Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord is the biggest Steam release of the year

Fans of the original Mount and Blade waited for an almost full decade, but the day has finally arrived - Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord is here and ready for players to jump in. And judging by the numbers, interest for the game is enormous.

On the first day of the release, the game peaked at 178,562 concurrent players, which far surpass previous big Steam launches of the year, such as DOOM Eternal, which peaked at 104,891 concurrent players.

Although it has been eight years since the game was announced, developer TaleWorlds worked hard to deliver the best possible experience for both old and new players alike. The basic premise of the game is the same as in previous entries in series, but with a vast number of extended and improved options for both single-player and multiplayer.

Siege is now much more important and developed to have a bigger strategic impact on your choices. Also, personal relationships play a more prominent role and can be a key part of some political intrigue which can help you in your quest. These are just some small details though, and you can read all that is new, improved and deepened on the official blog of the game.

The game has launched with 10% discount for the first two weeks, so if you are interested in medieval history, authentic sieges and battles, you should definitely give it a try.