Noble Kings! We’ve just released another hotfix. Improvements Building Reward cards are more informative, providing additional details about the rewards you’ll receive. Encounter screens now include images to make it clearer what you’ll receive from each encounter. Improved the B
Noble Kings!
We’ve just released another hotfix.
Improvements
Building Reward cards are more informative, providing additional details about the rewards you’ll receive.
Encounter screens now include images to make it clearer what you’ll receive from each encounter.
Improved the Balloon building description and replaced an incorrect upgrade icon.
Fixes
Fixed multiple cases where shadows, particle effects, and other entities could remain active after units died, unnecessarily affecting performance. This could be especially noticeable when entering Endless Mode.
Fixed a crash that could occasionally occur when extinguishing a fire with the Fire Brigade.
Fixes we have previously released on Monday
Fixed a bug when keyboard stopped responding under very specific cases
Fixed Vesper's fog not dissipating after moving the gaze
Fixed pop-ups on enemy stats and tentacle descriptions not showing up on hover
Fixed Super Metal artifact counter not updating
First time entering the level, a pop-up with information on some UI customization options available in settings is now prompted
We released potential fix for Alt-Tabbing causing input lag, but we will investigate this bug further.
We temporarily turned off V-sync by default. We recommend to turn it off for the time being, because it may cause an input lag
Now costs in shop change color if you have not enough denarii
We changed how you interact with Altars on Volcano
Thank you for your feedback and reports! We are aiming to release another patch with fixes soon.
The King Is Watching developers Hypnohead have announced The Crab Is Walking, a roguelite city-builder in which you alternate between arranging tetromino-shaped city districts on the back of a colossal crustacean, and sending out armies of Mad Maxalots to slaughter wasteland inse
The King Is Watching developers Hypnohead have announced The Crab Is Walking, a roguelite city-builder in which you alternate between arranging tetromino-shaped city districts on the back of a colossal crustacean, and sending out armies of Mad Maxalots to slaughter wasteland insects. Unlike in The King Is Watching, you do not have to actively train your gaze on your crab metropolis to stop it slacking off.
Noble Kings, The King has been watching. Now, The Crab is Walking . From the developers of The King is Watching comes a new roguelite city builder where your capital sits atop a giant creature crossing a post-apocalyptic wasteland . Piece together buildings of different shapes on
Noble Kings,
The King has been watching. Now, The Crab is Walking.
From the developers of The King is Watching comes a new roguelite city builder where your capital sits atop a giant creature crossing a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Piece together buildings of different shapes on its limited shell, merge and upgrade your city, raise an army, and choose how much danger you’re willing to crab into on each run.
Watch the trailer and learn more about The Crab is Walking in its dedicated announcement:
We know that the announcement of a new game may raise questions among our royal court, so we want to address them straight away: The Crab is Walking is a separate project, and we fully intend to continue supporting The King is Watching and releasing new content for it.
Both games will have their own place in our line-up, and we still have plenty of ideas for the kingdom that we look forward to sharing with you.
In fact, just yesterday we released a new Steam update introducing a completely redesigned UI, created to support gamepads and Steam Deck:
Our next major release for The King is Watchingwill be the Crowns of Fiction DLC, accompanied by a free content update. Both are currently planned for Q4 2026, and we’ll share more details when they’re ready.
HOTFIX 14.09.2026 We have just released a hotfix to address the following issues: We temporarily turned off V-sync by default. We recomend to turn it off for the time being, because it may cause an input lag Now costs in shop change color if you have not enough denarii We changed
HOTFIX 14.09.2026
We have just released a hotfix to address the following issues:
We temporarily turned off V-sync by default. We recomend to turn it off for the time being, because it may cause an input lag
Now costs in shop change color if you have not enough denarii
We changed how you interact with Altars on Volcano
We release potential fix for Alt-Tabbing causing input lag, but we will investigate this bug further.
If you encounter any issues, please report them to us and we'll take a look ASAP!
Noble Kings,
Your royal gaze is no longer bound to just a mouse and keyboard. With improved Steam Deck experience and gamepad support now available, you can manage production, marshal your armies and make highly consequential royal decisions from your controller of choice.
A New Way to Rule
Adapting The King Is Watching for controllers proved to be quite a challenge of its own. While working on the console versions, we also rebuilt the game’s UI to make your experience much better on all platforms.
This includes:
A fully reworked interface designed to be comfortable for both mouse + keyboard and gamepad
Rebuilt reward screens
Updated fonts for better readability
Redesigned tooltips with compact and expanded versions
To keep the interface readable, some tooltips initially show a shorter description. Press Z to expand them and reveal the full information whenever you need it.
A Note on Steam Deck
The King Is Watching is fully playable on Steam Deck, although you may have noticed that it does not yet carry the Steam Deck Verified badge.
We’re happy with how the new interface has come together, and we’ve recently tested it with members of our community. However, there are still a few isolated places where text may be uncomfortable to read at lower resolutions. We’re reviewing these cases individually with Valve and working to improve them over the coming weeks.
We’ve already received some useful feedback from early testers, and we’d now love to hear from those of you trying the new UI on both PC and Steam Deck. If you encounter any text or interface elements that feel difficult to use, please let us know!
An Update to Our 2026 Roadmap
The new interface required a little more time in the royal workshop than we originally expected, so we’ve had to adjust our plans for the Crowns of Fiction DLC and its accompanying free update.
We’re now aiming to release both in Q4 2026. We’ll share more details as development continues, so keep an eye on future royal correspondence.
A Royal Discount
If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to claim the throne, The King Is Watching is currently featured in a Steam Daily Deal:
35% off the base game
25% off the Crowns of History DLC
Know someone who would thrive under the pressure of running an entire kingdom with one very limited gaze? Point them towards the throne while the Daily Deal lasts!
