Mandate Order Updates Hub
Roadmap beats, public playtests, and verified patch notes for Digital Sky's Warring States city-builder
Mandate Order enters Early Access around August 12, 2026 at 02:00 UTC on Steam and the Epic Games Store at $19.99 USD, with a 15% launch discount during the first two weeks. Digital Sky plans roughly twelve months of public iteration before 1.0, and the developer has published a post-launch roadmap through Games Press that sketches monthly content beats rather than a silent Early Access period. This Updates hub tracks those public commitments alongside verified Steam news—starting with Phase 20 adjustments to invasion mechanics and start-of-game flow—plus historical demo coverage from Steam Next Fest and community playtests.
Treat every date here as intent, not contract. Roadmap slides explicitly note that timing may shift with player feedback, performance work, and balance passes. When a detail affects purchase timing or save compatibility, cross-check the live store page and official channels before relying on wiki summaries.
What belongs in Updates versus Guides
Guides explain how systems work today: logistics, conscription, formations, and seasonal farming from the guides hub. Updates explain what Digital Sky says is changing next—new maps, livestock phases, building upgrade tiers, special locations, Panda Warriors, defensive equipment, and the Battle of Changping story campaign DLC targeted for Q1 2027. After each patch lands, mechanics guides should be revised; this hub should record what shipped and what was promised.
If you are deciding whether to buy during launch week, start with the Early Access FAQ and preview and expectations pages in review, then return here for roadmap context.
Featured update pages
Early Access roadmap
The Early Access roadmap page breaks down Games Press materials month by month: late August map and minimap work, September livestock phase one plus building upgrades phase one, October livestock phase two with field hospitals and farmland phase two, November special locations and Panda Warriors, December new defensive equipment, and Q1 2027 Changping DLC. Each beat links forward to relevant build, combat, and systems guides so you know which mechanics to study before new content arrives.
Phase 20: invasion and start-of-game
Steam news titled around Phase 20 states that invasion mechanics were adjusted and the start-of-game experience was further improved. Public detail beyond those headlines is limited—this wiki does not invent version numbers or undocumented balance tables. The Phase 20 invasion and start page summarizes what is verified, what players should re-test after updating, and where to connect changes to how to handle invasions and opening build order.
Demo and playtests
Mandate Order offered a free demo during Steam Next Fest and related public windows. Community and press coverage highlighted pathfinding and UI improvements between demo builds—topics echoed in verified footage on the demo and playtests page, including a demo update experience video embedded there. Demos may lag behind Early Access feature sets; buying EA grants persistent progress through the roadmap above.
How to use this hub during Early Access
- Read the roadmap once to set expectations for maps, livestock, upgrades, and DLC timing.
- After each Steam news post, skim the matching update page here, then re-run one defensive scenario using combat guides.
- When new building tiers ship, revisit production chains and future building upgrades notes.
- Bookmark tools checklists if you prefer structured passes before declaring war on updated invasion logic.
Unofficial disclaimer
mandate-order.wiki is a fan resource. Prices, dates, and feature lists must be verified on Steam, Epic, and Digital Sky announcements. We cross-link guides, build, combat, review, and tools to help players interpret public information—not to represent the developer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers drawn from Early Access systems and common player questions.
Where does Mandate Order publish official patch notes?
Steam news and the store hub are primary public channels. Epic players should also watch Digital Sky's site and social posts linked from storefront pages.
Will the roadmap dates stay fixed through Early Access?
Games Press roadmap slides state timing may change with feedback. Treat months as planning targets, not guaranteed ship dates.
What was Phase 20 about?
Verified Steam news cites adjusted invasion mechanics and further start-of-game improvements. See the dedicated Phase 20 page for scope limits.
Is the demo still available after Early Access launch?
Demo availability depends on store configuration. Check Steam before assuming a demo exists; Early Access purchase includes ongoing updates either way.
Which update page should I read first?
New buyers should read Early Access roadmap for content timing, then Early Access FAQ for price and platform facts.