RITES OF ACCORD - HISTORY
==========================

Rites of Accord began in 2025 out of love for deep strategy and army-building
wargames, but a limited amount for time to play 3+ hour matches.
The main premise was: could we create something with the depth of a tabletop
wargame, the expanded possibilities of digital format, our own hopeful imagination
of a better future world, and keep match time under 45 minutes?

The design grew from a frustration with two extremes in the strategy
genre. On one side, deep tactical games like Civ and the classic tabletop
wargames demand multi-hour sessions. On the other side, mobile strategy
games optimize for short play but strip out the positioning,
army-building, and asymmetry that make tactics interesting. Rites of
Accord aims to live in the middle: real depth, real asymmetry, but
matches that fit into busy adult life.

The world followed from a single question: if humanity barely survived
the collapse of the old order, what would conflict look like in the
world that came after? The answer became the Rites, ceremonial
contests fought in digital arenas where skill, invention, and
strategy replace mass destruction. Every faction in the game is a
different culture's answer to the same question of how to live, fight,
and win without burning the world again.

The browser beta launched in 2026 with three playable factions and a
competitive ranked ladder, and runs through the full release scheduled
for November 2026, with a Steam demo coming soon.
The game continues to be built in the open by a solo developer couple,
with new factions, units, and mechanics shipping regularly. Community
feedback drives the roadmap.

For the latest development updates and community discussion:
  Discord: https://discord.gg/ePTEFw4tyk
  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ritesofaccord