We’re not done with announcements just yet. Keep an eye on the tinyBuild Connect showcase on September 14th at 5 PM CEST 👁️ You can set a reminder through the link below:
Noble Kings, Every grand reign deserves a fitting score... and every spectacular downfall could use one too. New tracks from The King Is Watching have joined the official soundtrack , ready to accompany your finest strategies, narrow victories and entirely preventable royal disas
Noble Kings,
Every grand reign deserves a fitting score... and every spectacular downfall could use one too.
New tracks from The King Is Watching have joined the official soundtrack, ready to accompany your finest strategies, narrow victories and entirely preventable royal disasters.
Already own the OST? The new music should already be waiting in your library, at no additional cost.
Otherwise, summon the royal orchestra on your preferred platform:
Noble Kings, In The King Is Watching , familiar memes are reimagined as medieval pixel-art encounters filled with difficult decisions, unexpected outcomes and rewards for the Crown. Now, one of your ideas could become part of the game. Choose a popular, easily recognizable meme t
Noble Kings,
In The King Is Watching, familiar memes are reimagined as medieval pixel-art encounters filled with difficult decisions, unexpected outcomes and rewards for the Crown. Now, one of your ideas could become part of the game.
Choose a popular, easily recognizable meme template, describe how you would reimagine it as a medieval pixel-art scene, and write an in-game encounter inspired by it.
Your submission should include:
- An event title and main description
- Three decisions available to the player
- A narrative outcome for each decision
- A description of the meme’s medieval pixel-art makeover
No drawing is required. Our royal artists will create the artwork for the winning idea.
The winning encounter will be adapted and added to our next content update. Its author will also receive a key for a tinyBuild game of their choice.
Entries will be judged on creativity, recognisability of the meme, suitability for the world and tone of The King Is Watching, the quality of the decisions and outcomes, and the feasibility of adapting the idea for the game.
Deadline: August 28 at 12 PM CEST
Read the full rules and submit your encounter through the form below:
Noble Kings, We bring forth a thrilling royal decree: The King Is Watching is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC and Nintendo Switch. A new generation of rulers can now take the throne, build their kingdoms and command their subjects through the power of
Noble Kings,
We bring forth a thrilling royal decree:
The King Is Watching is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC and Nintendo Switch.
A new generation of rulers can now take the throne, build their kingdoms and command their subjects through the power of the royal gaze. Balance resource production, prepare your armies and face increasingly dangerous threats, while ensuring nobody stops working the moment you look elsewhere.
Each reign brings new challenges, strategies and permanent upgrades to carry into your next attempt. Rule wisely, learn from defeat and return stronger until your kingdom becomes truly unstoppable.
To our veteran PC Kings: thank you for helping us reach this milestone!
As some of you may have already heard, we are also working on bringing controller support and tons of UI improvements to the PC version. This process is taking a little longer than we originally anticipated.
The console editions are based on the December 2025 version of the game and include the Volcano Update. Since then, however, we have introduced significant amount of new content to the PC version. Now we need to adapt new controls and UI to everything currently available on PC, which requires substantial changes to both the interface and the game’s code.
The team needs a little more time to ensure that everything works properly across the entire game. We appreciate your patience and promise to release new UI and controller support no later than beginning of October.
Noble Kings, Thank you to everyone who has already ventured into the Shifting Sands update! We've been thrilled to see so many of you exploring the new content, and we're especially happy to hear that the Danger Modifiers mechanic has been such a hit with the community. We've als
Noble Kings,
Thank you to everyone who has already ventured into the Shifting Sands update! We've been thrilled to see so many of you exploring the new content, and we're especially happy to hear that the Danger Modifiers mechanic has been such a hit with the community.
We've also released a small patch to address a handful of issues. Here's what's included:
Patch 1.3.2 Notes
Fixed the crash that could happen when raising new bodies with Alucard's ability.
Fixed the crash that could happen when units resurrected infinitely with the One More Life modifier.
Fixed the Deforestation spell incorrectly showing which trees it would cut in some situations.
Fixed the exploit where rewards for beating Threat Levels 1–3 could be received by abandoning the run.
Fixed an issue where the game could incorrectly grant an extra Advisor slot.
But that's not all...
The throne room is about to welcome new rulers.
We're delighted to announce that The King is Watching arrives on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Nintendo Switch on July 29th!
Soon, noble sovereigns across every realm will command their kingdoms with nothing but their royal gaze.
Watch over your loyal subjects as they gather resources, forge mighty armies, and defend the crown against relentless invaders. Just don't blink at the wrong moment...
Whether you've already proven yourself worthy on PC or have been patiently awaiting your royal invitation on consoles, the kingdom is nearly ready to receive you.
Noble Kings, The gates to the Shifting Sands now stand open . Available now as a free update for all owners of The King Is Watching, the Shifting Sands expansion brings a wealth of new content to the realm. Customize your adventures with Danger Modifiers, face new bosses and enem
Noble Kings,
The gates to the Shifting Sands now stand open.
Available now as a free update for all owners of The King Is Watching, the Shifting Sands expansion brings a wealth of new content to the realm. Customize your adventures with Danger Modifiers, face new bosses and enemies, discover powerful artifacts and spells, experiment in the new Free Reign Mode, and enjoy improvements to Endless Mode, progression, balance, and overall gameplay.
Before you march your troops into the dunes, watch the launch trailer and witness the wonders (and horrors) that await beyond the shifting horizon:
The Shifting Sands – a brand-new map where ancient magic pulls enemies, bosses, and events from all previously conquered lands into a single realm. Shape each run with 36 Danger Modifiers and face four new bosses, the mysterious Fennec tribe, and other desert horrors.
King Personas – unlock cosmetic appearances to give your rulers a fresh and regal look.
3 new dwarven units and 2 advisors to strengthen your kingdom and expand your strategic options.
10 new artifacts offering powerful effects and new build possibilities.
3 new spells added to your royal grimoire.
Improved Endless Mode with wave rewards and enhanced difficulty scaling.
Free Reign Mode – use Danger Modifiers on any map to create your own challenges and adventures.
Onboarding and progression improvements for newly crowned kings.
