The medieval survival RPG, Nested Lands, pushes its Early Access launch to February 25th to ensure players have the most “comprehensive” character customization possible.
In the world of game development, delays are usually accompanied by somber letters from the studio head, apologizing for “polishing bugs” or “optimizing performance.” It is rare that a delay is announced with a wink and a nudge regarding digital anatomy.
META Publishing and developer 1M Bits Horde announced today that their upcoming medieval-adjacent survival RPG, Nested Lands, has been delayed. Originally slated for an earlier release, the game will now launch into Steam Early Access on February 25, 2026.
The reason? The developers need a few more weeks to develop the world through environmental storytelling, improve co-op immersion, and—most importantly—finish work on a genital slider.
Hard at Work (Pun Intended)
While the press release highlights the addition of “wacky environmental storytelling” and features designed to make the game “more fun to play with friends,” the headline grabber is undoubtedly the character creator update.
“The developers are also hard at work (pun intended) at adding the most crucial character creator feature of them all: a genital slider,” the studio stated in the announcement. “Because even in a country plagued by the Black Death and marauding bandits, some things simply have priority.”
It seems Nested Lands is aiming to join the ranks of Cyberpunk 2077 and Conan Exiles in the pantheon of games that allow players to define their characters down to the most intimate detail. Whether this feature will have any gameplay impact—or if it is purely for the immersive joy of knowing your plague-ridden peasant is accurately represented under their rags—remains to be seen.
Surviving the Black Death in Nested Lands
Beneath the cheeky announcement lies a grim and gritty survival experience. Nested Lands is a survival-settlement RPG set against the backdrop of the Black Death. It promises a brutal, “medieval-adjacent” world where survival is far from guaranteed.
Players start with absolutely nothing. The core loop involves resource scavenging, constructing shelter, and gradually building a functioning village from the mud up. But the environment is actively trying to kill you.
Key Features Include:
- Plague Mechanics: You aren’t just fighting hunger; you are fighting the sickness itself. Enduring “nasty plague outbreaks” is a central pillar of the gameplay.
- Combat: Protecting your villagers is essential. Threats range from standard marauding bandits to “unstable plague-twisted foes,” suggesting a light supernatural or mutational twist to the historical setting.
- Mental State & Hygiene: In a unique twist for the genre, the game tracks the main character’s mental state and personal hygiene. Leading a village through a pandemic takes a toll, and apparently, so does refusing to bathe.
A Co-Op Struggle
The delay also aims to bolster the multiplayer experience. Nested Lands is designed for play with friends, enabling groups to share leadership responsibilities. The additional development time is being used to implement specific immersive elements that enhance group play, ensuring that suffering through the plague is a shared bonding experience.
With the new release date set for February 25, prospective village elders (and their carefully sculpted avatars) don’t have long to wait.
For updates on development progress and perhaps more “hard” news, players can follow Nested Lands on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, Discord, and YouTube.
