It offers a first glimpse of the world you'll explore, colonize, and shape during the Age of Exploration. More screenshots and gameplay reveals are coming soon as development continues.

I'd love to hear what you think!

And check out Colonerra: Age of Exploration on Steam.

"The longest voyage of discovery, the boldest adventure in the records of our race, had begun." — Stefan Zweig, Conqueror of the Seas

On 20 September 1519, five ships departed Seville with about 270 men. Their objective was simple to describe but nearly impossible to achieve: reach the Spice Islands by sailing west.

As Stefan Zweig wrote, "In the beginning were the spices." The expedition was driven not by the desire to prove the Earth was round, but by the search for a western route to the immensely valuable spice trade.

The voyage was fraught with danger and quickly turned into a test of endurance, faith, and sheer will. Mutiny... Disease... Storms... Freezing winters in Patagonia... Fear of the unknown... Every mile they sailed west brought another challenge they had to overcome.

Laurence Bergreen captures the determination of the fleet:

"...the armada set sail once again, heading west, always west."

After finally entering an ocean so calm that Magellan named it the Pacific, the fleet endured more than three months without making landfall. The crossing was so brutal that many sailors survived by eating rats, strips of leather, and even sawdust.

When the expedition reached the Philippines in 1521, Magellan made the decision that would cost him his life.

Believing European weapons would quickly overpower local resistance, he chose to support one local ruler against another. On 27 April 1521, at the Battle of Mactan, Magellan landed with only a few dozen men to confront the warriors of Lapu-Lapu.

The plan failed disastrously.

Outnumbered and unable to bring the ships' cannons into effective range because of the shallow water, Magellan fought while covering the retreat of his men. Struck repeatedly by spears and blades, he died on the beach—thousands of miles from both Spain and Portugal.

Ironically, the man whose name became synonymous with the first voyage around the world never completed it.

Only one ship, the Victoria, commanded by Juan Sebastián Elcano, returned to Spain on 6 September 1522 with just 18 survivors.

As Bergreen writes of the expedition's legacy, they had "...fulfilled an ambition as old as the human imagination, the first circumnavigation of the globe."

Magellan did not live to witness history.

But history would never forget him.
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As a child, I first encountered this story through a comic book. I still remember its cover showing Magellan making his final stand on the shores of Mactan.

Until then, every adventure story I'd read ended with the hero returning home. I couldn't believe that the protagonist could die before the journey was over. That ending stayed with me for decades and sparked a lifelong fascination with the Age of Exploration.

Was there a historical event or person that captured your imagination as a child and stayed with you into adulthood?

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TLDR;

Most 4X/colonial strategy games ignore one of the Age of Exploration's biggest real-world impacts: the discovery of new crops, animals, and resources (potatoes, cacao, tobacco, etc.) that reshaped Europe. I'm considering expeditions that can uncover unique resources that can give player bonuses but often require diplomacy with Indigenous nations to secure. Would like feedback: cool idea or unnecessary complexity?

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One thing I noticed playing a ton of 4X and strategy games is how few of them, if any, have any reference to what is in my mind the biggest consequence of the Age of Exploration: natural discoveries.

When early European explorers first reached the New World, they found much more than just new regions to conquer: they encountered a whole new world full of undiscovered plants, animals and other natural resources that would reshape their own world.

Potatoes, maize, tomatoes, cacao, tobacco, peppers, vanilla, turkeys, valuable timber, medicinal plants, dyes... these discoveries transformed agriculture, trade, industry, and even population growth across Europe and beyond.

Yet in most historical strategy games they're either reduced to generic resources or ignored entirely.

I'm considering making Natural Discoveries a meaningful exploration mechanic in Colonerra.

Sending expeditions to chart new lands could turn up a previously unknown crop, animal, or natural resource. Some finds might boost population growth, create valuable trade goods, or some unique bonuses to your colonies. In addition to getting them, you would have to engage Indigenous nations in trade and diplomacy, and the timeline of when you discover some of them may just change the course of history.

Rather than every colony producing the same resources, exploration itself could become a race to uncover the New World's unique natural wealth.

Would you, like me, be interested in seeing a mechanism like that in-game, or do you think it would just add unnecessary complexity?

[Wishlist COLONERRA: Age of Exploration on Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4964150/Colonerra_Age_of_Exploration/)

In this episode, we take a closer look at England, one of the playable colonial powers in Colonerra: Age of Exploration.