Numerous balance changes and quality-of-life improvements across the realm.
New Map: Shifting Sands
Before we delve into the latest affairs of the realm, a brief reminder: the official Hydragoose plushie remains available for pre-order. Should your court be in need of a loyal guardian, vigilant overseer, or exceptionally regal honker, now is the time to secure one.
The Shifting Sands are no ordinary desert. Ancient magic twists space and time as rifts tear open across the dunes, drawing enemies and allies from distant lands and forgotten ages. Here, the past, present and future exist side by side beneath an eternal, unforgiving sun.
In the Shifting Sands, you may encounter enemies and events from any land you have already conquered. As always, a prophecy at the start of each run will reveal the boss awaiting you. It may be a familiar foe from your past campaigns or one of four new bosses created exclusively for this map. Only the Kraken remains absent, too immense even for the rifts of the Shifting Sands to drag from the Dark Realm. After all, even magic has its limits.
Danger Modifiers
Instead of Threat Tiers, Shifting Sands uses 36 Danger Modifiers that can increase or decrease difficulty. Completing runs at higher Danger Levels unlocks rewards including:
New Units
New Advisor
New Spells
New Artifacts
King Personas
List of Modifiers
Each boss summons all previous bosses when entering the battlefield
Buildings cannot be demolished
Unit damage reduced by 25%
Unit health reduced by 25%
Add one Gold Seal to the castle
Receive 1 gold for each enemy killed
Get free non-legendary spells in each spell slot
+10 to unit limit
Start with Basic Construction
At the start of the run, choose one: 45 meat / 45 oil / 45 metal
Wine is consumed 50% slower
After defeating the first boss, receive an extra legendary artifact
Start the run with a temporary Goose Hydra
Spell damage increased by 100%
Wine provides 50% less morale
Start in debt: -30 to all resources
Two fewer Well blueprint at the beginning
New units spawn with 30 seconds of Weakness. The same applies to units leaving the Barracks
Marketplace works 75% slower
Using the King’s ability temporarily slows down a random building
Your people are unhappy: start with -20 morale
Unit cap upgrades provide smaller increases
If the player has more than 300 wheat, ravens will surround the castle and eat the excess
The 3 central tiles of the castle are blocked by a lake
Allied units are on fire and lose 0.5% HP per second
The castle has only 1 HP, but you start with a Brick Factory blueprint
All buildings are 25% more expensive
You cannot send troops to the Barracks
All enemy units resurrect once after death
Units are produced 50% slower
At the start of each wave, lightning strike deals 100 HP to your enemy
Enemy units explode after death
The castle loses 1 HP each time you build something
All corpses on the level turn into zombies at the start of each wave
Fewer spell slots
If you have wine, all units have a 20% chance to miss
King Personas
King Baldwin → King Baldwin
King Leonid → King Leonid of Sparta
King Leo the Wise → Leonardo da Vinci
King Spellus → White Archmage
King Brezhnius → Ivan the Terrible
King Saladin → Grand Vizier
King Alucard → Lord Alucard
Queen Cleopatra → Queen Cleopatra
King Xerxes → King Xerxes
King Taizong → Emperor Taizong of Tang
These personas are cosmetic only and don’t affect gameplay.
New Bosses
Four new bosses will challenge your reign:
Monkey King
Drentlyr, Ancient Leshen
Greedscale, Matriarch of Dragons
Goruk, The Chainbound
New Enemies
The Fennecs are an ancient desert tribe shrouded in legend. Whether born of flesh or shaped by the spirits of the sands, they have survived where countless others have perished. Masters of warfare and desert survival alike, they strike swiftly and vanish just as quickly, leaving little behind save ruined camps, unanswered questions, and unfortunate kings who underestimated them.
New Events
Shifting Sands introduces twelve new region-exclusive events, including:
A cult leader preaching devotion to the Eye
An advisor discussing work stress with a cat
Mysterious omen appearing in the sky
New Units
Dwarf Drunkard (Tier 1)
Dwarf Polymorphist (Tier 2)
Dwarf Shotcaller (Tier 2)
New Artifacts
Bone Tomahawk – Grunts can become Small Bones on death
Super Glue – Riders slow enemies after attacking
Smoke Bomb – Meteors strike if you have 3+ Arcane
Binoculars – Increased ranged attack radius
Valor Drum – Warriors provide Morale
Signal Horn – Flying units increase ranged attack speed
Lightning in the Bottle – Champion units cast Chain Lightning on death
Lumberjack's Kit – Grants Deforestation spells
Vital Energy Flask – Units gain Health each wave
Wicker Basket – Units provide Wheat on death
New Spells
Grave Grind — Turns corpses into Flour.
Black Hole — Pulls enemies together and deals damage over time.
Venom Mire — Slows and infects enemies. Infected enemies grant Fuel when they die.
New Advisors
Spectral Knight
Grants a Troop Training reward for every 4 enemy waves defeated.
Deck Builder
Choose three barracks blueprints, one of each tier, at the start of the run.
Endless Mode Improvements
Endless Mode has a special place in our hearts.
While it may not be every king’s favorite pastime, those who embrace it often create builds so outrageous that even we never saw them coming. However, Endless Mode had its shortcomings: rewards stopped once you entered it, and enemy scaling eventually struggled to keep pace.
To address this, Endless Mode now grants rewards for clearing waves, just like the rest of your run. We have also reworked difficulty scaling. Enemy HP and Damage modifiers now increase with every wave, with their growth accelerating every 20 waves.
Enemy numbers and base strength will continue to rise, but only up to a limit. Beyond that, waves will feature up to 60 of the strongest available enemies, ensuring that difficulty scales through quality rather than quantity. The challenge will keep growing, while performance remains stable.
Free Reign Mode
We are delighted to introduce Free Reign Mode, a new way to experience The King is Watching.
By allowing Danger Modifiers on any map, Free Reign Mode places the design of the realm firmly in your hands. Create brutal challenges worthy of legends, craft a more leisurely royal experience, or experiment with combinations that would never appear in a standard run.
