The Ninth King of 9 Kings
Hooded Horse and Sad Socket have unveiled a major update for 9 Kings, introducing the long-awaited ninth monarch. The King of Time, a multidimensional ruler who travels across eras seeking new kingdoms to conquer, now joins the fray as the ultimate King of Kings. Blending elements of magic, sci-fi, and steampunk, his arrival adds a unique temporal twist to gameplay. Some of his cards reward quick decision-making, while others encourage careful, strategic play, and a few even enable literal time travel to earlier stages in the same session.
Alongside the King of Time, the update brings a host of balancing changes and quality-of-life improvements. Among these is the new Rainbow perk, which lets players exclude specific Kings from appearing in a run. This offers more control over strategy and variety. Players eager to explore every detail of the new content can check out the full patch notes.
With the ninth king in place, the 9 Kings’ roster is now complete, marking a milestone in the game’s evolution. Yet the developers promise that this is only the beginning, hinting at additional content, new modes, and future updates. The game’s success has also been recognized outside the community: 9 Kings has been nominated for “Best Early Access Game” at the 43rd Golden Joystick Awards in London, and fans can cast their votes until October 31.
Available now on PC via Steam Early Access for $19.99 / £17.99 / €19.99 / ¥1,980, 9 Kings has earned a 92% “Very Positive” rating from over 12,000 reviews. In the GAS region, INSTINCT3 is supporting Hooded Horse, covering Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The game continues to expand its universe, inviting players to explore the new dimension of strategic deckbuilding.