Game of Thrones: Kingsroad hits early access on Steam

Game of Thrones: Kingsroad is entering early access on March 26th, exclusively on Steam—for now. This marks the first opportunity for players to experience Netmarble's take on the iconic Westeros setting. The game's arrival is particularly exciting given the relative lack of new Game of Thrones experiences since the conclusion of the HBO series, aside from House of the Dragon.

This Steam-first approach is a notable shift for Netmarble, a company primarily known for mobile games. However, the Game of Thrones brand's immense popularity makes this a potentially high-impact launch, hopefully paving the way for a future mobile release.

Insert Jon Snow knowing nothing joke here

Netmarble's strategy is intriguing. A Steam early access launch could serve as a valuable stress test, allowing them to identify and address potential issues before a wider mobile release. However, this leaves mobile gamers, often more forgiving of early access titles, temporarily sidelined. This mirrors similar PC-first strategies employed by other companies with titles like Once Human and Delta Force.

This raises the question: are we witnessing a broader trend of mobile-focused developers prioritizing PC releases? Only time will tell.

In the meantime, while you eagerly await Game of Thrones: Kingsroad's mobile debut, check out our list of the top five new mobile games to play this week!