Even familiar lands may feel entirely different when viewed through the lens of your own rules.
Onboarding & Progression Improvements
Tutorial Updates
Expanded tutorial coverage
New tutorial ending with a boss encounter included
Threat Tier 0
Reduced from two bosses to one
Yellow Eye Upgrade Tree
No longer requires Town Denarii
Unlocks are earned by completing maps on Threat Tiers 1–3
Red Eye Upgrade Tree
Banish and Re-Roll upgrades split into separate branches, with earlier access to both systems
Additional upgrades added to the Research Table, each unlocking new blueprint options
Banish upgrades now grant 2 banishes instead of 1
Earlier access to Noble banishing and extra building slots
Araknor’s brother provides you with resources before the boss fight
Map Progression
New maps unlock by completing the previous map on Threat Tier 1
Quality of Life Improvements
Added "Send All Troops to Barracks" button
Artifacts and building upgrades can now be banished during a run
- Wine consumption speed reverted back to 1 wine per second
We wish you the best of fortune in your conquest of this new realm. May your walls stand firm, your coffers remain full, and your banners fly proudly above every victory.
Once you have ventured into the Shifting Sands, we invite you to share your thoughts, strategies, and discoveries with your fellow rulers. Which boss proved the greatest challenge? What rewards have you uncovered? Join the discussion and let us know how your kingdom fares.
Noble Kings, The Shifting Sands free update arrives for all owners of The King Is Watching tomorrow! This major content update introduces a brand-new map featuring the Danger Modifiers mechanic , alongside new ally and enemy units , spells , artifacts , King Personas , the all-ne
Noble Kings,
The Shifting Sands free update arrives for all owners of The King Is Watching tomorrow!
This major content update introduces a brand-new map featuring the Danger Modifiers mechanic, alongside new ally and enemy units, spells, artifacts, King Personas, the all-new Free Reign Mode, and a host of balance changes and improvements.
To ensure your court is ready when the sands begin to shift, we've prepared a release map showing when the update will arrive across the world. Consult it below to see when Shifting Sands reaches your kingdom:
Thank you for your continued support. May your banners fly proudly, your granaries remain full, and your kingdom stand strong!
Noble Kings, The hour draws near — only two days remain until we march for the Shifting Sands . Today, our royal scribes bring tidings concerning the improvements coming to Endless Mode and, at long last, the long-awaited introduction of Free Reign Mode . Seek the chronicles of f
Noble Kings,
The hour draws near — only two days remain until we march for the Shifting Sands. Today, our royal scribes bring tidings concerning the improvements coming to Endless Mode and, at long last, the long-awaited introduction of Free Reign Mode.
Seek the chronicles of former tidings through the royal passages provided below:
While it is not a mode every player enjoys, those who do often create builds so absurd and powerful that even we never expected them. However, Endless Mode did not fully function as a complete gameplay experience. Rewards stopped once the mode began, and enemy scaling eventually failed to keep pace with player power.
So, we decided to improve it.
First, you will now continue receiving rewards for clearing waves, just as you do during the rest of a run.
Second, we reworked how difficulty scaling functions:
Each wave now applies HP and Damage modifiers to enemies — these modifiers increase every wave and their growth speed increases further every 20 waves
Enemy numbers and base troop strength will continue scaling, but only up to a certain limit — after that point, waves will contain no more than 60 enemies using the strongest available enemy types
As a result, later waves will scale through enemy quality rather than sheer quantity. Battles should remain challenging without causing performance issues from overwhelming unit counts.
Free Reign Mode
Alongside the update, we are also introducing Free Reign Mode.
If you are tired of standard Threat Tiers, or simply wish to create a more relaxed experience, Free Mode will allow you to use Danger Modifiers on any map.
We hope this mode gives players more freedom to experiment, customize their runs, and discover new ways to play. Even experienced Kings may find fresh challenges while revisiting maps such as the Village or the Graveyard.
That is all for today, Noble Kings.
Tomorrow, the royal court shall unveil the release time map, allowing rulers across the realm to learn the exact hour at which their journey to the Shifting Sands may begin.
Noble Kings, The royal court has carefully considered the counsel and feedback delivered by rulers across the realm. Today, we would like to present several improvements shaped directly by your voices — changes aimed primarily at easing the first steps of newly crowned monarchs ,
Noble Kings,
The royal court has carefully considered the counsel and feedback delivered by rulers across the realm. Today, we would like to present several improvements shaped directly by your voices — changes aimed primarily at easing the first steps of newly crowned monarchs, particularly during onboarding and the early stages of their reign. When the Shifting Sands conquest begins on June 11th, these changes will stand ready to guide new rulers on their journey.
Should you wish to revisit the chronicles that came before, the royal records may be found here:
We believe the game already does a solid job of explaining the basics, but the overall process of learning The King is Watching could still be improved in several ways. With that in mind, we dedicated additional time to refining the onboarding experience.
First, we expanded the tutorial. It now explains more mechanics that players will encounter throughout the game. The tutorial also features a proper ending, including a special boss encounter designed to introduce both the tone of the game and the structure of a full run.
Additionally, Threat Tier 0 will now feature only one boss instead of two. This should make first runs shorter and allow players to unlock upgrades more quickly.
The upgrade system itself has also been revised. Most notably, the Yellow Eye Upgrade tree has changed. You no longer need to spend Town Denarii to unlock these upgrades. Instead, they are earned by completing each level on Threat Tiers 1, 2, and 3.
The progression logic is now more intuitive:
Easier-to-use buildings are unlocked first for each Tier on every map
Artifacts and spells follow afterward
The final unlocks usually contain buildings that are more specialized or require stronger synergies
We also rebalanced the Red Eye Upgrade tree. Banishing and Re-Rolling upgrades now have separate branches, allowing you to unlock these abilities earlier in your progression.
