Attention nostalgia fans: The Guild 1 Remake: Europa 1410 is playable in Early Access on Steam starting today. Developer Ashborne Games and publisher THQ Nordic are bringing back the legendary German economic simulation – for 29.99 Euros, you can now build your own dynasty in late medieval Europe.
The Early Access launch on Steam was originally planned for July but was postponed after the Steam Next Fest. The reason: The team wanted to react to feedback from the demo, which ranked 25th out of over 4,000 Next Fest titles.
What Does The Guild 1 Remake Early Access Launch Offer?
The scope at launch is intentionally manageable – typical for Early Access. Here's what's included:
- One playable map: the tutorial city of Herle
- Six starting professions: Trader, Crafter (Blacksmith, Stone Mason, Tailor), Farmer, Alchemist, and Petty Criminal
- Revamped user interface with automation for recurring operational processes
- Improved animations for workers and townspeople
- German and English voice acting/text at launch
The multiplayer mode, designed for up to twelve players, as well as additional maps and professions, are slated to follow later during the Early Access phase – so those waiting for multiplayer will have to be patient.
Why is the game now called The Guild 1 Remake instead of simply The Guild – Europa 1410?
Originally, the project was simply called “The Guild – Europa 1410.” After the Next Fest demo, THQ Nordic decided to rename it to clarify how closely the game aligns with the very first installment in the series: The focus is once again on trade, craftsmanship, dynasty building, and politics from a bird's-eye view – not the more relationship-oriented mechanics of later spin-offs.
How is the Remake Connected to the 2002 Original?
(Context, Editorial) The original “The Guild” was released in 2002 by 4Head Studios and is still considered one of the most influential German contributions to the economic simulation genre. Players operated in real German cities like Augsburg, Cologne, or Dresden, with the goal of rising to become the city's most powerful dynasty over generations. The successor, The Guild 2 (2006), shifted the focus more towards relationships and character interactions, while The Guild 3 arrived years later to mixed reception from long-time fans. The fact that Ashborne Games is now explicitly orienting itself on the 2002 original is therefore a deliberate return to the series' roots – and is likely to be well-received by long-standing fans of the first two installments.
From our perspective, the Early Access launch is a clever move: Instead of releasing a half-finished full-price game, Ashborne Games is now collecting feedback during development from the exact target audience that once helped the original achieve cult status. However, those who absolutely need multiplayer or multiple cities should wait a bit longer.
Source: PC Games Hardware
Already played it? Let us know in the comments how you like getting started with the new Guild!
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