Taleworlds has announced a Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord delay in their most recent developer update reflecting on a year in early access. Originally planned to leave early access a year after entering it, the developers explained what the plan is for release, now that we're in April, several days after the one-year anniversary of March 30th.
The new update largely goes over how the game has changed since the early access release last year. Here's a quick rundown of some of the points they raise:
- Performance and stability have significantly improved with various updates, with a 1000 soldier battle raising from 27-30FPS last year, to 47-50FPS
- Reduction of clicks for things like quick conversations with settlements, and menu shortcuts
- Better information on what is going on in the world with UI indicators, and notifications of things going on in the world
- Recent additions of sandbox mode, prison break, and photo mode
- Balancing markets and equipment, adding new quests, and overhauling prisoner recruitment
- There are now over 300 functional perks in the game, compared to launch when many didn't work, and now most perks have a second effect so that they are interesting for both player characters and npcs
- Character development was overhauled, so that levels are no longer based on skill increases, but instead experience so that focusing on a few skills doesn't hinder your character's level
- They've expanded how you can gain experience but state that it needs more attention still
- A focus on greater character customization with weight, build, hairstyles, skin, hair, and eyes, along with more dialogue options
- Combat AI for NPCs is now derived from their weapon skill, instead of their character level, meaning your humble merchant who has no sword skills is no longer a tactical genius
- Clan and Family have significantly changed with more characters being added, and ability to direct your clan with orders
- You can now train your child with education feature as they grow older
- Clan leaders also now play a bigger role in kingdom diplomacy
- Pillaging has been added for sieges, meaning you can pillage, devastate or show mercy to a settlement
- Combat has been improved, beyond things like perks and skills impacting it, by the addition of things like autoblock, cheering, the ability to assign captains to formations, and more.
- Formation and Tactics AI has been overhauled
- While a lot of work has gone into it, sieges are still a point of focus
What is the new Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord Release Date?
The Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord release date hasn't been precisely revealed, but developer Taleworlds has revealed that they are hoping to release it in Q4 2021. That would place it sometime between September and December, approximately 6-9 months after the planned release window of March 2021. However, they stress, "development will continue for as long as necessary as we take the time to ensure that the game is fun and enjoyable."
There's more to read if you want to get all the nitty-gritty details, over on the Taleworlds update post here. Stay tuned to TechRaptor for more coverage of Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord.
What do you think of the Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord release date delay? Do you want Taleworlds to just finish or keep working on it in early access until they are happy? Let us know in the comments below.
