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Step beyond the 13th Gate and survive the challenges laid out by the banished Dealer.
Created by the original indie team behind the Hand of Fate series and featuring the return of Anthony Skordi as the iconic Dealer, Hand of Fate: Hordes is available NOW in Steam Early Access.
Combining fast-paced survivor-like combat with strategic deckbuilding and the dark fantasy world of Hand of Fate, every run is shaped by the choices you make.
Beyond the 13th Gate, you are imprisoned within the Shadow Vaults, where the banished Dealer has devised a new game for your demise.
Choose from four distinct heroes:
Trickster - quick, cunning and deadly at range.
Goblin - small, unpredictable and dangerously powerful with magic.
Warrior - a relentless melee fighter built to face the horde head-on.
Rebel - a defiant hero determined to create their own fate.
Build the deck that shapes your journey, uncover powerful weapons, blessings and enchantments, and unlock new cards and Tokens to aid future runs.
No two runs are ever the same.
Hand of Fate: Hordes is available now for $11.99 / €11.99, with 20% off for the first 14 days.
Players looking to further support development can also pick up the Supporter Pack, featuring exclusive chrome cosmetic skins for heroes, cards and dice.
Today's launch is only the first step.
Throughout Early Access, we'll continue expanding Hand of Fate: Hordes with new heroes, quests, Encounters, dungeons, bosses, weapons and gameplay updates.
Just as importantly, we'll be building the game alongside the community.
Once you've had the chance to play, we'd love to hear your thoughts. Tell us about your favourite heroes and builds, what you enjoy, what feels frustrating and where you think the experience could be improved.
Every piece of feedback helps shape the future of the game.
We’ve created dedicated pinned posts in the Steam Community Hub for feedback and bug reports, so you’ll always know the best place to share what you’re experiencing.
Using those threads helps us keep reports organised and makes it easier for the team to review, investigate and respond.
That said, we’ll also be keeping an eye on feedback shared across our other social channels, including Discord and social media. Wherever you choose to share your thoughts, we’re listening.
Thank you for joining us as we begin the next chapter of Hand of Fate.
The Dealer is waiting.
The Dealer has returned, the cards are waiting, and Hand of Fate: Hordes enters Steam Early Access tomorrow - 22 July 2026.
Check the global launch times above to see when the 13th Gate opens in your region.
Created by the original indie designers of Hand of Fate and starring Anthony Skordi once again as the Dealer, Hordes combines fast-paced bullet heaven combat with strategic deckbuilding and story.
Beyond the 13th Gate, you are imprisoned within the Shadow Vaults, where the banished Dealer has devised a new game for your demise.
Choose from four distinct heroes:
Trickster - quick, cunning and deadly at range
Goblin - small, unpredictable and dangerously powerful with magic
Warrior - a relentless melee fighter built to face the horde head-on
Rebel - a defiant hero determined to create their own fate
Build the deck that shapes your run, discover powerful weapons and enchantments, and turn the Dealer’s own game against him.
Every card shapes your journey - for better or for worse.
Once you have had the chance to play, we want to hear from you.
Tell us about your favourite heroes and builds, what you enjoy, what feels frustrating and where you think the experience could be improved. We will be actively reviewing feedback throughout Early Access as we continue developing the game alongside the community.
We are also planning a Developer Q&A one week after launch, giving you the opportunity to put your questions to the team. More details will be shared soon.
Wishlist Hand of Fate: Hordes on Steam now and join us when the 13th Gate opens tomorrow.
We had an incredible time showcasing Hand of Fate: Hordes at Queensland Game Fest during June.
It was fantastic to meet players, share the game and watch people step beyond the 13th Gate for themselves. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to play, speak with the team and share their thoughts.
Take a look at some of the highlights from the show:
Hand of Fate: Hordes enters Steam Early Access on 22 July.
With Early Access now just days away, we cannot wait for everyone else to begin their journey.
Master four distinct heroes, build the deck that shapes your journey and face the deadly challenges devised by the returning Dealer.
Once you have had the chance to play, we want to hear from you.
Tell us about your favourite heroes and builds, what you enjoyed and where you think the experience could be improved. We will be actively reviewing feedback throughout Early Access as we continue developing the game alongside the community.
We are also planning an upcoming Developer Q&A, so keep an eye on Steam and start thinking about the questions you would like to put to the team.
Wishlist Hand of Fate: Hordes now and join us when the 13th Gate opens on 22 July.