In addition, we:
Added extra unlocks to both branches
Increased the number of banishes gained per upgrade from 1 to 3
Reorganized several upgrade unlock orders - for example, you can now banish Nobles and unlock additional building slots earlier than before.
Finally, we adjusted map progression. New maps are now unlocked by completing the previous map on Threat Tier 1.
We hope these changes make onboarding smoother, clearer, and more enjoyable for both new and returning Kings.
We shall soon return with the final royal chronicle covering the Shifting Sands update. According to our court mages and trusted advisors, the tidings yet to come should prove especially exciting for both newly crowned rulers and seasoned monarchs alike.
Noble Kings, The Hydragoose has flown from the battlefield and into the real world. The official Hydragoose plushie is now available for pre-order on Youtooz.com ! PREORDER NOW A creature of unmatched majesty, questionable temperament, and extraordinary honking power can now serv
Noble Kings,
The Hydragoose has flown from the battlefield and into the real world. The official Hydragoose plushie is now available for pre-order on Youtooz.com!
A creature of unmatched majesty, questionable temperament, and extraordinary honking power can now serve in your court. Whether defending your castle, supervising your kingdom, or simply demanding snacks, this fearsome three-headed companion is ready for duty.
Noble Kings, Welcome to the third royal chronicle detailing the upcoming free Shifting Sands update, which begins on June 11th. Our loyal scribes and court mages once again bring tidings from the dunes, this time unveiling a wealth of new additions coming to the kingdom — includi
Noble Kings,
Welcome to the third royal chronicle detailing the upcoming free Shifting Sands update, which begins on June 11th. Our loyal scribes and court mages once again bring tidings from the dunes, this time unveiling a wealth of new additions coming to the kingdom — including new Units, Artifacts, Spells, Advisors, and various improvements to the royal interface itself.
Should you wish to revisit the previous chronicles concerning the Shifting Sands campaign, they may be found here:
We are adding new units to unlock for your roster. And yes — that means MORE DWARVES.
Dwarf Polymorphist — Tier 2
All allied units gain a chance to be reborn as Black Sheep upon death.
The Dwarf Polymorphist can also be upgraded to temporarily transform Black Sheep into Unicorns.
Dwarf Drunkard — Tier 1
Always drunk and always eager to share a drink with the enemy, the Dwarf Drunkard intoxicates foes and disrupts their effectiveness in battle.
With upgrades, Dwarf Drunkards can also provide Morale and Wood at the start of each wave.
Dwarf Shotcaller — Tier 2
Each Dwarf-Shotcaller increases the attack radius of all Ranged units.
Additional upgrades allow him to increase the damage of Warrior units as well.
New Artifacts
The following artifacts will be available to further improve and diversify your builds:
Bone Tomahawk — All Grunt units, except Undead units, have a 20% chance to be reborn as Small Bones upon death
Super Glue — Rider units slow enemies by 20% after attacking
Smoke Bomb — If you have at least 3 Champion units on the field, a meteor strikes your enemies at the start of each wave
Binoculars — Increases the attack radius of Ranged units by 30
Valor Drum — Warrior units on battlefield provide 1 Morale
Signal Horn — Each Flying unit increases the attack speed of Ranged units by 3%
Lightning in the Bottle — Upon death, Arcane units cast Chain Lightning on nearby enemies
Lumberjack’s Kit — Receive 3 Deforestation spells
Vital Energy Flask — At the start of each wave, allied units on the field gain 10 Health
Wicker Basket — Your units provide 5 Wheat upon death
New Spells
We have added three new spells to expand your magical arsenal:
Grave Grind
Turns all corpses in the targeted area into Flour.
Black Hole
Pulls enemies together for a short duration and deals damage over time.
Venom Mire
Summons spectral hands that slow and infect enemies in the targeted area. When an infected enemy dies, you receive 1 Fuel.
New Advisor
New advisor is joining your royal council:
Spectral Knight —Grants a Troop Training reward for every 5 enemy waves defeated
Other Changes
Many Quality of Life improvements are being forged for the coming journey. Though the royal craftsmen still work upon them, the full list shall be revealed at release. Until then, here is a glimpse of what is to come.
Added a Send All Troops to Barracks button
Artifacts and Building upgrades can now be banished from the current run
Noble Kings, As the dunes continue to shift beyond the borders of the kingdom, whispers of dark new adversaries reach the royal court. Today, our loyal mages present a glimpse into the dangers awaiting your conquest in the lands of Shifting Sands . Those seeking knowledge from pa
Noble Kings,
As the dunes continue to shift beyond the borders of the kingdom, whispers of dark new adversaries reach the royal court. Today, our loyal mages present a glimpse into the dangers awaiting your conquest in the lands of Shifting Sands.
Those seeking knowledge from past royal chronicles may find the previous Shifting Sands update article here:
The Desert itself is home to four new bosses who may rise to challenge your reign.
Behold: Monkey King, Greedscale, Matriarch of Dragons, Goruk, The Chainbound, and Drentlyr, Ancient Leshen.
Monkey King
He is not evil — merely rebellious. And he has little love for any man bold enough to climb his mountain and call himself king. Only he is king here, and the monkeys follow him with unwavering devotion. Well, as much devotion as monkeys are capable of.
A master of trickery, the Monkey King floods the battlefield with illusions, making it difficult to distinguish real danger from distraction. While your gaze shifts between false threats and moving shadows, his devoted monkeys slip into your kingdom to wreak havoc on your economy and defenses.
Watch closely, Your Highness. The moment you lose sight of the true threat, the Monkey King has already won.
Drentlyr, Ancient Leshen
Long before you raised your banners here, the forest had its own ruler. Old and patient, Drentlyr nurtured and guarded the woods for centuries.
Unfortunately, your royal construction plans required wood — and a great deal of it. Every tree felled and every stump left behind was an offense against the forest. Its ancient protector followed the trail of axes all the way into the Shifting Sands.
