Moved to Forum: Original Link
Iron Mandate - A Post Mortem (Steam news update, April 4 2025)
TL;DR: Because of a lack of time, money and fundamental issues with the core idea, I'm moving this game out of early access, leaving it free and moving on. If you want to learn more about the reasons and the process of making this game, keep reading.
Why I'm writing this
I've wanted to write this post mortem for a while now. I was finally moved to do it for two reasons: the first is that I have put this on hold for a while to work on another game: The People of Sea, Sun & Salt. The second is that an alert now appears on the steam page mentionning the fact that it has not received any updates in the past 23 months. It's entirely fair of Steam but I don't want to give the impression that this is some abandonned game. It is fully functional and completable as it is. This pushes me to release it but I don't want to do so without an explanation.
So here we are.
I'm still very proud of the project and I think it is a fun experimental game. I'm so happy that tens of thousands of players have had the chance to try my game.
Unfortunately the game fails in fundamental ways that make it hard to fix. I'll go over some of these reasons and then try to imagine a better version of this game.
Iron Mandate - Steam Deck Compatibility: Verified ✅
Iron Mandate Trailer video
Iron Mandate - Game Description:
Iron Mandate: A roguelike with a wholly original fighting mechanic!
Master the piloting of giant mechanical worms, lay waste to all that stand in your way and reclaim your rightful place on the throne.
Defeat great foes
Learn the subtleties of Juggernaut piloting in order to better destroy your rivals. Iron Mandate has over 30 weapons to both fight with and learn to fend off.Forge your own path
Every attempt to reach the throne is unique. Different path, different arsenal, different upgrades. You will need to learn the intricacies of the Juggernaut and its many variations in order to survive your climb to the top.Prove your worth
Iron Mandate includes 20+ unique challenges to prove your Juggernaut piloting skills. You can also play local multiplayer in the versus mode with up to 4 players.