24 years on, classic medieval 'rags-to-riches' sim The Guild is going back to its roots

How far could you rise through the ranks of the medieval era using just your skills, connections, and a burning ambition to climb the social ladder? In The Guild Europa 1410, you start out with just a small shop in town, gradually winning favor among the residents and expanding your business. As your portfolio grows, so does your family's influence; play your cards well, shake the right hands, and cut the right deals, and you might one day find yourself in the highest offices of government. It's time for the classic medieval game to return to its roots, more than two decades on.

The Guild Europa 1410 winds back the clock to 2002, and the original strategy game that kicked off the series - Europa 1400: The Guild. It all starts with the fundamentals of business. Whether you choose to pursue life as a blacksmith, alchemist, stone mason, tailor, innkeeper, preacher, or some other profession, you'll need to craft goods, price them smartly, and grow your trade gradually. The regions on offer span across the Holy Roman Empire, with real-world locations including Kuttenberg, Nuremberg, Graz, and Wrocław.

You're free to set up a storefront in town to sell your goods, or pack them up and ship them to the marketplace - just be wary of potential scoundrels. Alternatively, there's always the option to embrace a life of crime yourself. You can scout out valuable properties, organize bands of pickpockets to roam the streets, and even consider blackmail or kidnap for ransom. If the thought of that turns your stomach, the opposite career path might be for you: join the guardsmen and fight to uphold law and honor.

Whatever way you choose to start, your gradual rise begins to open doors. Step into the world of politics and begin to curry favor with those above you, striking deals and greasing wheels. Prove yourself as a stalwart good for the city, or employ underhanded tactics like bribery and curses to try and keep your rivals down. Of course, such tricks can leave evidence, and a poorly covered trail could bring your career to a spectacular halt.

Truly cementing your legacy means establishing a dynasty. Search for that perfect partner and court them with gifts or grand gestures. Get married, work alongside your spouse, have children to act as heirs, and ensure that the inevitability of death is just the beginning. Providing you have a child of age, you're free to continue as them once your starting character is no longer around. The bigger your family grows, the more resilient your name becomes against the many threats that the era could throw your way.

The Guild Europa 1410 launches into early access on Steam on Thursday July 16, 2026. You can add it to your wishlist now if you want to be notified when it arrives.

Few games quite capture that rags-to-riches storytelling that made The Guild unique back in the day. The series' most recent entry, The Guild 3 back in 2022, left a bit of a sour taste in the mouth, never quite feeling like it lived up to its potential. Hopefully incoming developer Ashborne Games, which previously brought us the excellent train-based wartime strategy of Last Train Home, will deliver the goods again.