Even where no forest should exist, the Ancient Leshen bends nature to his will, shaping towering Ents to tear down your fortifications. He seeks no tribute and offers no bargains. Only vengeance. Your kingdom must fall so that something greener may grow upon its ruins.
Greedscale, Matriarch of Dragons
Every fire-spitting lizard, winged terror, and treasure-hoarding wyrm can trace its bloodline back to her. She has heard tales of your kingdom. More importantly, she has heard of your treasure.
The Matriarch is the oldest, greediest, and most fearsome of her kind. She believes all gold belongs beneath her claws. She does not invade for conquest, vengeance, or glory. She comes to claim every shining thing she can carry — and burn whatever remains.
Goruk, The Chainbound
Once, he was nothing more than a prisoner — a giant goblin buried beneath layers of iron and stone. Then he escaped.
But the prison never released him.
Chains, cages, shackles, and locks fused to his body and followed wherever he walked, clinging to him like a curse.
Now Goruk marches toward your kingdom to bind every living thing in iron. Peasants, soldiers, workers — none shall escape his chains. To him, your kingdom is merely another prison waiting for its bars.
Enemy Units
The Fennecs are a tribe that dates back to times immemorial. According to some royal historians and sages, the tribe originated from the possession of the lost wanderers with the spirits of the desert. What other explanation can there be about a tribe that boasts a host of knights, mages, and cavalry that can give any kingdom in the realm a tough run but leaves nothing in its wake except the ruins of its temporary camp
The leading edge of their army consists of highly trained fencers who fight with the precision of hired mercenaries of the Free Cities. Alone, these swordsmen are fearsome. Paired up with the Magi of the Fennecs, however, that unleash raw power of fire, they are deadly.
There are also the Javelin Masters, ranged fighters who are skilled at throwing javelins which are almost as long as a horse. While you pray for victory, your soldiers pray for the luck for these long javelins to miss or at least impale their neighbors instead. Then comes the cavalry which rides in with fury, breaking up the ranks and tearing straight through your backlines to create chaos in place of organized firing lines. And if that’s not enough, Fennec Knights will finish the job, challenging your mightiest champions that will stay alive long enough for them to arrive on the battlefield.
Though Fennecs are not the only ones that don’t like your presence in Shifting Sands. Jugs, Sand Worms and Sand Slimes will chew through your troops in order to sate their hunger. And their hunger is neverending, unlike your potential rule!
Events
While Shifting Sands will reintroduce events familiar from other maps, we have also prepared over a dozen new, unique encounters exclusive to this region. Here are some of the challenges and curiosities awaiting your kingdom:
A silver-tongued cult leader arrives at court, promising enlightenment through the sacred Eye,
Concern grows within the royal court after an advisor was overheard explaining his work-related stress to a cat
A mysterious omen emerges in the skies above the kingdom.
Noble Kings! Summer draws near, and with it, the next grand update from our Royal Roadmap! Throughout the coming week, your loyal minstrels will tell you about everything arriving in the update, following this schedule: Shifting Sands Map and King Cosmetics New Map’s Bosses, Enem
Noble Kings!
Summer draws near, and with it, the next grand update from our Royal Roadmap!
Throughout the coming week, your loyal minstrels will tell you about everything arriving in the update, following this schedule:
Shifting Sands Map and King Cosmetics
New Map’s Bosses, Enemies, and Events
New Units, Artifacts, Spells, Advisor
Onboarding Improvements
Free Reign Mode Introduction and Endless Mode Improvements
So, let us begin!
Shifting Sands
The Shifting Sands are not just another desert. Here, reality is bent to the will of the magic that inhabits this land, warping space and time as rifts tear open across the shifting sands, sucking enemies and allies from every corner of the world and beyond. The past, the present, and the future coexist in these cursed lands under an eternal and unforgiving sun.
To put it briefly, Your Highness, this is the perfect land for honing your royal skills.
Some of you have requested the implementation of a random mode, complete with random map, king, and modifiers. We proposed your idea to the royal council, but decided to implement it into our game on our own terms - through a new map featuring enemies, bosses, and events chosen from all of the lands you have already conquered.
In Shifting Sands, you may encounter enemies and events from every other map available in the game. As always, at the start of the run you will receive a prophecy revealing which boss awaits you. It may be any boss from the lands you have already discovered, or one of four new bosses created specifically for Shifting Sands. Only the Kraken is simply too heavy to be dragged from the Dark Realm into these lands, so he remains where it is. Even magic has its limits.
You will also encounter a new enemy race: the Fennecs. They have adapted to harsh conditions of the desert – extreme temperatures and lack of water have taught them how to survive. They are specifically dangerous, when accompanied by your foes from other maps.
We will reveal more about the new bosses and the Fennecs in the next Royal Decrees. For now, let us speak of what makes this map truly unique.
Danger Modifiers
Shifting Sands will not use the usual Threat Levels found on other maps. Instead, it will feature a new system: Danger Modifiers. Most of the modifiers will be malevolent, but some may actually benefit your reign.
There will be 40 of them in total. Enabling them will increase or decrease the map’s Danger Level. By conquering Shifting Sands above certain Danger Level thresholds, you will unlock new content, including King skins, spells, advisors, and units.
List of Modifiers
Unit damage reduced by 25%
Unit health reduced by 25%
Add one Gold Seal to the castle
Receive 1 gold for each enemy killed
Get free non-legendary spells in each spell slot
+10 to unit limit
Start with Basic Construction
At the start of the run, choose one: 40 meat / 40 oil / 40 metal
Wine is consumed 50% slower
After defeating the first boss, receive an extra legendary artifact
Start the run with a temporary Patricius
Spell damage increased by 100%
Araknor’s brother provides you with resources before the boss fight
Wine provides 50% less morale
Start in debt: -20 to all resources
One fewer Well blueprint at the beginning
You no longer receive denarii from selling blueprints
New units spawn with 30 seconds of Weakness. The same applies to units leaving the Barracks
Marketplace works 50% slower
Using the King’s ability temporarily slows down a random building
Your people are unhappy: start with -20 morale
Unit cap upgrades provide smaller increases
If the player has more than 400 wheat, ravens will surround the castle and eat the excess
The 9 central tiles of the castle are blocked by a lake
Allied units are on fire and lose 1% HP per second
The castle has only 1 HP, but you start with a Brick Factory blueprint
All buildings are 25% more expensive
You cannot send troops to the Barracks
All enemy units resurrect once after death
Units are produced 50% slower
At the start of each wave, two lightning strikes hit your troops
Your units explode after death
The castle loses 1 HP each time you build something
All corpses on the level turn into zombies at the start of each wave
Fewer spell slots
If you have wine, all units have a 20% chance to miss
King Cosmetic Skins
This is something many of you have requested and we finally got time to satisfy your royal vanity.
