Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition — patch notes and updates
Stored observation / content update:
Dated developer announcements recorded from Steam. Open the source for the complete update.
| Update | Date | Excerpt / source |
|---|---|---|
| Stronghold 4 Release Date Update! | 2026-11-03 | Hey guys! We've got some key information to share that we believe will result in a better final game for you to enjoy.After being one of the most played demos of the entire Steam Next Fest, we at Firefly Studios are today announcing that Stronghold 4 will now be launching on April 20th 2027.The aim had always been to launch into Early Access with as much polished content as possible, so this extended window allows the studio more time to add to the public EA version of the game and then incorporate that new feedback from that into version 1.0.By launching on April 20th, Stronghold 4 players will receive everything intended for the original re |
| Stronghold 4 Release Date Reveal Round-up! | 2026-10-13 | Such excellent tidings, Sire - Stronghold 4 is on the horizon and fast approaching!As part of the Triple-I Initiative, Firefly Studios is excited to announce that Stronghold 4, the highly anticipated prequel to the original 2001 classic ‘castle sim’, launches into Steam on December 7th! Alongside this, a brand new demo featuring Free Build on our largest ever map, a powerful new late-game unit called The Captain, a new defensive tool in the form of moats, as well as wool and weaving production chains is now available for all to play! Whether you’re inspired by the likes of Minas Tirith or Kaer Morhen, build your desired citadel section by sec |
| Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.8.2 Patch | 2026-08-24 | Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.8.2 Patch NotesBUG FIXESLocation indicator for player outpost in Sands of Time, Trail of the Vulture, Mission 4, "A Maze of Enemies"Sand of Time mission name text not appearing automatically in the file name when saving during the trail of the Eagle and VultureUpdated speech files volume for Baldwin and Bullseye for all languages, raising the volume As always, thank you for playing Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition! |
| Patch for The Surgeon and Baibars DLC - Voiceline Volume and Surgeon Troop Fix | 2026-08-10 | Greetings Sire! Today we're releasing a patch for some issues discovered in The Surgeon and Baibars DLCStronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.8.1 Patch Notes:FIXESFixed bug with the Surgeon CPU, where he was selling the weapons needed to generate some of his attack troops, as well as never purchasing any weapons from the marketFixed bug with the CPUs Surgeon and Baibars speech volume levels in all languagesFixed bug where, in the CDE Castle and CPU Lord Editor Tool, CPUs the Surgeon and Baibars were missing their starting troopsAs always, thank you for playing Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition! |
| The Fourth Update and DLC Are Now Available! | 2026-08-04 | Greetings Sire! The heat is on in the Summer Update! On top of the new CPU Lords and Sands of Time trail in the paid DLC, prepare to join forces in an all-new Co-Op Trail and master three brand-new battlefields in the latest Map Pack, available in this free update. Put your strategy to the test across fresh challenges designed for commanders of every playstyle. NEW CONTENT: New 10 Mission Co-Op Trail: Dance of the Scorpions Stand side by side with your ally in Dance of the Scorpions, a brand-new 10 mission Co-Op Trail packed with daring assaults, relentless sieges, and challenges that demand teamwork, razor-sharp tactic, and flawless coordina |
| Stronghold 4 Q&A - Your Pressing Questions Answered! | 2026-07-22 | May the sun bless your bounty, Sire! Today we’ll be discussing the juicy details about Stronghold 4, our latest mainline entry in the Stronghold series launching this year!We’re aiming to answer the most important and pressing questions you've had with our SH4 Q&A! As is often the case with a game in active development, things may change over time as we make Stronghold 4 the best it can be.We'll be providing more information along the way towards launch later this year, so stay tuned!If you want to give us your thoughts or feedback, please feel free to use the feedback form in the demo or join our bustling Stronghold discord community!If you |
| Stronghold Crusader DE's Fourth Major Update and DLC Is Coming! | 2026-07-10 | Great word comes on the wind, Sire! Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition's Fourth Major Update and DLC arrives on August 4th!To all ye challengers, conquerors and would-be kings, and face the greatest strategic gauntlet yet – to overcome the merciless Sultan Baibars as well as the deadly Surgeon of the desert.In addition to the 10-mission Co-op Trail and Map Pack coming at no cost, a new DLC, The Surgeon and Baibars, is coming in the the form of two unique CPU opponents and a fresh daunting Sands of Time trail - the Trail of the Vulture!The wily Surgeon is a truly master of defence, building colossal castles with a great deal of huge tower |
