9 Kings 1.0 Release Date: PC Game Pass, Four Game Modes and New Cards

The 9 Kings 1.0 release date is Thursday, 12 November 2026. Sad Socket’s kingdom-building roguelike is set to leave Early Access on PC, with the full version coming to Steam, GOG, the Epic Games Store and the Microsoft Store. It’s available through PC Game Pass, too.

If you’ve already sunk hours into the Early Access version, Joker Mode is a good reason to come back. It lets you build a custom starting deck and change the rules of a run, while the 1.0 update brings more cards, decrees and perks. The 9 Kings 1.0 release date also marks the arrival of the game’s fourth main mode.

9 Kings 1.0 Release Date and Platforms

The 9 Kings 1.0 release date is 12 November 2026. The game first arrived in Early Access in May 2025, so this is the full PC launch rather than its first appearance. Existing owners can look for the 1.0 update through the store where they bought it.

Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store and Microsoft Store are all confirmed for PC. It’s also included with PC Game Pass, where the Early Access version was already available. That doesn’t mean a console release has been announced, and Sad Socket hasn’t given a confirmed UK launch hour.

If you’re waiting for the download, check the store or Xbox app you normally use. The developer has confirmed the day, but not a universal time when every PC version will update.

All Four Game Modes

The 9 Kings 1.0 release date brings the total to four main modes. Whether you prefer the normal single-player challenge or testing a ridiculous build against other players, there’s plenty to get stuck into.

• Singleplayer: build your kingdom, defend it against rival kings and work through increasingly difficult runs.
• Multiplayer: asynchronous PvP against kingdoms other people have built. You don’t have to wait for an opponent to take a live turn.
• Quest Mode: a separate map of challenges across the 9 Lands, unlocked by winning a single-player run.
• Joker Mode: a custom mode where you create a nine-card starting deck and adjust the game’s rules.

Joker Mode is the new addition. Singleplayer, multiplayer and Quest Mode were already playable during Early Access, but they’ve had balance changes and more content along the way. You won’t be starting from scratch just because the game has reached version 1.0.

9 Kings 1.0 Release Date: What Is Joker Mode?

The headline feature is the ability to choose your own nine-card deck, mixing cards from different kings instead of starting with one ruler’s usual selection. You can also apply rule modifiers. That opens up combinations you normally have to wait for through battles, rewards and merchants.

Rather than hoping a key building appears halfway through a run, you can start with the combination you want to experiment with. It’s perfect for those ideas that never quite come together when you’re relying on random rewards. The studio hasn’t named every rule modifier yet, so the full range of options will be easier to judge in the finished mode.

New Cards, Decrees and Perks in Version 1.0

For the 9 Kings 1.0 release date, Sad Socket has announced more than 130 cards, including new Rainbow cards, alongside more than 140 decrees and 110 perks. That means new combinations for individual kings as well as universal and multiplayer builds.

Decrees matter because they can change the way a whole run behaves. A card can be useful on its own, but the right decree or neighbouring building can turn an average setup into a much stronger one. Rainbow cards add another layer because they aren’t tied to a single king’s usual nine-card selection.

There are also new daily quests and more work on Quest Mode. If you’ve spent months perfecting the same few builds, this is the kind of extra challenge that makes returning worthwhile.

Where Should New Players Start?

Start with Singleplayer. Learn the difference between placing a card on an empty plot and levelling an existing one, try a few card combinations and work towards your first victory. Winning a single-player run unlocks Quest Mode, while the other kings have separate milestones for actions such as spending gold or levelling plots.

If you’re returning for the update, Joker Mode is the best place to experiment with ideas you’ve never been able to set up reliably. Multiplayer is there when you want your builds tested against other people’s kingdoms, and Quest Mode is the place for specific challenges rather than another standard battle.

The 9 Kings 1.0 release date is 12 November on PC. If you’re new, learn the basics in Singleplayer; if you’ve unlocked Joker Mode, I’d head there to experiment with the card combinations you could never seem to draw together.

Official source: Sad Socket / Hooded Horse official 9 Kings information.