Palaye Publishing is preparing a new project for release from Ukrainian studio Starni Games, known for its World War II strategy games Strategic Mind. It’s a turn-based tactical strategy game about large combat robots under the working title Steel Core.
Palaye Publishing is preparing a new project for release from Ukrainian studio Starni Games, known for its World War II strategy games Strategic Mind. It’s a turn-based tactical strategy game about large combat robots under the working title Steel Core.
This was reported to dev.ua by the Palaye team. The upcoming release will be the second game in the company’s publishing portfolio. Earlier, the publisher signed an agreement to publish another promising Ukrainian strategy — Warfactory from Terykon Games.
For Starni Games, the development of Steel Core is a significant step, as it is their first major project outside the usual historical setting. Instead of a detailed recreation of real battles of the past, the developers will this time invite players to immerse themselves in a sci-fi world of huge mechs.
▒ HOSTILE ACTIVITY IN YOUR SECTOR
— Project STEEL CORE (@SteelCoreGame) May 21, 2026
▒ Full Reveal August 2026 #TurnBasedThursday #indiegame #gamedev pic.twitter.com/gBGioiOMU0
The official announcement of Steel Core is scheduled for August this year. The game will probably be presented at the next Ukrainian video game festival on Steam, which traditionally takes place on the eve of Ukraine’s Independence Day.
Kyiv-based studio Starni Games gained recognition for its successful turn-based strategy series Strategic Mind. The team’s last major release was Headquarters: World War II, released in 2024, and developing the theme of World War II battles on a tactical level.
As a reminder, Warfactory from Terykon Games and Palaye is a strategy game that combines planetary-scale automation with real-time combat. In it, players control an ancient Mind, restoring order to the galaxy, where each battle droid is assembled in a factory directly from individual components.