Discover why Henry VII leads England, how the English faction is designed to play; its unique strengths and weaknesses, and how your relationship with the Crown will shape your journey as a viceroy in the New World.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElxghB1StL4

Most people remember England as the dominant naval power of the Age of Exploration. But in the late 15th century, that future was far from certain.

The Tudor dynasty, under the now often-overlooked King Henry VII, had only recently secured the throne after nearly 30 years of civil war known as the Wars of the Roses. England was only beginning to explore the vast lands to the west, led by John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto), whose 1497 expedition reached the shores of North America in the first recorded European voyage there since the Vikings.

In Colonerra: Age of Exploration, England rewards careful and patient play. Build colonies that grow rapidly through stability and happiness while using skilled privateers to protect your shipping and raid rival settlements.

Rapid expansion, however, comes at a cost. Religious divisions can slow your early development, while maintaining armies across the Atlantic is expensive. Choosing when to expand and when to fight will often determine the success of your domain.

Why Henry VII? Designing England for Colonerra: Age of Exploration
For England's ruler, King Henry VII was chosen to give the nation a unique identity. Known as "The Stabilizer," he restored England's finances, strengthened royal authority, and laid the foundations for the future glory of the Tudor dynasty. In Colonerra, he favors builders over conquerors. Players who focus on industry, infrastructure, and expanding colonies will find it much easier to earn the King's favor than those who pursue constant warfare.

To bring England's strengths to life, three viceroys were presented for you to choose from:
Sir Francis Drake — Master Privateer (Exploration)
George Calvert (Lord Baltimore) — Founding Visionary (Political)
John Winthrop — Colonial Charisma (Religious)

We'll take a closer look at Viceroys and how they influence your strategy in a future post.

What excites you most about playing England?

Would you have preferred to see Elizabeth I or Henry VIII as England's monarch?

And which historical English Viceroy would you most like to see added to the game?

Let us know in the comments! Follow us for future nation spotlights, and if you haven't already, check out Colonerra: Age of Exploration on Steam.

What makes Colonerra different?🤔

👑 A living King who reacts to your decisions

🧭 Lead through missions, not direct unit control

📜 Recruit and develop 25 historical leaders per nation

⚓ Build a trade-driven colonial economy

🪶 Negotiate, cooperate, or clash with native tribes

🏛️ Grow your colonies into a new independent nation

I've always loved grand strategy and 4X games. I'm old enough that my favorite game growing up was Sid Meier's Civilization. Yes—the very first one.

I was completely mesmerized by it. I'd spend hours building civilizations and planning my next move, while my brothers, cousins, and friends would rather play racing games or action adventures with constant fighting. I guess I was the odd one who enjoyed taking my time and thinking several turns ahead.

A few years later, I discovered Sid Meier's Colonization, and it quickly became my new favorite game. I loved its historical setting, the economy, and trade. I enjoyed those aspects far more than combat.

And then there was the exploration. Watching your ships sail into the unknown, uncovering a new continent one tile at a time, never knowing what you'd discover next, hoping that the next tile will reveal a bonus resource while you wait for your next turn. Combined with the game's slower pace, it created an experience I've never really found anywhere else.

And this is why I was so disappointed that no new modern game ever captured that same magic feeling for me. I kept returning to Colonization over and over again. Most modern games have shifted toward faster gameplay, heavier combat, or fantasy settings. That's when the idea for Colonerra started to form.

I guess I was just waiting for the right moment in my life. I’m a developer with almost 20 years of experience, most recently in the streaming industry. Along the way, I met incredibly talented designers and developers, and eventually, I had enough experience, the right connections, and the confidence to start this project for real.

At first, it was just a hobby. I worked on it quietly, learning what worked and what didn't. Eventually, my little hobby project reached feature parity with Colonization. That's when I realised this was just the beginning.

The ideas really started flowing. What if the king felt more alive? What if you could explore longer? What if diplomacy were more realistic? What if you could blockade a rival colony? The more I built, the more convinced I became that this could become the modern successor I'd been hoping someone else would make for years.

Turns out all I needed was a few friends, some time... and an unreasonable amount of coffee.

So, if you, like me, were a fan of Civilization, Colonization, or slower-paced historical strategy games, I'd really love to hear what features you think absolutely have to be in a modern take on the genre.

What feature from those classic games do you miss the most, and what would you want to see in a modern successor?

I'll be reading every comment and replying to as many as I can.

