Endless Legend 2 Interview: Devs Discuss Early Access, Factions, And Independence

Story Highlights

Endless Legend 2 stays true to the original while introducing fresh mechanics and a more dynamic world.
Amplitude Studios values quality over quantity, launching with fewer factions than the first game but with deeper gameplay.
We interviewed the dev team via email, discussing the game’s development and future plans.

The Endless series by Amplitude Studios holds a strong reputation in the strategy genre due to its deep lore, unique factions, and creative mechanics. Endless Legend, in particular, has become a fan favorite as a 4X strategy title that still holds itself to this day. Now, after more than a decade, fans are finally rewarded with a sequel that not only looks promising but also brings meaningful improvements.

With lessons learned from all its past games, Amplitude Studios aims to make Endless Legend 2 a worthy successor that pushes the series forward. Now that the studio is independent, fans are eager to see its approach to the game’s launch and post-early access content. So, to get insight into the development process and what’s ahead, I interviewed the team via email.

Endless Legend was released over a decade ago and remains a standout in the 4X turn-based strategy genre. How many of the original’s successful elements are you carrying into the sequel, and how do you think this will resonate with longtime fans?

Endless Legend’s legacy is as important to us as it is to our fans and is at the core of our vision for the game. Longtime fans will return to a nostalgic atmosphere on a lost paradise planet, inhabited by colorful and asymmetrical factions. Unique mechanics (seasonality, tidefall, tactical use of terrain) will also support the experience and thrill new players and veterans alike.

Given how much time has passed, how has Amplitude Studios evolved since the first Endless Legend, both in terms of team structure and creative vision?

A lot has changed in the past 11 years, but we are still devoted to striving for the best possible strategy experiences. We released Humankind in 2021, which was a major milestone for the studio, entering the historical grand strategy arena. With Endless Legend 2 now on the corner, we are thrilled to continue building and expanding the Endless Universe.

The Endless universe has already been explored extensively in your previous titles. Is there anything in Endless Legend 2 that you consider a bold decision or something that will truly surprise fans?

I can’t talk about any surprises, as that would spoil the fun of discovering them while you play! The Endless Universe is still expanding and shows no signs of slowing down. We have learnt a lot since 2014, and this game represents a new level of maturity for us.

Endless Legend 2 will launch with two fewer factions than the first game had at full release. How do these factions compare in terms of content and variety? Are you prioritizing quality over quantity for the game’s start?

Indeed, quality will always prevail over quantity! We wanted these factions to be as appealing and fun to play as possible, and they will evolve in a world that is far more diverse and dynamic than that of Endless Legend. You can expect great art, great lore, and unique gameplay for each of the factions! So far, four factions will be available at Early Access, with more planned after the Early Access launch.

The game is set to launch in early access this year. Ideally, how long do you anticipate it will remain in early access before a full release?

As long as it takes us to deliver the experience our fans deserve after waiting so long!

Are there any plans to bring Endless Legend 2 to consoles, either during early access or after the full launch?

We are always open to bringing our strategy experiences to greater numbers of players. But for now, nothing is set in stone, so I will go for the good old “Stay tuned!”.

Now that Amplitude Studios has become an independent entity, how will this impact your approach to game development moving forward?

We loved working with SEGA, without whom launching a game like Humankind would have been an even taller ordeal. However, independence allows us to be more flexible and return to our community co-dev and Early Access roots. We are, first and foremost, a player-centric studio, and we are closer than ever to our community, with the Insiders program running as we speak…

How has the experience been working with Hooded Horse as the publisher for Endless Legend 2?

It’s been absolutely great working with Hooded Horse on the game. They have strong independent roots, understand strategy games, and we have one major thing in common: we make all decisions based on player feedback.

Was SEGA involved in the early development process, whether in greenlighting concepts or determining the overall budget? And was Endless Legend 2 a key factor in the studio’s decision to regain independence?

Yes, the production of Endless Legend 2 started while we were still a SEGA studio. And no, it was not a factor in the decision to regain independence. SEGA and Amplitude simply had diverging goals and decided to part ways in the most amicable way.

While Endless Legend was praised for many aspects, its combat had room for improvement. Given the refinements seen in Humankind, how have you approached combat design in Endless Legend 2?

Humankind has indeed been a step forward for combat design. We are continuing to iterate on the formula to ensure fun, tactical, and accessible battles. Terrain, heroes, and special abilities are key elements of the recipe, as well as direct control over units.

Is there anything else you would like to add? Something we haven’t discussed already.

The music by Arnaud Roy is sure to make your heart melt! The use of orchestral instruments mixed with the handpan drum is special and fosters a unique, dreamlike atmosphere. So make sure you turn the sound up as you delve into the ethereal world of Saiadha!

Endless Legend 2 is a turn-based 4X fantasy-strategy developed by Amplitude Studios and published by Hooded Horse. The game will soon be available in early access via Steam on PC, with a full release later on in the future. We thank the devs for answering our questions and Jessica Richard for helping us with the interview.

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