Stronghold (2001 video game)

Stronghold is a 2001 real-time strategy video game developed by Firefly Studios and originally published by Gathering of Developers for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It is the first instalment of the Stronghold series. The game focuses primarily on conquest and expansion through military pursuits but also has prominent economic and infrastructure development elements. There is both an economic and a military campaign to be played and both are discussed in the game manual. In the English version, the game takes place in Medieval Britain around the year 1066; however, since there is not always a time limit, scenarios can continue hundreds of years beyond that date.

Stronghold was a commercial success, with global sales above 1.5 million units by 2004. As well as earning many favorable reviews from reviewers such as PC Gamer and GameSpy, the game continues to boast a large community, who edit and create various material through the in-game Map Editor/Scenario Creator. The game's popularity led to several sequels: Stronghold: Crusader (2002), Stronghold 2 (2005), Stronghold Legends (2006), Stronghold Crusader Extreme (2008), Stronghold 3 (2011), Stronghold Kingdoms (2012), Stronghold Crusader II (2014), and Stronghold: Warlords (2021). The original game received a high-definition re-release in 2013. A remaster subtitled Definitive Edition was released on 7 November 2023 for Windows by Firefly Studios, 2 years after the company was acquired by Devolver Digital.