People of Nysamor, We are delighted to announce our biggest playtest yet, and you are invited to get in on the action! Our upcoming Closed Beta kicks off from 29th November, 4PM MST to 11th December, 4PM MST, giving our dedicated fans plenty of time to test all the latest features and functionality of Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown. Want access? Request Playtest access via Steam now! Existing ThriVIP members will be able to access the Closed Beta via the previous key shared from past playtests. Zugalu Entertainment takes its commitment to its community seriously and it is through your feedback that the game will grow. So join Discord to stay up to date with all Closed Beta details, Q&A times with developers and connect with other players to trial Multiplayer. CLOSED BETA FAQ What is Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown? Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown is a medieval fantasy city builder where the decisions you make weigh heavily on the fate of your kingdom. In Nysamor, you and your citizens will transform a settlement into a kingdom, staking your claim on its provinces while meeting the essential needs and demands of your people. A mysterious, devastating force known as the Waelgrim also lurks in these lands, but the Nysians do not fear it. The roaming Grimrot and ruling Wyrmaxans embrace its power, and see it as a gift. As your reign shifts toward a path of Benevolence or Tyranny, you too must decide if the Waelgrim becomes something to be honored…or subdued.

• Grow a formidable kingdom, with more than thirty unique buildings and dozens of resources.
• Address the needs of your people and kingdom through events and specializations to reflect your style of rule.
• Amass a grand army and challenge the Grimrot, Wyrmaxans, or other players in RTS combat.
• Compete with friends and foes in multiplayer with up to four players.

What are the objectives of the Closed Beta? This Closed Beta gives our development team a chance to share the world we have built so far, and to learn from the experiences of our playtesters. Precious feedback on the concepts we have implemented, the mechanics in place, and the look and feel of Thrive will guide us forward into 2024, where future showcases, Early Access, and our full release await. Any issues or bugs that we can resolve during this Closed Beta will only help to ensure Thrive is a fresh, engaging addition to the city building genre. What are the key differences since the last ThriVIP build? Our last closed beta was in April, when we released build 106 to a small group of ThriVIPs. So much of the game has changed since then, both in terms of building off of their feedback, as well as implementing many systems and mechanics that were still in development at the time. Issues addressed include performance, graphic textures, lighting, various UI elements, onboarding, combat, fires, disease, attacks, trade, the strategic map, and, of course, multiplayer. We are excited to see what new feedback will arise from all that has been added and changed. What can I expect in the Closed Beta versus the Early Access launch? While many of the Early Access anticipated features are present in our Closed Beta, there are some items that are either still being tweaked and polished, or being withheld to build up anticipation for Early Access and Full Release. In Early Access, you can expect:

• Forty (40) additional buildings
• Twenty (20) more craftable items
• Discovering your path: Benevolence or Tyranny
• Four (4) new classes of citizens once the Benevolent/Tyrannical paths are unlocked (two for each)
• Acts II and III of the main narrative arc, along with Random and Building Specialization events
• Increased military units and options
• And more…

————— Until we next meet… Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown is available to Wishlist on Steam now! Social Links: Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown Website - Official Website Discord - Join our Discord community TikTok - Check us out on TikTok X/Twitter - Follow us @thrivehltc Facebook - Like Our Facebook Page YouTube - Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Find out more about PlaySide Publishing on its official website To learn more about Zugalu Entertainment, please visit its official website