August 1, 2025 - Hooded Horse is excited to share the latest from Sad Socket’s smash-hit roguelite strategy game, 9 Kings. With seven Kings down so far in early access, an eighth emerges in the King of Nomads. Hailing from the snowy north, he leads an army of fierce reptilian warriors who definitely aren’t impressed by the boar-mounted ballista meta.
The King of Nomads specializes in troop-led decks with few buildings, introducing a new dynamic that rewards shuffling buildings around the board to stay mobile and adapting as the game progresses. The Camp card is an incredibly powerful building that encourages the placement of new cards in the kingdom, for example, while the Dragon's Den is a summoning building that thrives on destruction. Occupy new plots, let go of old ones, and keep moving forward to victory!
You can find out more about the King of Nomads and the design goals behind him in the accompanying dev diary. Update 13 also improves the game’s RNG and makes additional quality of life improvements. Only one more King to go!
The game is available now on PC via Steam Early Access for $19.99 / £17.99 / €19.99 / ¥1,980. It currently holds a 92% “Very Positive” rating with over 10,000 reviews.
INSTINCT3 is assisting Hooded Horse in the GAS region covering Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
A press kit is available.
Press inquiries: press@hoodedhorse.com
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About Hooded Horse™
Hooded Horse is a publisher of deep strategic and tactical games, including Manor Lords, Against the Storm, ENDLESS™ Legend 2, Old World, Norland, Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era, and 9 Kings. With people and partners around the world, our goal is to empower and support developers in doing what they do best: creating world-class experiences for their audiences.
You can find out more about us on our Steam publisher page or website, as well as our social channels: Twitter, Bluesky, Facebook, YouTube, and Discord.
About Sad Socket™
Founded by two childhood friends who tried (and failed) to make a AAA game when they were 11, Sad Socket is one of Brazil’s leading game companies, bringing ideas they are passionate about to life. They are a collaborative group that both develops their own games and helps publish other titles from the region by sharing expertise in game design and the creative industry.
You can find out more by visiting the official website, as well as Twitter and YouTube channels.
About INSTINCT3
INSTINCT3 is an influencer marketing agency from Germany focused on creative campaigns and influencer management. The team, made up of pioneers from the German gaming and esports industry, sees its main mission as creating synergies between the brands of advertisers and those of influencers through exceptional concepts.
The company also represents an exclusive portfolio of influencers, including “HandOfBlood,” one of Germany’s most high-reach online personalities. In 2024, the agency expanded its operations to include a new business area in indie game publishing.