Devlog 1: Stepping Into The Arena

Gladiator Command is finally stepping into the arena. Ever since I played Football Manager 2014, I kept thinking the formula would be perfect in a gladiator setting. I searched for a game that scratched that itch and never found one that hit all the notes I wanted. A little over a year ago, I reached a point in life where I stopped waiting and decided to make it myself.

Steam post imageIt has been one of the toughest things I’ve ever done, but month after month my skills improved through brutal trial and error. I put an early prototype on Itch to gather feedback and build a small community. The concept resonated, but the visuals clearly held the project back, and momentum faded. That pushed me to invest in proper art, search for the right style, and eventually hire Julio “JKen” Martins as a freelance artist to help bring the world to life.

Now the time has come to transition from Itch completely and focus development here on Steam. All future updates and progress will happen here.

About the Game

Gladiator Command is a gladiator management sim where you run your own ludus, recruit fighters, train them, schedule matches, and try to survive the brutal day to day grind of arena life. Fighters get injured, recover, rise in fame, or fade out. Combat is real time and fully automated, so your preparation, training decisions, equipment, and match choices decide the outcome.

The injury system means defeated gladiators usually survive, though there is always a ten percent risk a fight ends their career permanently. The day loop, staff hiring, prestige system, and facility progression are designed to give a constant sense of growth while still punishing bad decisions.

I’m proud to release the first public Steam demo of Gladiator Command. Any feedback, bug reports, or suggestions are welcome. You can reach me directly on Discord.

If you enjoy the demo and want to see this world grow, wishlist the game and join the community.

My goal is simple: Attempt to build the best gladiator management sim on Steam and improve it every single week.