Arcadie: Second-Born

Development blog for Arcadie: Second-Born and its sequel, Arcadie II: Cold Lands, releasing June 18, 2026

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Carve a place for yourself in a world that has disregarded you for too long. Be the force of reason that your kingdom needs, or perpetuate its reputation as a force of destruction. Find love and weave friendships, or cast it all away for the sake of retribution. 

PC & macOS: Get it on Steam

Android : Get it on Google Play | Get it on itch.io

Play the Free Demo | FAQ | Character portraits

Centuries of war define the Kingdom of Arcadie. Will you allow them to define you?

You are the second-born, second-in-line to the throne.

As Arcadie is set to sign a peace treaty with your age-old enemies, you are put in charge of any future dealings with them.

Today will see you taking the first step towards a new destiny, and perhaps a new future for your Kingdom.

Will you put the Realm's interests before your own, or will you precipitate it down the path of another century of war? 

Create and customize your character: male or female; gay, straight, or bisexual.  

Interact with a cast of vivid, fleshed-out characters.  

Experience naturally-evolving romance; steamy, sweet, passionate, or even thoroughly ill-advised.  

Define your personality through your choices and actions. Will you be friendly and conciliatory, a wisecracking charmer, or will you antagonize anyone who would dare approach you?  

Learn about the mystical power wielded by your ancestors, and perhaps even tame it for yourself.  

Be a peerless warrior, or make knowledge your most powerful weapon.  

Will you strive for peace, or demand blood be spilt?  

Ariana d’Arcadie: Your older sister, and the Crown Princess of Arcadie. She is headstrong, powerful and quick to dish out commands. Whether you love or hate her is up to you.

Wilfred/Willeen Steinmann (M/F): The Commander in the South. They are fervent defenders of the royal family. Their tenacity has been forged on the battlefield. Perhaps you can make them realize there is more to life than endless strife.

Stanislas Duval: The Commander in the North. One of the rare proponents of peace within your Kingdom. He is the sole reason your centuries-old enemies have agreed to cease hostilities.

Cyril Lavignac (M/F): The Commander in the West. They have a quick smile and always the right words to ease tension. A reassuring presence when your world upends itself.

Sequel releasing June 18, 2026: Arcadie II: Cold Lands (demo available)

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🔥 RELEASE DATE 🔥

⭐Wishlist the game on Steam!

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3 weeks to go!!!

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Demo saves compatibility

Ahead of Arcadie II: Cold Lands' full release, I have updated the Steam demo so that:

It is now more in line with the final version of the game (with music, sound effects, revised text...)

The demo now ends earlier...

...But! You will be able to carry your save(s) over to the full release.

You just need to make a save on the final screen, and you'll be able to pick up from there in the full game. Saves from older versions of the demo will not work.

⭐ The full game will release on June 18, 2026!

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I’m completely addicted to this game at this point—I’m already on my eighth playthrough of Stan’s route. I’m honestly in awe of how immersive it is and how compelling the characters are. Thank you so much for making this game.

I’ve got a few questions, if that’s alright:

• After the sequel, do you have any plans to continue the Arcadie series?

• What are Wil, Cyril, and Stan’s favorite foods?

• When Wil and Stan got into a fight in ACL, Cyril immediately stepped in to break it up—was that something that happened occasionally in the past, maybe when they were at the Academy? or was it more just Cyril being quick to read the situation?

• I have a headcanon that, when it comes to swordsmanship, the ranking among the three LIs is Wil > Stan > Cyril. Is that accurate?

• Will the LIs be good parents? I feel like Wil and Cyril would both be very doting and caring—especially Wil, who might even be a bit overprotective. But I’m not so sure about Stan. I mean, he’d probably love his kid, but Stan is a complicated man and I'm not sure if he would be a good father.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read all this. I’m really looking forward to the full version of the game!

Thank you ❤ The full game is right around the corner!!!

I'll try to answer your questions under the cut.

After the sequel, do you have any plans to continue the Arcadie series?

Depends entirely on how well the game does.

What are Wil, Cyril, and Stan’s favorite foods?

Cyril likes tea and sweets, ideally with a good book. Will isn't difficult, might enjoy braised meat. Stan? I can see him really liking some obscure dish he's tasted once in his life, and never quite figuring out what it was.

Note: Only what's actually in the games is canon. My ask replies are just spur-of-the-moment ideas ;)

When Wil and Stan got into a fight in ACL, Cyril immediately stepped in to break it up—was that something that happened occasionally in the past, maybe when they were at the Academy? or was it more just Cyril being quick to read the situation?

It's a reaction in the moment thing. Note that Cyril does not step in in their own route.

I have a headcanon that, when it comes to swordsmanship, the ranking among the three LIs is Wil > Stan > Cyril. Is that accurate?