| Stronghold 4 Has Been Announced! | 2026-06-08 | Wood needed! Return to the green roots of Stronghold in this narrative prequel to the original 'castle sim', coming in 2026! Your Stronghold awaits, Sire!Stronghold 4 is the long-awaited next mainline entry in the Stronghold 'castle sim' series, bringing cinematic story and medieval immersion to the forefront of real-time strategy.Immerse yourself in a cinematic campaign, hone your siegecraft with new mechanics in skirmish mode and customise your castles with a wide selection of castle pieces and cosmetics. Follow the tale of Penryn of Wethel as his simple shepherd’s life is upended and he is forced through trial by fire to become the leader |
| Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.7.1 Patch! | 2026-05-13 | Greetings Sire! The ancient and mighty sun has blessed us with its presence, shining on our grand struggles, desert crops and eternal achievements! In this golden beam of enlightenment, what better moment to add to our mounting list of patch improvements? Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.7.1 Patch Notes:ADDITIONSAdded the Aggressive AI Sieging option; "CPU Lords will send more troops to attack enemy Lords in certain circumstances, and their units will pay more attention to destroying buildings in closer proximity to themselves". This is available as an option in Skirmish and Multiplayer setup, and will be enabled when the “Very Hard |
| Baldwin and Bullseye DLC is Now Available! | 2026-04-21 | Great tidings Sire!Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition's third major DLC, Baldwin and Bullseye, is now available! Those of you who would dare challenge the Leper King of Jerusalem himself, step forward and make yourselves known! |
| The Spring Update is Now Live! | 2026-04-21 | Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.7 - Free Spring Update- Update Size: ~220MB -Good morrow Sire! From a brand-new Co-Op Trail to fresh Battlegrounds, this update is packed with content for builders, strategists, and commanders alike. Rally your allies, sharpen your tactics, and dive into the battle you were destined to fight!NEW CONTENT:New 10 Mission Co-Op Trail: The Ravens’ DuetTeam up with your ride-or-die and take the fight to the frontlines in The Ravens’ Duet, a fresh 10 mission Co-Op trail built for chaos, coordination, and victory. Free Map PackExpand your battlefield with three brand-new maps in this update’s Free Map Pack!D |
| Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.62 Small Patch Notes! | 2026-03-18 | Greetings Sire! Today we're releasing a very small update for Crusader DE featuring an updated roadmap and a returning feature from Crusader HD.Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.62 Patch Notes:UPDATESUpdated Roadmap featuring 2 upcoming free updates as well as 2 additional DLC releases.Re-enabled Skirmish Map Editor descriptions - you can now edit mission descriptions for Skirmish maps in the Map Editor and view the descriptions on the Custom Skirmish screen.Please note that you will only see Multiplayer lobbies of other players on the exact same version of the game as you. People make sure you're on the latest version if you'd like |
| Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition Expanded Roadmap & DLC Reveal! | 2026-03-17 | Glad tidings Sire! You have asked and we have heeded the call to arms! Prepare yourselves for more lords, more co-op and even more Crusader content with this extended roadmap for Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition!Check out our full plans below!Today, we're announcing two upcoming FREE content updates – which will be available for ALL players – as well as two additional DLCs this year, with the first dropping on April 21st!With new maps and new co-op missions to battle alongside friends, there's plenty for you to discover, build or destroy. This third major DLC for Stronghold Crusader DE is 'Baldwin & Bullseye', featuring the figure from |
| Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.61 Patch Notes! | 2026-02-25 | Greetings Sire! Thank you for the continued community support and passion for Crusader, its been great seeing what exciting creations the Community have come up with since the release of the Castle and CPU Lord Editor. Today we're releasing the latest patch for Crusader DE, bringing a few fixes to your castle-building and besieging experience, as well as a hotly requested addition to the Custom Lord parameters. Happy sieging!Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.61 Patch Notes:ADDITIONS“Max Siege Size” and “Siege Wave Size Multiplier” are now editable parameters in the Editor for Custom CPU LordsCHANGESUpdated the CustomMedia readme file |
| The Castle & CPU Editor Guide is Here! | 2026-02-24 | Greetings Sire! As promised, here is the guide to help you make the most of the Castle & CPU Editor released alongside the most recent Winter Update.We can't wait to see the masterful and deviously cunning creations you make! Godspeed!As always, thank you for playing Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition! |
| Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.6 Patch Notes! | 2026-02-18 | Greetings M’Lord! In this patch we are happy to be able to bring you support to make custom video/voicelines available with your CPU Lords, by using external sharing sites - for example, Nexus Mods. Thank you for the continued community support and passion for Crusader.Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.6 Patch Notes: CUSTOM MEDIACustom Portrait Images can now be uploaded for all Custom Lords, and this is supported in the Steam Workshop Additionally, outside of the Steam Workshop, the following is now supported through the use of external sharing sites:Full Custom Video, Text, and Speech for your Custom CPU Lords is now supported.Read |
| Songs of the Crusaders Bundle! | 2026-02-12 | Greetings Sire!We've teamed up with our friends at Chimera to bring you a unique gaming bundle - The Songs of Crusaders!Grab two highly rated strategy games — a stone-cold classic RTS and a dazzling modern turn-based autobattler — together at a reduced price!See you on the battlefront! |
| News on the Castle and CPU Lord Editor! | 2026-02-10 | Greetings M'Lord! The team here at Firefly have been reviewing all the player feedback regarding the CPU Lord creator tool. Amongst the overwhelming positive support, we've noticed the point raised regarding the lack of the ability within it to use custom video/voicelines etc.We're happy to say that it's looking very much like we've come to a solution, and that in the near future you will have the ability to make custom video/voicelines available with your CPU creations by using popular external sharing sites - for example, Nexus Mods.While this function will not be available through Steam Workshop, we hope that this change will allow you to |
| The Winter Update is Now Live! | 2026-02-03 | Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.5 - Free Winter Update- Update Size: ~150MB -Greetings, Sire! A fresh new year has dawned upon us and with the chill winds of promise arrives the long-awaited Winter Update! This stockpile of new content, enemies, tools, improvements and fixes will challenge you in many ways, both new and old!Prepare yourself for the truest test of your cunning, skill and bravery yet! NEW CONTENT:Steam Workshop Support for New Custom ContentWith this update comes the Castle and CPU Lord Editor tool, and the Custom Trail Maker, both of which will be explained below.Your new Castle designs, Lords and Trails can be uplo |
| Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition - Winter Update & DLC Reveal! | 2025-12-19 | Behold and rejoice Sire! Celebrate the festivities and cap off this productive year with the reveal of the second major content update for Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition!From co-op trails and map packs, to new Lords and custom editors, the power is in your hands to play how you want and with whomever you want!There’s no better way or time to play this revamped desert hot strategy classic!Following his debut in Stronghold: Definitive Edition’s Jewel Campaign, The Sergeant has journeyed across the sands to face you in glorious battle! A veteran of great military renown, his confidence lies in commanding his troops; consisting largely o |
| Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.04 Patch Notes! | 2025-11-13 | Greetings Sire! In this patch we are happy to be able to bring you Multiplayer System Improvements, alongside other fixes. Happy besieging! Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.04 Patch Notes: MULTIPLAYER and CO-OPWe have fixed a bug causing crashes during Multiplayer, as well as a bug causing resyncs. This fix also affects co-op. A huge thank you to the following players, who were instrumental in helping with testing the fixes: LORDST, -Arno from Iran, Marco, TheRevenantSkull aka.Gympie5, Mr.Pretext, Tryndamere, Gynt, SeanB, Luca aka.RealQuality, Nigel, Megz Please note that you will only see Multiplayer lobbies of other players on the |
| Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.03 Patch Notes! | 2025-10-29 | Glad tidings Sire!We recently opened the gates and unleashed the first major update for Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition. The Autumn Update as well as The Canary & The Trader DLC added a wealth of new gameplay content, improvements and customisation options for every kind of Stronghold player.The work doesn't stop there however! Today we're releasing the latest patch for Crusader DE, bringing more fixes and enhancements to your castle-building and besieging experience!Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.03 Patch Notes:Update Size: 63.7mb MULTIPLAYERIn response to feedback from players struggling to play Multiplayer Matches, we h |
| The Autumn Update is Here! | 2025-10-14 | Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v2.0 - Free Autumn Update - Update Size: ~330MB -The time is upon us, my Liege! Autumn has arrived and with it comes the eagerly-awaited Crusader DE Autumn Update! So dust off your armour, sharpen your steel and charge into the fray!NEW CONTENT:The Reptilian Regent has arrived! Battle this bloodthirsty and bitter Lord of the marshes in Custom Skirmish, or challenge his tyranny in the badlands of the Upper Nile in the new Economic Campaign, The Realm of the Crocodile.Free Map PackIn this Update’s Map Pack, we have added three new maps for you to besiege and battle across:On an island split into two halve |
| Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition Autumn Update Coming Soon! | 2025-10-06 | Autumn Update Countdown Begins! Greetings Sire! The much anticipated free Autumn Update & paid DLC for Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition will be coming on October 14th! Prepare to march with your brethren in arms against with the brutal Crocodile as well as the cunning Canary and the tricky Trader in ONE WEEK. The Crocodile arrives part of the free update, with the Canary and the Trader being part of the separate DLC. Each brings their own distinctive playstyle and unique characteristics to the battlefront.The Autumn Update launches in one week. Wishlist it today to be the first to know! |
| Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v1.05 Patch Notes | 2025-09-04 | Well met, my Liege! A huge thank you to everyone who helped to test the Multiplayer Improvements in our Public Beta. Today we are happy to bring these Improvements to the full game in v1.05, alongside other fixes and changes.Date: 4th September 2025- Update Size: 180MB - Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v1.05 Patch NotesMULTIPLAYER IMPROVEMENTSReduced lag between clicking and seeing your action take effectFewer resyncsPlease note that you will only see Multiplayer lobbies of other players on the exact same version of the game as you. People make sure you're on the latest version if you'd like to play Multiplayer. ADDITIONSAdded 77 new |
| 📢 Multiplayer System Improvements - Public Beta Extended & Updated! ⚔️ | 2025-08-28 | 📢 Multiplayer System Improvements - Public Beta Now Live! ⚔️We have been testing Multiplayer System Improvements in a Public Beta over the last week. This has been successful in reducing lag/action delay, but we have decided to extend this Beta to September 4th, to test the further improvements brought to you in today's update.A big thank you to everyone who has helped us to test these improvements to the Multiplayer System! Without your help we would not have been able to discover the causes of Resyncs that we have now been able to fix with this update.The final day for the Beta Test will be the 4th September, with the improvements released |
| 📢 Multiplayer System Improvements - Public Beta Now Live! ⚔️ | 2025-08-20 | 📢 Multiplayer System Improvements - Public Beta Now Live! ⚔️The time is upon us, Sire!We’re excited to announce that our Beta Test for Improvements to the Multiplayer System is now publicly available on Steam! The Community has always been incredibly important in shaping the Stronghold legacy, and we would love for you all to jump in and help us test these improvements to the Multiplayer System!The final day for the Beta Test is the 24th August. If all goes well, we aim to release these improvements to the full game by the end of next week. The Improvements:- Lower lag between clicking and seeing your action take affect- Fewer ResyncsOutside |
| Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v1.04 Patch Notes | 2025-08-13 | Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v1.04 Patch Notes Good morrow, my Liege! As more and more of you have been playing, sharing and cooperating, we’ve been toiling away on another wave of updates and changes that should address some of your main concerns as well as make the whole Crusader experience smoother. It takes more than one warrior to make an army, so too does each bug report help to collectively improve the game for all. Godspeed!- Update Size: 326MB - Additional Hotfix v1.043"When moat can’t be placed due to high ground, the CPU Lords will now place killing pits instead (these will be free for the AI in this specific situation, |
| Stronghold Crusader: DE - First Major Update Details! | 2025-08-07 | Well met, Sire! Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition has charged into the breach and emerged from its launch victorious! The response of fans and critics to Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition has been nothing short of stellar. Delighted and spurred on by the torrent of positive player reception and feedback, Firefly Studios is keeping this momentum going by revealing some of the details of new gameplay content that players can look forward to in the weeks to come.The first major ‘Autumn’ update will arrive in two parts - a free content update as well as an optional paid DLC. The free content will introduce The Crocodile, a brand new c |
| Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v1.03 Patch Notes | 2025-07-31 | Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition v1.03 Patch NotesGreetings Sire! Today we have a chunky patch for Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition. We've hit over 200k sales, and over 16k concurrent players, so that's a lot of Building, Battling and Besieging from our beloved community. We're diligently going through each and every bug report from you, so please continue to log them with us and it won't be long before we have more information coming on the Free Update pack and DLC 1 coming this Autumn.- Update Size: 749MB + 700MB for any language with speech -Improvements To Multiplayer Lag: We've adjusted the delay calculation, which should l |