News Tower
A newspaper management sim set in 1930s New York City.
News Tower is a newspaper management simulation video game from Sparrow Night, an indie studio based in Rotterdam, and published by Twin Sails Interactive. The game launched in Steam Early Access for PC and Mac on February 13, 2024, with its full release following on November 18, 2025.
Set in 1930s New York City during the Great Depression and Prohibition, players take on the role of a newspaper publisher who inherits a struggling Brooklyn paper from an uncle. The goal is to turn it into a media empire. Gameplay blends tycoon management, resource allocation, and narrative choices. Players recruit and oversee staff such as reporters, photographers, typographers, janitors, advertisers, and lawyers. They search for stories ranging from major historical events to minor local tales, choosing angles that either uphold journalistic integrity or bow to pressure from factions like the mafia, the mayor, the military, and high society—who may offer rewards for favorable coverage. A tower-building mechanic lets players design and optimize their headquarters floor by floor, managing printing presses, break rooms, and other facilities while balancing employee well-being, production efficiency, and weekly deadlines to expand readership across New York’s districts.
Development began in late 2018 when Jan-Maarten Nachtegeller, a veteran game developer, teamed up with Stefan Rijsmus, founder and creative director of the design and technology studio Studio Nul. The partnership officially started in early 2019, and the team grew to include additional developers and an illustrator. The concept for News Tower stemmed from contemporary media concerns: Nachtegeller cited inspiration from the relationship between press and public during the 2016 U.S. elections, particularly the rise of fake news discourse and growing skepticism toward traditional outlets in the Netherlands. The four-person Rotterdam-based team chose Early Access to incorporate community feedback. The studio describes its mission as creating games that are “smart, welcoming, and immersive,” blending entertainment with educational elements. The Early Access version covered 1930 to 1935, while the full release spans the entire decade through 1939. Planned additions for the full version included a competitor system, extra NPC questlines, and an endless mode beyond the campaign timeline.
Quick Facts
- Title
- News Tower
- Developer
- Sparrow Night
- Publisher
- Twin Sails Interactive
- Platform
- Linux · macOS · Windows
- Released
- November 18, 2025
- Genre
- Management simulation, strategy
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The concept for News Tower emerged from contemporary media concerns. Co-founder Jan-Maarten Nachtegeller explained that inspiration came from observing the relationship between press and public during the 2016 U.S. elections, noting the rise of Fake News discourse and growing skepticism toward traditional news outlets in the Netherlands. The four-person development team based in Rotterdam, Netherlands, chose Early Access as their development approach to incorporate community feedback into the game's evolution. The studio describes its mission as creating games that are 'smart, welcoming, and immersive,' focusing on engaging gameplay mechanics that combine entertainment with educational elements. The Early Access version spans from 1930 to 1935, with the full release planned to cover the complete decade from 1930 to 1939. Additional features planned for the full version include a competitor system, additional NPC questlines, and an endless mode allowing continued play beyond the campaign timeline.
Reader's Guide
News Tower received generally positive reviews from critics who praised its unique theme and engaging gameplay mechanics while noting some areas for improvement in its Early Access state. GameStar described the game as having 'a really good foundation' despite being newly released in Early Access. TechRadar called it 'an incredibly fun and fast-paced newspaper sim and management game,' noting that 'there's so much to do and explore in this indie game that you'll never be at a loose end.' GameLuster noted problems with the tutorial, stating it 'made a bad first impression when I initially booted up the game.' GamesHub pointed out tutorial clarity issues, noting 'the game does provide a tutorial at the start, it could be clearer with its guidance and instructions – there are elements that feel intuitive, but others that I had to reread multiple times to parse.' News Tower was the biggest winner at the 2024 Dutch Game Awards, establishing Sparrow Night as a notable presence in the Netherlands' game development industry. The Dutch Game Awards jury praised the game as a spectacular debut, noting that each game mechanic is used to its full potential and the depth of the gameplay caters to both strategy enthusiasts and newcomers.
Did You Know?
- News Tower was the biggest winner at the 2024 Dutch Game Awards, winning four awards including Best Game, Best Audio, Best Game Design, and Best Debut Game.
- The development team consists of four people based in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
- The Early Access version covers the years 1930 to 1935, while the full release spans the entire decade from 1930 to 1939.
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