It's Will = Stan > Cyril, though Cyril would beat them both in close quarters combat.

Will the LIs be good parents? I feel like Wil and Cyril would both be very doting and caring—especially Wil, who might even be a bit overprotective. But I’m not so sure about Stan. I mean, he’d probably love his kid, but Stan is a complicated man and I'm not sure if he would be a good father.

Sorry I'm not going to answer this. Might be explored down the line ;)

Thank you again, and I hope you enjoy the sequel (less than one month away!!!)

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🔥 RELEASE DATE 🔥

⭐Wishlist the game on Steam!

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Achievements sneak peek!

⭐If you haven't already, wishlist the game on Steam!

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Playtesting applications closed

Thank you to everyone who reached out to beta test Arcadie: Cold Lands!

Side note: I will be announcing the game's release date end of this week!

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Hi! So, two- no wait, three things! : P

1) I just finished Second-Born after finding it a little over 2 days ago, and I loved it! The story and characters were fantastic and I really enjoyed the way other paths would open up from exploring the options rather than just acting without a thought! That was probably the most rewarding part of the gameplay for me honestly lol that said, I am SO weak for my badass rich girl Cyril 💜💜💜 she's such a sweetie 😭

2) I'm absolutely thrilled to know there's a sequel in the works!!! I can't wait to devour it in two days in every moment of my freetime as well xD

And 3) What was developing this like? I have wanted to do something like this before, and if anything, reading SB makes me want to write my own Interactive Novel so bad! But I honestly have no idea where to start x.x I saw Twine and Sugarcube listed in the credits as what you used to construct the game(s?), and I was considering just playing with them and going from there. Do you have any recommendations for how to approach writing an IN? It occurs to me as I finish writing that last sentence that maybe I should check your FAQ ^ ^;

But thank you! This was such a delight to find and read : ) can't wait to see what's in store for the Cold Lands!

Hi!

Glad you enjoyed Arcadie: Second-Born! :)

If everything goes well, Cold Lands should be releasing in June!

I'll answer below the cut.

What was developing this like?

In one word? Exhausting 😅

It's much more work than you'd expect at first. It's pretty much writing multiple novels in one and the work that entails, while trying to keep the narrative coherent despite varying world states.

I saw Twine and Sugarcube listed in the credits as what you used to construct the game(s?), and I was considering just playing with them and going from there.

You should definitely do that. I answered an ask a while ago about the different options I personally tried.

I used ChoiceScript for ASB at first then moved to Twine/SugarCube. Cold Lands is made in Ren'Py.

Do you have any recommendations for how to approach writing an IN?

Make an outline, would be my 1st recommandation.

I am a panster at heart, but IF is reaaally not a medium in which you can 'pants' (if you intent to finish the work, that is). You need some sort of outline--pretty detailed outline. I don't make mine too detailed otherwise it feels like I've already written the story and I get incredibly bored with it; ASB's outline VS the final version are pretty different.

Writing an IF also involves trying to place the main character in the 'cool', 'main' role at most if not all times; you can't have other characters doing all the cool stuff while the reader is just there... reading. IF is at a crossroads between novel and game, and a game where you're not involved in the cool stuff is frustrating.

Having a realistic scope is also, to me, super important. Don't try to give a million options, to write a million branches; you'll just burn yourself out.

I hope this was helpful, and good luck if you decide to give writing IF a shot! :)

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Arcadie: Cold Lands - Patreon Update - March 2026

Will's route is finally fully playable!

I also added an opportunity to choose whether to call them by their nickname

You can now play through all the previously available content while accounting for an active romance with Will

Alpha access: patreon.com/arcadieutopie

⭐Play the public demo of Arcadie: Cold Lands on itch.io or Steam

⭐Wishlist the game on Steam

💌 Subscribe to my newsletter

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Because no one knows what tomorrow will bring...

The latest Discord mess reminded me that no platform is safe from these beautiful things known as enshittification, corporate meddling, and IPOs.

If you'd like to keep in touch no matter what happens, please join my newsletter!

You'll be notified when I'll do the following things:

Open beta-testing

Launch the full game on Steam

Launch the full game on mobile

⭐You can sign up here!

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Arcadie: Cold Lands - Patreon Update - February 2026

We're getting to the start of the final arc of the story!

Return to Goldridge and meet with the Noble Assembly who has, as always, grievances to share

Speak with Brimarke if you secured their loyalty (or not)

And deal with an uninvited guest

Reminder that Will's route still does not go beyond the content that's in the public demo.

