Idle empire game that waits for you · 2026
Conquest
An idle strategy game about running an empire you are allowed to walk away from. Gold comes in whether or not you are watching; what you actually manage is resources, people and politics, across territory that never runs out and might welcome you or rebel. Made for autistic and ADHD players from 7 up — and for anyone who only has ten minutes. It is now played by children at the CM Child Development Clinic.
Design pillars
Land that asks for something back
Running an empire here means managing people and politics, not just gold. Every few turns a conquered territory needs something from you — resources, or simply attention — and neglect one long enough and it can rebel, taking the land with it. Holding an empire turns out to be a maintenance problem, not a conquest problem.
Endless land, and every piece picks a side
There is no edge to reach. Territory is generated as you go, from small villages up to entire solar systems, and each place arrives with a disposition: benevolent or malevolent, a protector or a tyrant. Some welcome you and align with what the empire is trying to do. Others exist to take the throne off you.
An army is a team, not a number
Archers, swordsmen, cavalry and wizards cost different amounts and do different jobs, and a buff only doubles one type at a time. Working out which members fit together is the game — the same question the territories ask, one level up.
It keeps growing while you are away
Gold accrues per second, miners raise the rate, and putting the game down costs you nothing. For a player who cannot hold a long session, and for an adult with a few spare minutes, progress is still there when you come back.
Process
How it actually went
Third game, and the deeper dive
This is the third game I built in Unity on my own, and it was deliberately a test run: most of what is in it uses a feature I had not touched before. The first two games taught me how to finish something. This one was about getting further into the engine itself.
Why an idle game
An idle game is a let-it-grow game — it does not punish you for putting it down. That matters for the players I build for, because attention is what they are short of, not ability. It also means someone with a busy day can still get somewhere in a few minutes.
Teamwork you can feel working
Both systems are really about teamwork. The army only works when the troops cover each other's niches, and the territories only stay loyal while you keep noticing what each of them needs. I would rather a player feel how a group holds together than be told about it.
Simple, medieval, all on one screen
Like my other games it is pixel art with a medieval feel, but drawn in a simpler style. The shop, the buffs, the army and the battle log all sit on the same screen, so nothing important hides behind a menu — prices climb with every unit you buy, and each miner adds a percent to your income, so the next decision is always in front of you.
No levels, on purpose
Because it's an idle game, there isn't a level in the usual sense: the terrain and territories are generated without end, from small villages up to entire solar systems, so no two empires grow the same way.
Gallery
Click any image to see it full size.
Outcome
- Played by children at the CM Child Development Clinic
- Third game built in Unity — coded and drawn solo
- Designed for autistic and ADHD players from 7 up, and for anyone with ten spare minutes
- Endless generated territory that can welcome or rebel, four troop types and timed buffs