By overcoming the challenges of Shifting Sands, you will unlock not only new spells, artifacts, advisors, and units, but also cosmetic skins for your Kings.
New King Skins
King Baldwin → King Baldwin
King Leonid → Spartan King
King Leo the Wise → Leonardo da Vinci
King Spellus → White Archmage
King Brezhnius → Ivan the Terrible
King Saladin → Sultan Saladin
King Alucard → Vampire Noble
Queen Cleopatra → Sarcophagus Cleo
King Xerxes → Historical Xerxes
King Taizong → Dragon Emperor Taizong
These skins are purely cosmetic and do not affect gameplay in any way. No hidden buffs, no secret royal taxes, no suspicious +500% damage modifiers. Just a little extra fun for those who wish to rule in style.
We plan to expand customization further in the future.
Let your rule be sharp, Noble Kings - and may your gaze never blink.
Noble Kings! We’ve released a small update with a few important fixes and improvements. Changes & Fixes DLC Kings are now automatically unlocked if you own the DLC Fixed an issue where Cannon buildings would stop firing after accumulating charges Fixed the Exorcist Sanctum no
Noble Kings!
We’ve released a small update with a few important fixes and improvements.
Changes & Fixes
DLC Kings are now automatically unlocked if you own the DLC
Fixed an issue where Cannon buildings would stop firing after accumulating charges
Fixed the Exorcist Sanctum not producing spells when all spell slots were full, even if a banish spell was available - Fixed inconsistent resource production over time caused by different game speeds
Fixed an issue where the cursor could get stuck in a “grab” state
Thank you for your continued support - and keep your gaze steady on proper buildings
Noble Kings! We’ve just released a small hotfix focused on improving stability and addressing a few issues reported by the community. Thank you for your continued feedback — it helps us keep the kingdom running smoothly. Fixes Fixed a crash that could occur when certain troops di
Noble Kings!
We’ve just released a small hotfix focused on improving stability and addressing a few issues reported by the community. Thank you for your continued feedback — it helps us keep the kingdom running smoothly.
Fixes
Fixed a crash that could occur when certain troops died while playing as Cleopatra
Fixed a crash related to damaging certain terrain objects
Fixed an issue where players did not receive achievements for previously completed levels
Fixed a bug where Egyptian units did not properly benefit from their upgrades
Updated the Banker description in some languages for better accuracy
Fixed an incorrect resource icon in the Basic Construction description
We’ll continue monitoring your reports and polishing the experience.
Noble Kings! Today we are proud to release two major additions to The King Is Watching : The Dark Realm Free Update , introducing a brand-new map with unique mechanics, enemies, bosses, and a large collection of quality-of-life improvements. The Crowns of History DLC , which expa
Noble Kings!
Today we are proud to release two major additions to The King Is Watching:
The Dark Realm Free Update, introducing a brand-new map with unique mechanics, enemies, bosses, and a large collection of quality-of-life improvements.
The Crowns of History DLC, which expands your royal roster with three new Rulers.
The Crowns of History DLC introduces three new rulers, each with unique mechanics and playstyles.
Cleopatra - Queen of Death
Cleopatra commands the power of death and rebirth. She introduces a unique resource called Canopy, gathered whenever friendly units fall in battle.
Canopy allows Cleopatra to summon powerful Egyptian units, each with abilities that trigger upon death. Her abilities allow those units to return to life, creating powerful chains of sacrifice and resurrection - proving once again that death is only the beginning.
Taizong of Tang - Master of Offensive Structures
Taizong excels at defending the castle with devastating firepower. His abilities allow him to man castle walls with loyal Crossbowmen while boosting the damage of the newly introduced Offensive Structures.
These structures weaken enemy waves before they reach the walls, allowing Taizong to finish them with precise and devastating cavalry charges of your Rider units.
Xerxes - The Glass Cannon King
Xerxes commands an army unlike any other. All his units have only 10% of their normal HP, but deal400% damage. His abilities allow him to temporarily grant invincibility to his army and summon the legendary Immortals, creating brief windows of overwhelming power.
Under Xerxes, battles are decided in seconds - victory or total annihilation.
You can learn more about the DLC on its store page.
The Dark Realm free update brings a wealth of new content for all players:
A new map with unique gameplay mechanics
A completely new enemy faction and bosses
Narrative events with unusual choices
New artifacts that expand build variety
New advisors for your royal council
Numerous balance updates and quality-of-life improvements
Below you can find the full update notes. But before you go into reading them, we wanted to let you know that we've launched our first merchandise line - it's six different T-Shirts you may buy at tinyBuild shop, operated by our partners from Tinybox.
The Dark Realm
The Dark Realm is a dark and dangerous map. It’s inspired by the works of Lovecraft and is centered around the theme of cosmic horrors. Here you will face The Kraken and its deadly tentacles.