Alpha access: patreon.com/arcadieutopie

⭐Play the public demo of Arcadie: Cold Lands on itch.io or Steam

⭐Wishlist the game on Steam

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Hiya! Thank you so much for answering my questions! And I’m so glad you liked my drawing!❤️ still can’t believe how many likes I got on that drawing now😳🤯 I hope you don’t mind another couple questions to do with the sequel.

so something I noticed in the first game was that despite my mc being a pacifist trying to create peace, it didn’t affect the relationship I had with Will even though he/they was more siding towards war. So I was wondering if my mc being a pacifist in the sequel would affect the relationship with Will this time?

also was wondering if there will be moments we can call him/them Will again? I practically swooned when he said he rather the mc call him by ‘Will’ because it’s who is closest to him calls him that😍 but I noticed in the demo mc called him Wilfred even in private.

Hey! Sorry, I answer asks waaaay later than I get them. I'm always happy to reblog art :)

So I was wondering if my mc being a pacifist in the sequel would affect the relationship with Will this time?

......Yes 👀

also was wondering if there will be moments we can call him/them Will again? I practically swooned when he said he rather the mc call him by ‘Will’ because it’s who is closest to him calls him that😍 but I noticed in the demo mc called him Wilfred even in private.

Yeah that's because I... forgot 😅 I'll try to slip it back in once I'm done with Cyril's route (almost there!!!)

Thank you for your message, and sorry again for replying so late.

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hello ☺️

guess who just discovered the cold lands demo? shoutout to my itch.io collections that set off the whole atoc -> imperial grace -> arcadie route 😂

i may have left some love for part one in your inbox back in 2022 (aka ages ago!) + because it's such a long time, i went in with zero expectations ...

wow, wow, wow. there's been a bunch of changes, but they all help set the vibe of the whole story from the start: the music, the beautiful art (uff, the backgrounds are stunning!), the codex. i may have no direct comparison to part one yet (i really need to put in a replay 🤔), but nevertheless your writing is so enjoyable!

thanks for your hard work & have a nice rest of the week 💖

Thank you so much! ❤

Hopefully the full game will be releasing in Q2 of this year (May or June). I'm on track thus far.

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hi, not sure if this has been asked already, but i just finished playing through the sequel demo through romancing wilfred and was just wondering if there's any kind of crossover between love interests or if once you pick a route you're locked in. i was hoping for some kind of angst-filled/jealousy scenes or something (looking at you stanislas...). thanks sm for your hard work and im so excited for the full release!

Hi! You are indeed locked-in once you choose a romance option. Some of the plot beats change depending on who your love interest is, so there was no way around that.

I guess you can spot, if you squint, some… not jealousy, but something like signs of affection from the other potential love interests.

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Hi! I hope you're doing well :)

I was wondering, will we ever learn more details of Stan's plan after overthrowing the royals, and how that would have worked out, had he succeeded? Because I'm rotating this scenario inside my head and i so badly want to pry into his head.

I cannot stop theorizing how it would have affected the country and whether he would actually have been able to realize his plans or if it would have turned into a messy civil war anyways (cannot see the Lavignacs caving, or nobles being too happy about Stan threatening their power and bringing the enemy, kalltlanders, into the heart of arcadie, etc)

It's such an interesting part of the story, and I would be very happy to learn more. (only if you're interested in writing it, of course)

Thank you for sharing your writing, it continues to bring me a lot of joy :)

Hi! I'm doing okay, hope you're doing well too!

Stan's long term plans (ie. retroceding lands north and south, giving the people a say in the kingdom's affairs) definitely would have ruffled Arcadie's nobility's feathers. He was more than prepared for a civil war, though (which he does say in ASB, on the balcony scene if you ask him about his plan).

Whether it would have gone that route would have depended on how well he would have presented his case. He's very non-diplomatic in ASB (and ACL) but he's perfectly capable of sitting down and talking, and persuading people to his side.

You'll be able to ask some of those questions to Stanislas throughout his route in the sequel. Just don't expect him to give you straightforward answers, lol

Thank you for reading my writing, I'm glad it can bring you joy!

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Arcadie: Cold Lands - Patreon Update - January 2026

Happy New Year! 🎉

This month's update will have you dealing with the aftermath of your decisions in Arington.

Face Arington's President and his Chief of Army

Will you play along their apparent amicability or bring up their deceit head-on?

Your choices can lead you into an undefendable position, but maybe conflict is exactly what you're looking for...

Alpha access: patreon.com/arcadieutopie

⭐Play the public demo of Arcadie: Cold Lands on itch.io or Steam

⭐Wishlist the game on Steam

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Wilfred has sworn to protect you till his last breath, and serves as both your trusted advisor and your Commander in the South. Despite a cold exterior, his affection is steadfast and genuine, although his thirst for revenge is just as fierce.

⭐Wishlist on Steam

⭐ Play the free demo:

• On Steam • In your browser: PC/macOS/Linux || Mobile