Hand of Fate: Hordes now has a new name and release date, and the game is shaping up for its Early Access launch next month. Our Creative Director, Cade is taking a short break from wrangling goblins to answer your questions about Hordes, Hand of Fate, and game development.
Join us in Discord tomorrow for a live Q&A at 9AM AEST (2300 UTC, or 4PM PDT).
Hope to see you there!
Hand of Fate: Hordes will launch into Early Access via Steam on July 22nd. Players eager to try the game before launch will also be able to experience a demo during Steam Bullet Fest, beginning on June 8th at 10:00 PDT / 19:00 CEST. Originally announced as Hordes of Fate: A Hand of Fate Adventure, the game has now been renamed to Hand of Fate: Hordes following community feedback and to better reflect its unique blend of bullet heaven combat and strategic deckbuilding.
Hey everyone!
Thanks so much to those of you who sent in questions for the latest Demo Q&A! Cade and Morgan have answered them all, and you can catch the full rundown at the link below. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts, and we’re already looking forward to the next one!
As you may have noticed, we have been updating the Hand of Fate: Hordes demo with a few tweaks here and there over the past week. As always, you can find patch notes over in this thread.
First up, we wanted to extend a warm welcome to French, German, and Brazilian Portuguese players, who are now able to play the demo in their native language, with localised subtitles for Dealer voice lines.
Merci, danke, and obrigado for your patience. We hope you enjoy the game!
Taking a step back to look at how this demo compares to the demo we released in 2025, we've refined and reworked some aspects of the game to fit better the broader scope of this version. We've also made many changes in response to feedback we received last year.
Tokens are a core part of Hand of Fate: Hordes' progression.
The current demo puts these front and center, improving visibility and adding tooltips for hints on how to unlock them.
Early feedback for the 2025 demo indicated it was too easy. This time, we've upped the ante and presented a greater challenge across the demo, while still allowing the game to be enjoyed with a variety of playstyles.
More shards mean more persistent upgrades; both stage and final bosses award much bigger rewards, making progression smoother and easier.
High-powered enchantments and encounters are gated behind later demo unlocks making OP builds possible, but earned.
The Warrior makes his debut armed with new equipment; Dual Blades and Berserker's Helm.
Both inflict Physical damage out of the gate, which offers a bunch of clear synergies with other equipment. Additionally their platinum enchantments can change things further. Frenzy adds the ability for rapid succession of strikes, while Hunting Knives changes the blades to throwables.
The Warrior requires careful positioning and a little more care to master (especially in tight spaces), but his loadout changes the game and is a great contrast to ranged spellcasting Trickster.
The Dead King's Hall introduces the crypts environment and the Skeleton King himself. Wielding an enchanted shield and gigantic sword, and with his ability to summon more minions, he's a force to be reckoned with.
The Goblin Witch joins the ranks of the Goblin horde, conjuring area-effect spells and causing general havoc.
A spicy treat in the form of the Lava Golem, a late demo unlock, will test every player's metal should they wake him from his slumber!
Also, be careful in the crypts when searching for treasure, not every chest is quite what it seems!
A Hand of Fate game would not be complete without Encounters.
More variety of encounters is added to the mix with more options, situational options and possibilities, such as unique story and outcomes in Fabled Beast for The Warrior, or in Heart of the North when confronting the Witch.
Healing Potions can be earned and stored for future use from some encounter outcomes which can be useful throughout your adventure.
A few hidden secrets are scattered throughout the encounter that unlock powerful enchantments… and creatures!
We’ve really pushed the game visuals while striving to maintain an optimised and performant game experience,
New environments are used in each of the adventures, from the forests of Crossroads, the crypts of Dead King’s Hall, to the caves on the Road to Goblin Town,
We’ve overhauled the platinum cards and added new artwork throughout the demo,
It's still early days for Hordes of Fate, but we hope that this post and the updated demo gives some insight into the direction we're taking the game in as we get closer to Early Access.
Thanks to everybody who's played the demo so far, especially those who've taken time to stream the game and/or share feedback. We've found that very helpful! Keep it coming - we may not respond to everything, but we're reading.
P.S. If there's something specific you're keen to have answered, leave a question in the comments on the Demo Q&A post.
DEV Q&A – With Morgan Jaffit, Co‑Creator of Hand of Fate 🔥
Hello everyone — I’m Morgan Jaffit, one of the creators of Hand of Fate. It’s been a pleasure watching the game we built as a small team in Brisbane, Australia, reach fans in China and around the world. I’m grateful for the chance to answer some questions from our community and share a little about the work happening on Hordes of Fate.