This map brings new dynamics, since enemies stay out of your reality and invisible to your armies. Only by focusing your Royal Gaze upon a specific building you may attack them. So you are free to choose the right time to cleanse the waves of eldritch offspring
New Enemies and Bosses
Four new bosses were added to the map
O’Chtulpus
Vesper, Keeper of Seals
Alexia, the Cursed Princess
The Kraken
The Kraken will be a unique boss that plays completely differently from anything you’ve faced before. We really wanted it to feel like you’re slaying a true eldritch monstrosity - one piece at a time. Don’t prepare for a blitz - prepare for a prolonged siege. Defeating it will take longer than any other boss in the game, so to keep the overall playtime within reasonable limits, we decided to skip Tier 2 bosses on this map entirely. The Kraken will summon troops and retreat into hiding until you’ve dealt with them all. Its HP bar is longer than a highway, and its attacks can one-shot your troops if you’re not careful. Stay sharp.
The map will feature tentacles as main enemies. They do not march like goblins. They do not swarm like undead. Some wait motionless until you get close and others set to work spawning living bombs. Some evolve into siege tendrils and others combine with corrupted souls to create spell-casting hybrids to attack your troops.
You may ignore a few, you will not ignore all.
Events of the Abyss
No new map would be complete without new choices.
You may allow a deadly cat within your walls.
You may host an emperor riding a bear.
You may sell an artifact that makes you unnaturally attractive.
Each choice has consequences. Some subtle. Some catastrophic.
Offensive Structures
This update introduces a new category of buildings: Offensive Structures. Existing buildings such as Tesla Tower, Cannon, and Balloon Bomber Hangar have been moved into this category. In addition, six new structures have been added:
Timber Launcher. Launches a wooden log at an incoming enemy.
Fuel Launcher. Launches a fuel barrel at incoming enemies.
Great Slingshot. Attacks incoming enemies with a giant stone.
Firebomb launcher. Launches napalm bombs at incoming enemies.
Poison Tower. Attacks incoming enemies with a beam of light that poisons them, dealing damage over time.
Dovecote. Releases several birds that circle over the battlefield and poop on enemies.
We’ve also rebalanced the damage and economy of the offensive structures, so you can use them more efficiently. Some upgrades further help with this. E.g., one of Poison Tower’s upgrades, will allow you to extract fuel from killed enemies.
We’ve also added a new Elite Unit: Cannons. It’s similar to Catapults and Ballistas in terms of long ranged attacks, but its trait increases the damage of all Offensive Structures.
Quality of Life Improvements
We’re also introducing several quality-of-life improvements in this update.
First two are delivered as two unlockable upgrades.
Starting Blueprint adds one extra blueprint for each King, letting you kick off your build earlier:
Baldwin — Gold Mine
Leonid — Fisherman’s Hut
Leo the Wise — Buddhist Temple
Spellus — Tile Enchanter (Epic)
Brezhnius — Arena
Alucard — Bone Pit
Saladin — Big Well
Taizong of Tang — Brick Factory
Xerxes — King Statue
Cleopatra — Winery
For the second upgrade, we know some of you have amassed quite a stockpile of Town Denarii. We can’t just keep adding permanent upgrades to spend them on - that would push your power level too far. And we don’t want to reduce Denarii income either, since that would make the game feel grindier.
So we came up with a solution: Special Goods. This upgrade unlocks a new section in the trader, letting you purchase rewards with Town Denarii. It does make you stronger - but only for the current run. We've also increased amount of Town Denarii you receive as bonus for higher Threat Levels.
We’ve also improved the unlock of new Threat Levels following your feedback on the release of Volcano. Beating any Threat level up to 5 included, will unlock the same Threat level on all other maps. To unlock the next map you still need to beat Threat level 3 on the previous map. Beating a Threat level automatically collects all Ascension crystals from lower Threat levels on that location. Starting from Threat level 6 each you would need to beat levels 6-10 on each location separately.
We hope the above change will allow you to enjoy new maps faster. Also we made a slight changes to Threat level modifiers order, Second boss mod appears on Threat level 6 instead of 5.
Wine consumption and production has also been slightly improved:
We reduced general wine consumption by 25%
Winery production changed: 2 grapes to 1 wine -> 3 grapes to 2 wine
New Artifacts
Summoning Sphere — Using any King ability summons a temporary standard unit.
Butcher’s Cleaver — When an enemy dies, another may flee in fear (excluding bosses).
Nail of Self-Mortification — Damage increases, HP decreases.
Nutritious Meal — Boosts damage and HP of all unit classes.
Family Portrait — When castle HP is low, all troops deal increased damage.
Last Will — Troop deaths temporarily increase building production speed.
Crown of Thorns — Converts all water into wine.
Book of Poisons — Doubles poison duration.
Recycling Manual — Troop deaths grant random resources.
New Advisors
Village Head — Start with a fully upgraded Peasants’ Hut.
Trader — Exchange resources for rewards on cooldown.
Banker — Gain +1 morale per 10 Denarii.
Nurse — Begin with the first Gaze upgrade, taken as debt.
Balance and Other changes
New upgrade added for Peasants’ Hut, increasing their HP and damage
Solvurm: spawn time for small worms increased from 10s → 18s
Gorzog Alchemists throw bottles less frequently, but the debuff lasts longer
Volkar now uses fire breath 2 times instead of 3
Acid Rain modifier now deals damage based on % of troop max HP instead of a flat value
Freezing Meteorite from Lich modifier no longer deals damage
Volcanic Power combustion now deals more damage but triggers less often
Hungering Maw flee duration increased from 1.5s → 2.5s
Spell Health Boost HP increased from 40 → 70
Research Table meta upgrade now allows Veteran Barracks blueprints
Sophy’s Research Lab blueprint time reduced from 140s → 120s
Several upgrade prices slightly reduced
Tutorial difficulty reduced
Victory and defeat now trigger castle animations before the ending screen
Invincible troops now have a distinct visual effect
Partial support added for non-16:9 resolutions with custom artwork instead of black bars
You can now destroy or sell multiple buildings by holding Shift
12 New Steam Achievements added
Boss corpses can now be resurrected as Undead units via Necromancy or Alucard’s ability
And some other small UI and quality of life changes and fixes.
We hope you’ll enjoy the update! Let us know your feedback on Steam and in our social media!
