[VIDEO] Bloodgrounds releases today: The suffering of your fighters becomes motivation – and a 50% Daily Deal becomes the incentive to join the arena.
Version 1.0 of pixel gladiator roguelite completes its journey to the arena, balancing high-stakes combat and sacrificial violence in a quest for vengeance.
March 12, 2026
Hamburg, Germany - March 12 - Developer Exordium Games and publisher Daedalic Entertainment today release the 1.0 version of roguelite pixel gladiator sim Bloodgrounds. To celebrate the release, Bloodgrounds launches with a 50% discount as part of a Daily Deal and is also featured in the Turn-Based Thursday Fest on Steam.
Built by the dedicated team of Exordium Games based in Zagreb, Croatia, and with feedback from a passionate community, friends and family, Bloodgrounds unleashed its unique blend of tactical grid-based combat, squad management, RPG progression, and head-lopping violence.
Exordium Games admits that Bloodgrounds was initially too cruel to the player, who must recruit, train, battle, and equip a roster of gladiators in a quest for revenge. But with playtesting and feedback, suffering became a motivator, with players enjoying the high-stakes, high-rewards gameplay.
Watch the Launch-Trailer on Youtube
The turning point in development came when players felt the emotional pull as their gladiators met their doom after being raised from a handful of stats. No matter how well-trained and equipped, each fighter is only ever a hair's breadth away from perishing in unforgiving arena battles that throw hand-to-hand combat, ranged attacks, magic and traps at the bravest fighters.
Following major updates like Masters of the Arena and Trials of the Gladiator, version 1.0 expands the experience with new enemies and bosses, item crafting, additional systems, and extensive balancing improvements.
Check out the game's Steam page for more info.
Once gladiators die in the arena, they are lost forever. It's up to the player to ensure their sacrifice isn't in vain. To live is to suffer, to survive is to find meaning in the suffering.
After two major updates following Early Access release, "Masters of the Arena" and "Trials of the Gladiator", the 1.0 version of Bloodgrounds is available on Steam, today, March 12.
Masters of the Arena expanded arenas and added more obstacles, as well as giving players control of camera rotation and three new difficulty settings. Trials of the Gladiator took gameplay deeper, adding nine new gladiator abilities and the Gladiator Expeditions feature.
Now the 1.0 version of Bloodgrounds adds new enemies and alternative bosses, an item crafting system to tailor items to your combat style, a Dark Alley gambling minigame, and an audience entertainment system to please the blood-thirsty crowds. As well as those additions, Exordium has addressed a mountain of balancing tweaks and added many quality of life improvements.
- Link Press Kit and trailer download: Bloodgrounds Press Kit
- Bloodgrounds on Steam
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 Combat
Master grid-based arena battles, unleash powerful abilities, and use traps, consumables, and divine powers to sway the fight. - Hardcore Roguelite Stakes
Lose 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 Management
Recruit, train, and upgrade gladiators; build unique class combinations; and balance trauma, status effects, and glory-seeking risks. - Audience and Arena Dynamics
Win over the bloodthirsty crowd for battle rewards, or manipulate the underworld to sabotage rivals before the fight even starts. - A Dark Fantasy World
Explore Marevento’s political intrigue, navigate a noble’s revenge quest, and rise through deadly tournaments toward the Emperor himself.
Next to the main game Bloodgrounds, there is also a Supporter Pack available that includes the Original Soundtrack, a digital artbook and in-game cosmetics like armor & weapon skins, more estate banners and gladiator appearance options.
Media contact: Bernd.Berheide@daedalic.com
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
Celebrating its 20th publishing year, Daedalic Entertainment is a renowned publisher with nearly two decades of experience supporting indie developers across all major gaming platforms. 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 Star Trek: Voyager - Across the Unknown, New Cycle, Barotrauma, Unrailed!, Bloodgrounds, Into the Emberlands, Deponia, Shadow Tactics, Inkulinati, Hidden Deep, Fling to the Finish!, and more.
Please look out for upcoming games like The Occultist, Woodo, Barotrauma Home & Harbor Expansion, and many more. 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.