Our most-anticipated city builder becomes one of the world's most-wanted games as it tops Hades 2's Steam wishlists

Manor Lords, one of our most anticipated city-building games, has become the world's most anticipated city-building game, according to Steam wishlist charts.

Manor Lords is an upcoming medieval strategy game that mixes top-down settlement expansion with sweeping tactical battles. It features the same economy micromanagement and complex social simulations that make games like this click, but everything is rendered in agonizingly realistic detail, giving this one the extra edge.

According to Valve's charts, Manor Lords is now the most wishlisted Steam game in the world ahead of its April 26 early access release. That means the game has shot right past the likes of roguelike sequel Hades 2, mythological soulslike Black Myth: Wukong, the nebulous Hollow Knight Silksong, and apocalyptic shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.

Various excellent demos made available throughout the years have done most of the heavy lifting when it comes to spreading word of mouth on this one. No surprise there since our hands-on Manor Lords preview said it had "some of the most in-depth and immersive gameplay" found in strategic city builders - though, we've "barely scratched the surface of what is possible in this game."

Developer Slavic Magic and publisher Hooded Horse previously announced that the game had reached a whopping two million wishlists on Steam back in January, to give you an idea of what it takes to reach that top spot. 

Manor Lords releases into early access on PC via Steam, GOG, and the Game Pass preview program on April 26, at which point Hades 2 will climb back onto its throne.

Does Manor Lords have what it takes to join our best city building games ranking?