Northgard Battlegrounds will hold an open beta on Steam from July 9 to July 15, developer Funday Games and publisher Shiro Unlimited announced. The test coincides with Steam Tacticon, the platform's tactics-focused game showcase.
The game reworks Shiro's Northgard, the Viking city-builder that has sold more than 5 million units, into an auto-battler. Funday Games, known for the roguelike shooter Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, is handling development, while Shiro Unlimited, the studio behind the original Northgard, publishes.
You choose your Viking clan, not for flavor but for leverage. Every trait, every ability is a lever you can pull. Settlement building is not about pretty layouts; it’s about unlocking synergies that decide whether your warband dominates or disappears in battles you never directly touch. Progression is a two-currency game: Krowns, earned by winning, buy you expansion and new villagers. Lore, spent wisely, unlocks Norse blessings that can flip a losing run into a legend.
PvP here is asynchronous. You’re not waiting for a live rival; you’re outsmarting recorded strategies, which means you play on your terms, not someone else’s schedule. This is not a grind. Every run is a new equation: your clan, your build, your blessings. No two outcomes are the same, and no one gets to coast.
"Exploring the auto-battler genre has allowed us and Funday Games to create an experience that both preserves and expands upon Northgard's strategic depth and core gameplay," said Nicolas Cannasse, co-founder of Shiro Games.
After the beta, Northgard Battlegrounds heads for Steam Early Access in 2026. No date, no price yet. If you want to see what you’re missing before the gates open, the gameplay preview is already live.