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Press release:
VILNIUS, LITHUANIA – June 6th, 2026 – During today’s Future Games Show Summer Showcase, developer Black Tower Basement and publisher Nordcurrent Labs announced that Defender of the Crown: The Legend Returns is launching on August 13th. To mark its 40th anniversary, the title has been rebuilt from the ground up to bring the Saxon-Norman conflict to a new audience with modernized visuals, refined mechanics, and a new roguelite mode.

Coming to PC (Steam, GOG), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, the remake will include three modes: Retro Mode, Classic Mode, and Kingdom Mode. Retro Mode allows players to experience the original Amiga version of the game, Classic Mode serves as a modern reimagining with a new visual identity and smoother mechanics. Kingdom Mode is a roguelite deck-builder with dice-based combat set in the world of Defender of the Crown. To unite the kingdom, players must fight across the map and defeat three enemy lords in their strongholds while facing brigands, rogues, and Norman forces along the way.

Battles combine tactical deck-building with dice-driven combat: your army units determine the starting dice and score, while tactic cards are played turn by turn to gain the advantage. As the campaign progresses, new dice types, relics, and mechanics make encounters increasingly strategic. During each run, players can explore points of interest, join tournaments, rescue Saxon ladies, raid for gold, or besiege castles to weaken enemy armies. While the regions themselves remain fixed, events and encounters are randomized for every playthrough.

Defender of the Crown: The Legend Returns can be wishlisted now on Steam and GOG, and the official Xbox and PlayStation stores. Players keen to learn more can follow the battle via the Nordcurrent website, YouTube, X, or Facebook.

About Nordcurrent Labs
Nordcurrent Labs is the PC and console publishing label of the Nordcurrent Group. Its mission is to empower talented video game developers and bring creative and ambitious multiplatform games to the worldwide gaming community.

Established in 2002 in Vilnius, Lithuania, the Nordcurrent Group is an international publisher and developer of casual games for smartphones, tablets, and PC/Mac. With headquarters in Lithuania and development studios in Vilnius, Dnipro, and Warsaw, the Nordcurrent Group employs over 300 game industry professionals and has developed over 50 games for various platforms, achieving over 500 million downloads worldwide.

About Black Tower Basement
Black Tower Basement is an independent studio based in Warsaw. We build mechanics-driven games with strong mood, often exploring unusual ideas. Released Greedventory and currently working on new titles.