Game of Thrones: Seven Kingdoms

Lore & Background

Game of Thrones: Seven Kingdoms was announced in February 2012, with a first look at the Game Developers Conference in March 2012. The first gameplay footage appeared in a trailer released on July 12, 2012. The game was developed by German studio Bigpoint and Norwegian studio Artplant, who had previously collaborated on Battlestar Galactica Online, another browser-based multiplayer game. Development was done in collaboration with HBO, which reviewed all content in advance, and Bigpoint worked with HBO's design teams. Initially built using an in-house engine called Nebula, the game underwent considerable redesigns and was rebuilt in Amazon Lumberyard.

Gameplay was planned to be mainly based on player versus player (PvP) combat, including small group combat, one-on-one duels, siege battles, and large-scale battles where players capture keeps, forts, and castles. Player versus Environment (PvE) combat was planned for launch but was not a major priority. Combat was real-time, with movement controlled using WASD keys. Players could form guilds called lesser houses, which aligned with one of three major houses: Baratheon, Stark, or Lannister. Solo play was possible, but group play was encouraged. Character customization included changing features such as hair and clothing.

Reader's Guide

Game of Thrones: Seven Kingdoms represents a notable canceled project in the history of licensed MMORPGs. Announced in 2012 during the height of the Game of Thrones television series' popularity, the game aimed to translate the political and martial conflicts of Westeros into a persistent online world focused on player-versus-player combat. The involvement of HBO ensured close adherence to the series' aesthetic and narrative elements, with all in-game content requiring advance approval. The collaboration between Bigpoint and Artplant, both experienced in browser-based multiplayer games, initially used the Nebula engine before a significant redesign shifted development to Amazon Lumberyard. The game's cancellation following Bigpoint's acquisition by Yoozoo Games in 2016 led to the license being repurposed for Game of Thrones: Winter is Coming, which released in 2019. Although never released, Seven Kingdoms remains a documented example of how licensing and corporate changes can halt ambitious online game projects, and its planned features—such as lesser houses aligning with major houses and large-scale siege battles—offer insight into the design priorities of the era.

Did You Know?

• The game was being developed by German studio Bigpoint and Norwegian studio Artplant, who previously worked together on Battlestar Galactica Online.
• All in-game content was reviewed in advance by HBO, and Bigpoint worked with HBO's design teams.
• The game was initially built using an in-house engine called Nebula, but was later rebuilt in Amazon Lumberyard during considerable redesigns.