Firefly, best known for the Stronghold franchise, has taken its next step in the industry by establishing a publishing division dedicated to strategy games. The new label, called Wuselfaktory, made its debut at the UKIE "For One Night Only" showcase earlier this year, unveiling its inaugural publishing project: Fool King, an upcoming title from the fresh development team Loot Donkey.
Fool King describes itself as a "tactical autobattler" with a roguelike twist. Players assemble and arrange their troops on a battlefield, then sit back as the combat resolves automatically, watching the outcome of their strategic choices.
This blend of planning and automated combat places the game squarely within the burgeoning autobattler sub‑genre, while its procedural elements give it the replayability typical of roguelikes. Nick Tannahill, the head of Firefly, told GamesIndustry.biz that the decision to move into publishing mirrors what many indie studios are doing today.
"Every other indie developer is looking at publishing as a viable path," he said, adding that Firefly's deep roots in the strategy sector give it a unique advantage. The studio has spent years crafting and supporting strategy titles, from the classic 2.5‑D isometric style of the original Stronghold games to the fully 3D experience of Stronghold 4. That history, combined with a network of relationships across platform holders, localization partners, and marketing channels, positions Wuselfaktory to succeed in a genre that consistently ranks among the most popular on Steam.
The partnership around Fool King illustrates how the publishing model works for Firefly. The studio is providing the game's development budget and spearheading its marketing push, while its parent company Devolver is contributing a producer to oversee localization and quality‑assurance tasks. Tannahill noted that as the publishing arm grows, Firefly intends to absorb those responsibilities in‑house, leveraging its existing 50‑person team that already handles its own self‑published titles. "We've been self‑publishing since 2010, so we have a proven workflow for localization, marketing, and distribution," he explained.
"We also have solid ties with the platform owners we work with, which makes the process smoother for our partners." Beyond the business side, Firefly offers developers hands‑on technical assistance. "Being a publisher with a development background means we can sit down with a studio and help them solve actual design problems, not just negotiate contracts," Tannahill said.
For Fool King, this has meant providing advice on the online asynchronous component, reviewing user‑interface designs, and delivering multiple rounds of feedback on the core gameplay loop. While such support takes time away from Firefly's own projects, the team believes a concise, focused discussion can accelerate a partner's progress dramatically. The publishing venture was sparked by Devolver's suggestion. After Devolver acquired Firefly in late 2021, the publisher recognized its own limited experience in the strategy market and encouraged the studio to fill that gap.
"They said, 'You know strategy; we don't, so why don't you lead that effort?'" Tannahill recalled. This encouragement dovetailed with Firefly's ongoing habit of scouting promising indie strategy titles across platforms like Steam and Itch.io. In fact, Tannahill first learned about Fool King through an article on Rock Paper Shotgun, a testament to the importance of staying plugged into the community.
Firefly's approach to audience engagement is data‑driven. For every demo the studio releases, they embed a short survey asking players about price expectations, desired features, and future game ideas. "It may sound simplistic, but it works," Tannahill admitted.
The surveys routinely attract about 6,000 responses, offering a robust sample that informs both design decisions and marketing messages. One surprising insight from that data is the age profile of strategy gamers.
"We expected an older demographic, but the community skews younger—many are between 18 and 25," Tannahill said. To reach those players, the studio focuses on the social platforms they frequent, aiming to keep the genre fresh and relevant for a new generation.
Tannahill also highlighted the broader health of the strategy genre on Steam. While high‑profile titles like Fortnite or Roblox dominate headlines, strategy games consistently occupy a large share of wishlists and sales. "It's not the flashiest category, but it's quietly one of the most successful on the platform," he observed.
The genre's depth appeals to players who enjoy long sessions, intricate systems, and emergent gameplay that varies from one playthrough to the next. However, classic strategy franchises such as Command and Conquer have faded from mainstream awareness, not because the intellectual property lacks appeal, but because few modern iterations have been released.
Tannahill sees this gap as an opportunity for publishers willing to invest in high‑quality, systems‑driven experiences. Firefly's own development slate reflects a diversified strategy. The studio continues to produce its own titles—ranging from retro‑style 2.5‑D isometric games that echo the look of early Command and Conquer, to fully 3D projects like the upcoming Stronghold 4—while also supporting external partners through Wuselfaktory.
"We want to spread our bets across the strategy landscape without over‑committing to any single trend," Tannahill explained. "That means publishing smaller titles at first, because we can only spin so many plates at once." Since joining Devolver, Firefly has shipped four games and six expansions, with additional releases on the horizon. The publishing label currently has one title—Fool King—in the pipeline, but the studio hopes to add a few more as resources allow.
"We're not going to launch a label and instantly announce a slate of three blockbuster games," Tannahill said. "We work in small, sustainable teams, and that philosophy will guide our publishing ambitions as well." In summary, Firefly's foray into publishing leverages its decades‑long expertise in strategy, its established relationships with platforms, and a data‑centric approach to community feedback. By supporting indie developers like Loot Donkey, offering both financial backing and hands‑on development guidance, and maintaining a keen eye on emerging player trends, the studio aims to nurture a vibrant ecosystem for strategy games on Steam—a genre that may lack the glitz of battle‑royale titles but consistently delivers strong performance and a dedicated fanbase.