From Press Release:
May 25, 2026 – Hooded Horse and Sad Socket are excited to share the news everyone has been waiting for – multiplayer has come to hit kingdom-building auto-battler 9 Kings! Whether against friends, foes, or complete strangers trying to mount their ballistas onto boars in peace, today’s update introduces a new competitive mode where players can battle for sovereign supremacy.
Utilizing an asynchronous multiplayer structure, nine players will face off to see whose kingdom will last the longest. At the end of the match, each participant receives ELO points based on their performance… Which brings us to *rankings* (jazz hands). There are nine ranks on the global leaderboard, and players need nine points to be promoted to the next rank, with competition intensifying at KING level. Vying for the top spot each season, players will earn medals that are used to purchase new cosmetic items.
Read the full changelog here.
Lastly, we’re pleased to report that the game has now sold well over 999,999 copies since launching into early access last year.
9 Kings is available now in early access for PC via Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store for a base price of $19.99 / £17.99 / €19.99 / ¥1,980. It’s also available via PC Game Pass. It currently holds a 92% “Very Positive” rating with nearly 20,000 reviews.
9 Kings will come to mobile later this year thanks to a partnership with Playdigious.
INSTINCT3 is assisting Hooded Horse in the GAS region, covering Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
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About Hooded Horse™
Hooded Horse is a publisher of deep strategic and tactical games, including Manor Lords, Against the Storm, MENACE, Old World, Norland, Heroes of Might and 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.
