Mount And Blade II: Bannerlord Gets Early Access Release Date Out Of Nowhere

Mount and Blade fans have received a rather surprising and exciting announcement, as TaleWorlds Entertainment has announced an early access release date for Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord. This moment is a long time in the making, as it's been nearly a decade since the last major Mount and Blade release. To say that Mount and Blade fans have been waiting a long time for this announcement is quite the understatement.

Moreover, the original Mount and Blade originally released way back in 2008, so if we're not counting that game's two standalone expansions – Warband and With Fire and Sword – then the wait for a proper Mount and Blade game has been far longer.

In any case, TaleWorlds announced today that Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord will release in early access through Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the TaleWorlds website on March 31st, 2020. When it arrives, it'll cost $49.99. That's all we're getting for now, with TaleWorlds only saying that more details will be shared closer to the game's release at the end of March.

For more, we can take a look at the Steam listing for Mount and Blade II, which actually has a fairly detailed description of what the state of the game will be during early access. Over time, TaleWorlds says it that plans to make unique maps for each town and castle, but those will take time to create. Similarly, players can expect missing quest content and voice-overs, bugs and glitches, and poor game balance at the start.

TaleWorlds also says that it expects the game to be in early access for around a year, with the caveat that it hasn't set a date for a full release yet. There also won't be a price change after the game exists early access, so keep that in mind when deciding whether or not to buy. We'll keep our eyes peeled for more details on Mount and Blade II, so stay tuned.