Jon Shafer's At the Gates
Released Jan 2019
At the Gates is an indie strategy game from Jon Shafer, designer of Civilization 5. You are a dark age lord building a kingdom to replace the crumbling Roman Empire. Manage your clans, explore the landscape around you, harvest its resources, and build a mighty economic and military machine.
41% positive · 498 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence
Where to buy
Steam $29.99
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Evaluation
Jon Shafer's At the Gates launched on January 23, 2019 and received a steady series of post-launch major updates: v1.1 (May 31, 2019), v1.2 (June 25, 2019), v1.3 (December 19, 2019), and v1.4 (June 25, 2020). These updates addressed core gameplay systems including food balance, the Roman faction, AI improvements, and a rebuilt diplomacy system.
In the v1.4 post (June 25, 2020), Jon Shafer mentioned plans for a v1.5 focused on further diplomacy refinement and AI work. However, that post is the last developer communication on record — no v1.5 update or any subsequent announcement has appeared since June 25, 2020. That is now nearly six years of silence from the developer.
The v1.4 post did reference "more to come," but that comment was made in the context of plans that were never followed through with a public release. Given the extended silence far beyond the game's established update cadence (roughly every 3–7 months between v1.1 and v1.4), and no roadmap, unreleased DLC, or any further developer communication, the game is best understood as having concluded its update cycle with v1.4. The store description contains no mention of planned future content or ongoing development, and there are no unreleased DLC listings. The game shipped as a premium, complete product and its last substantive update was v1.4 on June 25, 2020.
Evidence
v1.4 released with major diplomacy overhaul. Developer mentions plans for v1.5 focusing on diplomacy refinement and AI, and says 'there's still more to come.' This is the last developer communication on record.
Developer posted the v1.4 design plan and mentioned rough plans for v1.5 after v1.4 shipped.
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Conifer Games
Achievements
—
Platform
Windows, macOS, Linux
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Not rated
Players
Single-player
About this game
At the Gates is a 4X grand strategy game from Jon Shafer, designer of Civilization 5.
You are a Dark Age lord. Your destiny is to build a kingdom in the shadow of the crumbling Roman Empire. Explore the dangerous landscape around you, harvest its resources, and build a mighty economic and military machine. Your clans have their own personalities and desires, so carefully consider how you use them.
It won't be easy. Your path is unsure. Overcome your immensely strong neighbors. Outlast the frigid winters of the far north to discover a source of gold and vast riches.
Are you the leader who will usher in a new era of European history? Or will you be forgotten?
You are a Dark Age lord. Your destiny is to build a kingdom in the shadow of the crumbling Roman Empire. Explore the dangerous landscape around you, harvest its resources, and build a mighty economic and military machine. Your clans have their own personalities and desires, so carefully consider how you use them.
It won't be easy. Your path is unsure. Overcome your immensely strong neighbors. Outlast the frigid winters of the far north to discover a source of gold and vast riches.
Are you the leader who will usher in a new era of European history? Or will you be forgotten?
An Evolving Map
Seasons and weather dramatically transform the landscape around you. The river that once served as a barrier in the summer might become a highway in the winter - for both you and your enemies!Character Management
Each of your clans has unique traits and desires, so choose carefully how you use them.Survival & Roguelike Elements
Keep your clans fed through the harsh winter. Resources run out so always be hunting for more. Your neighbors can be immensely strong. Every game poses new challenges and opportunities.Watercolor Art Style
A beautiful watercolor landscape serves as the canvas for your clever economic and military strategies.Tooltips-in-Tooltips!
AtG features a revolutionary user interface which utilizes "tooltips-in-tooltips" for the very first time, making it far easier to learn without sacrificing any gameplay depth.Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Jun 28, 2026
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