to the Past with the progression of Terraria, and it just hits me right in the heart. Also, can we call it a ‘romelike’? I think we should.”
“The idea for Romestead largely comes from our love for the town-building and survival genre,” says Sam Bloom, Co-Founder and Developer at Beartwigs. “We wanted to create a game that would meld these genres and add a historical and mythological twist. We spent a good bit of time deciding on a setting, but landed on Ancient Rome, being one of the most historic civilisations to date.”
Romestead is currently in development for PC with a release date yet to be announced. Players can wishlist the game now on Steam, to be notified when the game enters its Early Access release.
