Vaunted: the sci-fi tactical RPG from a StarCraft co-creator is coming via Hooded Horse

On March 26, 2026, Hooded Horse — the Manor Lords publisher — unveiled Vaunted, the debut title from studio Lost Lake Games. The announcement at Xbox Partner Preview immediately got the tactical community talking: at the helm sits James Phinney, StarCraft’s historic co-creator, alongside ex-Guild Wars devs. Here’s what we know about this sci-fi tactical RPG blending turn-based and real-time.

TL;DR:

• Announced March 26, 2026, release planned for 2026
• Developed by Lost Lake Games (debut title) with James Phinney (StarCraft co-creator)
• Published by Hooded Horse (Manor Lords, Terra Invicta)
• Hybrid combat: turn-based planning + real-time execution, no traditional initiative
• Day one on PC Game Pass — Steam, Epic Games Store, Microsoft Store

Table of contents

• Who is Lost Lake Games?
• The narrative pitch: three post-empire mercenaries
• Combat: reactive turn-based without initiative
• What to expect from the ex-StarCraft team
• Availability and post-launch outlook

Who is Lost Lake Games?

Lost Lake Games is a recently-founded studio led by veterans with a heavy résumé:

• James Phinney — StarCraft co-creator (1998), historic figure in Blizzard RTS
• Several ex-Blizzard with StarCraft, Warcraft, Diablo on their CV
• Ex-ArenaNet with Guild Wars 1 and Guild Wars 2 experience
• A compact team — not a juggernaut, an ambitious indie studio

Hooded Horse made the same bet it did with Slavic Magic (Manor Lords): back a small studio with strong dev DNA. The strategy paid off with Manor Lords hitting 2 million sales in 6 months. We’ll see if Vaunted confirms the pattern.

The narrative pitch: three post-empire mercenaries

Vaunted’s universe is set: a millennium after the last galactic empire fell, imperial relics lie scattered across ruins. Mercenaries, smugglers, and treasure hunters battle over these priceless remnants.

You play Dyse, Gendril, and Kyvaath — three “dysfunctional frenemies” in the team’s words. The official pitch promises “bullets, bravado, and brazen lies” — classic space-western cyberpunk tone. Think Cowboy Bebop, The Outer Worlds, even Firefly.

The plot revolves around a score of a lifetime — a galactic heist pitting your trio against ruthless rivals, monstrous aliens, and giant robots. More Borderlands narrative than Grand Tactical grand strategy.

Combat: reactive turn-based without initiative

This is the distinctive hook that sets Vaunted apart from the tactical crowd.

No classic initiative. In XCOM, you move your soldier, then the aliens move, then you, etc. Vaunted breaks that: you decide who acts after an enemy activation. It echoes Valkyria Chronicles (PS3, 2008), which let you choose unit order via a shared AP system.

Hybrid turn-based + real-time. While you plan your actions, some things happen in real time (enemies moving, environments shifting). The team compares it to Frozen Synapse with more narrative, or Door Kickers with more depth.

“Vibrant, action-packed battlefields” — arenas aren’t abstract grids but living spaces. Trailers show Martian canyons, exploding orbital stations, submerged imperial wrecks.

It’s a risky formula: it can be brilliant (like Valkyria Chronicles) or confusing (like some failed hybrids of the 2010s). The team’s CV pushes us toward optimism.

What to expect from the ex-StarCraft team

The massive marketing pull is James Phinney. StarCraft is still considered the best RTS of all time by a large chunk of the community. That creates expectations:

• Millimeter-level balancing — StarCraft is iconic for its asymmetric balance across 3 factions
• Tactical readability — each unit has a clear role, no smoke and mirrors
• Narrative depth — StarCraft Brood War had real narrative that most post-2000 RTSs lost
• Solid AI — Blizzard has always been strong in single-player AI

But caution: Vaunted isn’t an RTS, it’s a tactical RPG. Design skills transpose, but they’re two very different genres. We’ll see in 6 months.

Availability and post-launch outlook

Platforms:

• Steam (date TBC)
• Epic Games Store
• Microsoft Store
• PC Game Pass day one — huge asset, guaranteed visibility

Our prediction: if Vaunted ships with classic Hooded Horse polish, it should join the strong tacticals of the year alongside Xenonauts 2 v1.0 and XCOM: Chimera Squad. The hybrid system is a bet, but if it works, it could become the most original tactical game of 2026.

We’re watching the release date. To compare with the other 2026 tacticals, see also our full Xenonauts 2 review.