🎲 GAMEPLAY & MECHANICS
"Why did the team reunite for this title?"
We love working together, and we love the world of Hand of Fate. The Dealer kept “nudging” us creatively — reminding us he wasn’t finished yet. We’ve been thinking about the mechanics and world for years, and realised there were still many unexplored ideas we wanted to bring to life. We’ve also been inspired by the evolution of the roguelike deckbuilder genre, and had plenty of innovations we wanted to add to the table.
"Why combine bullet‑heaven gameplay with Hand of Fate mechanics?"
A core part of our creative process is blending something familiar with something new. We’re building on our strengths — storytelling, card play, roguelike structure — while exploring new mechanical spaces. By combining these systems, we discover new things about both, and that’s the most exciting part of development for us.
@Carosh — “Will we have meta progression that lets us slow down the card shuffler or add dice?”
There will be levers for you to adjust at the meta level of the game, and this will also be a factor when tackling challenges in the full game. You can expect the Dealer to have a few curveballs to throw at you in this area, too.
@Sam Polis — “How will Hordes stand out in the oversaturated Bullet Heaven genre?”
Hand of Fate has always been about combining elements from different genres and seeing how that synthesis adds to both. In this case, we’re leaning into a different action genre, but we’re doing it from the perspective of exploring how Hand of Fate can provide interesting new ways to look at it.
@SAHA — “Any luck implementing a mouse‑only control scheme?”
This is something that we haven’t tackled yet, but it is still on our list to consider for the full game. Keep poking us if this is something you’d really like to see.
📖 LORE & STORY
"Can you tell us about the storyline?"
At the end of Hand of Fate 2, the Dealer was banished from the world and from the Game of Life and Death. But he’s not easy to get rid of. He’s been trapped in the endless void, slowly gathering the pieces of a new game — the one we’re building now. In Hordes of Fate, you’ll learn more about his current situation, but also about his past and his family — mysteries that have remained hidden until now.
"Is this Hand of Fate 3?"
No — this is a standalone side story. That said, we have many ideas for Hand of Fate 3 that we’d love to explore one day. Hordes of Fate tells an important part of the journey that leads us there.
@DMNinja — “The demo felt light on story. Will that change?”
The initial demo was definitely a gameplay‑focused demo versus story and narrative. Now that we’ve got Anthony Skordi (the voice of the Dealer) back in the recording booth, we’re starting to lay in more of the narrative texture. Expect more and more of that to come online as we proceed to Early Access and beyond.
@Creepy Pie — “How does Hordes connect to the rest of the Hand of Fate universe?”
It’s a side story (or a spin‑off) that provides some context for the Dealer’s adventures after the events of Hand of Fate 2. It’s also a great opportunity to flesh out some of the background stories and mysteries of the series.
@justmaster7 — “How did the Dealer return after being defeated by Kallas? And why did Kallas become Emperor?”
The Dealer has been at the table for a long time, and he’s prepared plans within plans within plans. Hordes of Fate explores the answer to how he’s able to return in a little more detail. As for Kallas, the player from Hand of Fate 1, he was able to defeat the Dealer through brute force rather than cunning. When you rule the Game of Life and Death, your personality has a big impact on the world outside. So Kallas changed the fabric of the world in his image.
🧙♀️ CHARACTERS & CHAMPIONS
@Shawne — “Will we learn new things about the four main characters that weren’t revealed in HoF2?”
Yes, it’s a great opportunity to learn more about the companions and their secrets.
@Manicorn — “Will there be additional playable characters? Will their playstyles be radically different? Will the story be as strong as HoF2?”
There will, and we’re certainly seeking to make sure each role plays out as distinctly as possible. As for the story, we’re really excited about the storytelling opportunities and the new tales we get to tell.
🔮 FUTURE CONTENT & DLC
@sam455635 — “Will there be DLC like new characters or bosses?”
Too early to think about DLC at this stage. Our goal is to build a rich core experience and then support it with both free and paid content for a hopefully long time.
@Jimmy Noshoes — “Will there be pre‑rendered videos or sequences to drive the story forward? And can we see concept art?”
That’s never been our style. We prefer the storytelling to happen through text, voice, action and implication. We’ve definitely released concept art in the past, and we’re super keen to keep on with that.
🌱 DEVELOPMENT STORIES
"Any nice or sad stories from development?"
One of the nicest things has been working with my long‑term colleagues and friends. Just yesterday, I had lunch with our director, Shawn, and we remembered the very first Defiant Development party — when both of our sons were babies. Now, one of those boys is finishing high school, and my son is 15. It’s special to still be creating games together after all these years. There’s a photo from back then — those two chubby kids we’re holding are now both over six feet tall and living their own lives.
