After 8 years of waiting, Taleworlds Entertainment has finally released Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord as of about six hours ago. It's already the biggest Steam release of the year so far, at over 150,000 players currently online.
That Bannerlord is a success shouldn't be a surprise, as the Mount & Blade series has been very popular, selling millions of copies over the last fifteen years since Mount & Blade was originally released. However, the fact that it is blowing releases such as Doom Eternal, Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem, and Half-Life: Alyx out of the water in a mere six hours is incredible. In fact, it wouldn't be a surprise if Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord has already sold over a million copies in less than 7 hours after its launch.
Besides its enduring popularity, part of it could also be how the game is available for a blanket 10% discount for the first two weeks, with Taleworlds also adding a 10% voucher for those that own a previous Mount & Blade title for a combined 20% off. Not bad for a new release, and it certainly takes some of the sting out of paying $50 for an EA title. $40 sounds a lot better, eh?
All is not perfect though, as Bannerlord is an EA release that was perhaps pushed out the door a little too soon. Things such as server files haven't been released yet, with recent word stating that the server files (and community servers as a whole) will not be put out until it's "closer to full release", which could be awhile for all we know right now.
Mods are also coming, as is the end-game for single-player, but both aren't completed yet. That doesn't mean that Bannerlord isn't ridiculously fun (because it totally is) but the game is labeled as an Early Access title for a reason. There are definitely flaws that players should be made aware of before hopping into Calradia.
Hopefully it doesn't take too long for modding support and the server files to be released, but when it does, be sure to check out TechRaptor for all the details.
What do you think of this news? Have you already purchased Bannerlord? Let us know in the comments!