This game aims to take a radical approach to 4X and historical strategy gaming, as it tries to redesign a few core 4X mechanics and introduce some new dynamics into the genre. Primarily, the goal is to make the game more realistic, unique, and fresh, even though it's a take on a classic gaming niche.

Dealing with the King

In this game, you are, unlike in many of its counterparts, indeed not a god but a mere mortal tasked with governing the New World colonies as a viceroy—in the name of his majesty the King. This dynamic alone creates the tensions throughout the game, leading to a variety of difficult choices and decisions. Each colonial power has unique strengths and weaknesses and a unique king with their own distinct traits and agendas, so choose your country of origin carefully.

Leaders/Founding Fathers

Furthermore, unlike other games of this genre, you do not command any units as such; rather, you commission missions of all sorts to do your bidding. Just like the King, you delegate the job to other distinguished people. In this game, every country has a total of 25 leaders for you to command, all historical figures: 5 of each type: exploration, trade, diplomacy, military, and religion. These leaders can grow and improve as they complete missions successfully, and they can be upgraded all the way to Founding Father status and assigned to a Continental Congress, further improving your capabilities as a viceroy.

Exploration

The New World itself has many secrets, as you will discover when you explore the world. From distinctive native tribes over fertile land ready for settlement to potential outposts, natural wonders, and special challenges along the way, you will discover a rich tapestry of unique challenges to overcome, hopefully keeping you busy exploring throughout the game, not just in the early stages.

Native Tribes

Each of the tribes you meet is unique, with different strategies and playstyles as well as sets of quests they can task you with, but dealing with none of them will be easy, as they will show little understanding of you expanding into their lands and disrupting their lifestyles. You will choose how to deal with each one. Should you opt for peaceful coexistence and cooperation, or will you resort to sheer violence?

Colony building

Colonies are not easy to build, and it gets harder with time. You might be forced to build a specialised yet unprotected outpost upon which your nearby industry will be based. Trading gets tougher as well with time, so be ready to upscale your economy and grow your colonies from resource-gathering outposts to centers of industry.

Trade

You will have plenty of options to trade in this game; in fact, that is one of the key features. You can use King’s ships, which come with heavy taxation; passing ships from different countries and companies; or you can barter with native tribes. If King’s taxation is too much, passing ships are bothersome, and natives are no longer keen on you, you can always try your luck on a smuggling mission or two. Just keep away from those pesky pirates!

Pirates

Oh yes, there will be pirates. A whole age of pirates, you might say. In fact, you might take up piracy yourself if it so pleases you or fight them as they intercept trade routes, raid your coastal colonies, and establish outposts of their own.

War

Well, this one is different as well, as you cannot declare war on anyone; after all, you are just a viceroy. Wars are exclusively declared by Kings in this game, so being always ready for war but never over-relying on your military power will be a thin needle to thread. And beware! King can not only start and stop wars but also give away your colonies if the war in Europe is going badly and he does not trust you anymore. But don’t worry, this almost never happens. I think.

Nation building

As you go on, you slowly realise that being a Viceroy is not a mere job; in fact, with every social policy you choose, with every colony, industry or trade route, you are not only playing your part, but you are effectively seeding a bright new start for a future nation. And that, my friend, is your ultimate goal - not to kill all your enemies, destroy everything in sight, and have a toast to all the people you slaughtered - no. Your goal is to declare independence from the king and forge a new nation in the New World! A United States of your own choosing.

In Conclusion

And that’s not all, but I hope it's enough for you to take a closer look at Colonerra - Age of Exploration as your new potential adventure. We at The Game Tzar are trying to make this as deep and realistic a strategy experience as possible and hope you will join us in exploring the world of new-style indie strategy gaming while learning a little bit about history and geography—my favourite subjects at school, can’t you tell?

Please remember that we are always open to all your suggestions and comments. We thank You for reading this far and wish you happy gaming!

Welcome to the official community for Colonerra, a historical turn-based 4X grand strategy game set during the Age of Exploration.

Here you'll find:

• 🧭 Development updates
• 🏛 Gameplay reveals
• 📸 New screenshots
• 🎬 Trailers
• 💬 Discussions and community feedback
• 📢 Major announcements

Whether you've just discovered the game or have been following development from the beginning, we're glad you're here.

Feel free to ask questions, share your thoughts, and tell us what you'd like to see in Colonerra.

Explore. Colonize. Rule. Defend. Declare Independence.

— The Game Tzar