We're at a point where we think version 1.5.6 of Hegemony Gold is now stable enough to officially release, so we'd like to thank all the players who helped us work out the bugs. Originally we had only intended to fix a problem where players weren't finding any sheep in their territory, but thanks to all of you we also found time to add a couple new features to the diplomacy window and fix a bunch of minor bugs that have been kicking around.

As always, you can get the latest version by installing the demo over your current install; the game will recognize that your serial code is valid, and will automatically unlock it. If you purchased through Steam, Impulse, or GamersGate, expect the update to be pushed to those outlets soon.

Obviously we're focused on developing Hegemony Rome right now, but as always, let us know if you run into any trouble by posting on our forums or emailing me or Rob.

Thanks again, and keep reading for the changelog. Continued →

One more build to tidy up a couple of loose ends with the last beta. This one fixes a crash that occurs when you have very large armies sharing supplies, and Spartan AI not always relinquishing control when you complete the Ionian War.

Download the build here and let us know if you have any trouble!

While at the GDC back in March I had the fortunate chance to talk with Game Reactor about Hegemony Rome. I have to apologize to Game Reactor because we were suppose to send them some new Rome footage that they could splice in, but between regular development and the launch of Gold on Steam we've been so busy it kept getting put off. But if you're interested in Rome, and don't mind staring at my mug for a few minutes, head on over to GRTV and check out the interview.

It's been a while since Hegemony Gold got this much love! After the release of 1.5.6 beta 1, we made the AI too aggressive toward slaves, so we've released a new beta which tones that back. Download it here.

We also fixed a few other issues while were were at it. Keep reading to see the changes, and as always, let us know if you find any problems. Continued →

We're hard at work on Hegemony Rome, but we haven't forgotten about our Hegemony Gold players!

This is all about sheep and farms, hence the name 'Sheep Edition!' The most important change is that the AI sometimes weren't capturing sheep, and since there's a cap on how many sheep are allowed on the map, this meant there was no room for new sheep to spawn near the player. That shouldn't happen anymore.

Just to be safe, we're releasing this as a beta, so download it here and let us know what you think! We don't expect there to be any show-stoppers here, so unless anybody reports any problems, this update will probably get upgraded to a full release some time next week.

Keep reading for the full change log. Continued →

It was hard to find a cartoon that combined both Rome and interns, but this one seemed the perfect pic to introduce our new programming intern Chris. Chris is a game design student here in Toronto and will be joining us for the summer to help out with Rome and hopefully get some useful experience in the industry.

Right now he's buried in our massive code base and cryptic design documents, but once he digs himself out he's been elevated to "Extraplanar" status on the forums, so if you see a new name answering questions or doing tech support say hi and be kind as our office is hard to get to and it can be exhausting fetching coffee all day :)

If you've never heard of them before, Play the Past is a fascinating web site that is, to use their own words, "dedicated to thoughtfully exploring and discussing the intersection of cultural heritage and games/meaningful play."

Contributing as a guest writer, Jim has written a really interesting essay on how the concept of caricature can be used to implement history in game mechanics using examples from the Hegemony series.

We hope to be doing a few more pieces with them in the coming weeks, so stay tuned and, after you read Jim's piece, check out some of the other articles on their site as they cover some really unique subjects you won't find on other gaming sites.

Despite just celebrating its one year anniversary, the recent release of Hegemony Gold on Steam has generated a lot of new interest and we've been sending out review codes by the dozens.

A few of those went out to Destructoid, and their review just went up today. While he highlights a few things that we're working hard to improve in Rome, he apparently played it for 20 hours in a 24 hour period citing the "the steady progression is both engaging and addictive, an intoxicating combo.".

Another quote: "It’s this creative use of mechanics that keeps Wars of Ancient Greece approachable yet complex -- the gold standard of game design."

Read the whole review here.

We've all been waiting a very long time for this moment, but it has finally happened: Hegemony Gold is now available on Steam!

We apologize for the long delay, but we have another piece of news that we hope will make it up to you: Hegemony Gold is now only $19.99! And of course, if you purchased Philip of Macedon, you can still upgrade for only $9.99, and this offer is also available on Steam!

I had a bit of fun delivering this news on YouTube, so if you want to see me act a bit silly (and who doesn't), watch the video here.

I've been out of the office for a few weeks so this message is a little late, but we're very proud to announce that GiN readers have voted Hegemony Gold 2011 Strategy Game of the Year! Thank you to all our fans for voting, we couldn't keep doing this without you and we really appreciate this acknowledgement.