Free Bloodgrounds demo hits Steam Next Fest as developer reveals 5 tips to blood-soaked glory!
Demo already rated Very Positive by turn-based roguelite fans, and now offers more gladiators, level progression, equipment, and languages.
October 13, 2025
Hamburg, Germany - October 13 - Daedalic and Exordium Games' Bloodgrounds demo has arrived for the Steam Next Fest, with lead community manager Penta offering tips on how to not just survive - but thrive - in its bloody turn-based battles. Penta's essential tips can be seen in this video, and cover academy training, dealing with perma-death, visiting local markets, using traps, and the importance of perseverance in the face of challenging odds.
The Bloodgrounds demo is available to play for free now, offering the first five hours of the game, 7 gladiator classes with 5 abilities each, increased level progression, more buildings and locations to unlock, and collectible items graded from Common to Epic.
It also supports 8 languages; English, German, French, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Russian, Spanish, and Japanese.
Bloodgrounds is a turn-based roguelite where players command gladiators in vicious battles, using hand-to-hand combat, ranged, and magic attacks in bloody arena showdowns.
Outside of the arena, players must recruit and care for their fighters, fund city-building, learn secrets, sabotage rivals, and ultimately attempt to win over the crowds during a noble quest for revenge.
Already rated Very Positive by fans, the Bloodgrounds demo is available now as part of Steam Next Fest, taking part October 13-20. The Early Access release of Bloodgrounds is scheduled for November 5, and the 1.0 release of Bloodgrounds will be available in early 2026.
Assets
Link: Bloodgrounds Demo
Link: Bloodgrounds Tips Video
Link: Bloodgrounds Press Kit
Link: Bloodgrounds Demo blog
About Bloodgrounds:
Bloodgrounds blends brutal, tactical grid combat with deep squad management, RPG progression, and roguelite elements. Players step into the sandals of a once-enslaved gladiator turned wealthy patron, commanding teams of physical, ranged, and magical fighters across blood-soaked arenas.
Prepare for a challenge — every gladiator’s death is permanent, their loss reshaping your path to vengeance against the tyrannical Emperor who killed your father and stole your youth.
With a striking visual style combining dark fantasy and gritty pixel-art gore, Bloodgrounds is set to captivate fans of XCOM, Darkest Dungeon, Heroes of Might and Magic, Into the Breach, Last Spell and Battle Brothers — players who crave deep tactical gameplay and meaningful long-term progression.
Key Features
- Highly Tactical Turn-Based CombatMaster grid-based arena battles, unleash powerful abilities, and use traps, consumables, and divine powers to sway the fight.
- Hardcore Roguelite StakesLose a fighter, lose them forever — along with their gear and progress. Surviving gladiators are rewarded with valuable loot and experience points, creating a satisfying and motivating progression loop.
- Deep Squad ManagementRecruit, train, and upgrade gladiators; build unique class combinations; and balance trauma, status effects, and glory-seeking risks.
- Audience and Arena DynamicsWin over the bloodthirsty crowd for battle rewards, or manipulate the underworld to sabotage rivals before the fight even starts.
- A Dark Fantasy WorldExplore Marevento’s political intrigue, navigate a noble’s revenge quest, and rise through deadly tournaments toward the Emperor himself.
About Exordium Games
Exordium Games is a game studio founded in 2014 in Zagreb, Croatia. Over the years, we have created 100+ Games and 30+ other projects, spanning innovation and education, and accumulated over 20 million mobile users and over 500,000 downloads on standalone platforms. We deliver great experiences to players no matter how and when they play. Please visit: https://exordiumgames.com/.
About Daedalic Entertainment
Daedalic Entertainment is a renowned publisher that has supported indie developers for over 18 years, bringing their titles to every major gaming platform. The lineup of games includes a diverse variety of unique titles, focusing on four distinct areas: storytelling, strategy, co-op games, and wholesome games. With an international team of around 45 employees, Daedalic is currently working with various development studios to create a new lineup of innovative games across consoles and PCs to market. Recent hits include New Cycle, Barotrauma, Unrailed!, Yield! Fall of Rome, Into the Emberlands, Deponia, Shadow Tactics, Inkulinati, Hidden Deep, Fling to the Finish!, and more.
Please look out for upcoming games like Star Trek: Voyager - Across the Unknown, The Occultist, Woodo, Bloodgrounds, Barotrauma Home & Harbor Expansion, The Fading of Nicole Wilson, Coins, Crown & Cabal and many others. Since April 2022, Daedalic Entertainment has been a subsidiary of the French publishing house, Nacon.
For more, please visit: https://press.daedalic.com.
Follow us on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/developer/daedalic.