For the sad side: Making games — especially at the quality bar we aim for — always takes longer than you expect. We’ve been working on so much that we’re excited to show you, and it’s been a long time coming. We’re looking forward to finally lifting the veil.
We’d love for you to Wishlist Hordes of Fate and share your screenshots. Thank you for your support — it means the world to us.
🙌 A huge thanks to everyone who submitted questions, and to our colleague Liu Jing for gathering questions from our Chinese community. Add Hordes of Fate to your Steam Wishlist, and follow along on our socials for more content. 🔗 below! Join our Feb Demo Q&A to get your latest questions answered here: Feb 2026 Demo Q&A!
Steam:
TikTok: @hordesoffateofficial Instagram: @hordesoffateofficial Reddit: u/HordesOfFateOfficial
And don't forget... the Dealer is always listening. 👀👂
Get up close and personal with a hero built for brutal melee combat. Smash through the frontline and carve a path through the horde.
Journey through the Wilds, Catacombs, and Caverns, each filled with new enemies, hazards, and surprises.
Brace yourself against overwhelming waves of skeletons, goblins, lizardmen, and spirits.
Face powerful bosses and champions, including:
💠Lava Golems
💠Necromancers
💠Goblin Witches
Crack open an Ornate Sarcophagus, stir trouble at the Black Cauldron, meet wandering Dungeon Crawlers, or share a questionable meal with a goblin.
The Demo now features a wider range of new and updated Encounters to discover.
Immerse yourself in the world of Hordes of Fate with brand‑new narration and commentary from Valenos, the Dealer, recorded exclusively for the game.
Upgrade and enchant your equipment to shape your build each run.
Discover Platinum Enchantments that dramatically change how your gear behaves and open new strategies.
Multi-stage runs take 10–20 minutes.
Defeat the Stage Champion, grab your rewards, and escape before the portal closes.
Complete quests, earn shards for permanent upgrades, and unlock new card tokens to expand your deck.
Play as heroic archetypes like The Trickster, The Warrior, and The Rebel, inspired by memories of Hand of Fate.
The Dealer returns to guide, tease, and challenge you throughout your journey.
No need to play Hand of Fate 1, 2, or Ordeals to enjoy Hordes of Fate.
Simple controls and auto-shooter‑style combat make it accessible for all players.
Fight everything from skeletal swarms to the King of Skulls, goblins, lizardmen, and towering lava golems.
Encounter cards reveal new characters, rewards, dangers, and story threads as you carve your path through fate. Watch the trailer here:
Don’t miss out on the journey — Wishlist Now!🔥 Follow us on our socials: Instagram: @hordesoffateofficial TikTok: @hordesoffateofficial Reddit: u/HordesOfFateOfficial
Hand of Fate: Hordes is a standalone fantasy bullet heaven auto-shooter set in the world of Hand of Fate. Travel beyond the Game of Life and Death through memory and adversity to find and face the most powerful forces the world has known.
Defeat endless waves of monsters, upgrade your equipment, and level up your hero to draw out each stage's champion and escape before the portal is sealed. Explore narrative threads and quest lines through Hand of Fate style encounter chains, while unlocking tokens and collecting shards to aid in your future runs.
🎬Watch the trailer here:
Crafted by original Hand of Fate writers, programmers, designers, and artists at Spitfire Interactive, the Hand of Fate: Hordes experience is completed by returning voice actor Anthony Skordi (Star Wars Battlefront II, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Skyrim), and card artist Jesse Gillespie.
Hordes of Fate explores new gameplay, accessible to a new audience, while retaining familiar characters, cards, and minigames while authentically capturing the flair and feel that Hand of Fate players first fell in love with over a decade ago.
Try your hand against the horde, and join us on the development journey when Hand of Fate: Hordes launches into Early Access in Q2 2026.
Step back to the table and seal your fate - add to your wishlist today!
⬇️Join the Hand of Fate: Hordes Discord:
😎Wishlist:
About
This page aggregates Steam news feeds, patch notes, and developer announcements for Hand of Fate: Hordes, sourced from official Steam community posts.
Major updates, balance changes, and seasonal events often correlate with player-count spikes — cross-reference announcements here with the live charts on the main Hand of Fate: Hordes statistics page.
Articles link back to Steam for full changelogs. SteamScope refreshes news entries as new posts are published to the game's Steam hub.