Mount and Blade Bannerlord: Worth Playing in 2025

Few games spark the “just one more battle” feeling like Mount & Blade does, but for new players Bannerlord’s open sandbox can feel more like a blank page. We’ve dug into the systems — from marriage to faction choice — to help you decide if this medieval RPG is worth your time.

Developer: TaleWorlds Entertainment ·
Release Date: October 25, 2022 ·
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 ·
Steam Rating: Very Positive (83% of 100,000+ reviews) ·
Genre: Strategy Action RPG

The pattern behind these facts: Bannerlord’s most reliable sources are the developer’s own site and community-maintained wikis.

Is Mount and Blade Bannerlord any good?

That depends on what you want. Bannerlord is a medieval sandbox strategy action RPG set in the fictional continent of Calradia, as described by TaleWorlds Entertainment (developer official site). It gives you the freedom to build an army, manage fiefs, and found or support kingdoms. Players who love that kind of open-ended gameplay will find a lot to enjoy. Others might struggle with the lack of a clear path forward.

Is Bannerlord a hard game?

The learning curve is real. The real-time combat requires practice, and the economy system — managing food, wages, trade goods, and troop morale — can get complex. A Steam Community discussion (player discussion) points out that even small mistakes in relationship management can break a marriage deal. New players should expect to spend several hours just grasping the basics.

What do players like most about Bannerlord?

• Massive battles: Up to 1,000 troops on the field at once. (Steam)
• Mod support: The Steam Workshop hosts hundreds of mods that tweak mechanics, add content, or fix issues. (Steam Workshop)
• Freedom in character progression: You can be a trader, a mercenary, a vassal, or a ruler — the choice is yours.

The trade-off is that the late game can feel like a grind. Once you become a ruler, the game turns into repetitive diplomacy and war management without a strong narrative hook.

The implication: Bannerlord’s freedom is its strength and its weakness — the game rewards patience and self-direction.

Is Mount and Blade a Turkish game?

Yes. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is developed and published by TaleWorlds Entertainment, a game studio based in Ankara, Turkey. The original Mount & Blade was also created by the same company. The studio’s official site lists all three games in the series as their own work. (Wikipedia)

Who developed Mount and Blade Bannerlord?

As noted, TaleWorlds Entertainment is the sole developer and publisher. The studio’s FAQ on TaleWorlds (FAQ page) confirms that Bannerlord is set in a fictional version of Calradia and features six major kingdoms at the start of the campaign.

How long does it take to beat Bannerlord?

Wikipedia describes Bannerlord as a sandbox campaign. That means play time varies enormously based on what you choose to do. The main story — a series of quests leading to the creation of your own kingdom — takes roughly 50 hours. A full completionist run that includes conquering every city and building a family dynasty can exceed 200 hours. The sandbox nature means you could spend 100 hours just trading and never touch the main quest.

How long is the main story?

About 50 hours for a focused playthrough. That figure comes from community estimates on Steam discussions (player discussion), but official metrics are not published.

How long for a full completion?

Completing everything — uniting all Calradia under your rule, maxing out clan tier, and fulfilling the “reforge the empire” quest — can take 200+ hours. The game’s freeform pacing is what makes it both flexible and time-consuming.

How many wives does Bannerlord 2 have?

The game’s full title is Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, not Bannerlord 2. And in the base game you can have only one spouse at a time. PC Gamer (gaming guide) outlines the marriage process: find a candidate, speak with them, wait, speak again, propose, and then secure approval from the clan leader (usually the father). Divorce is not possible without mods.

Can you have multiple spouses in Bannerlord?

Not in the vanilla game. The system is designed for monogamy. However, the Mount & Blade Wiki (community wiki) notes that male characters can court multiple ladies at the same time before deciding which one to marry — but once the knot is tied, that’s it.

How does marriage work in Bannerlord?

Here’s the step-by-step according to PC Gamer and the Wiki:

1. Open the Encyclopedia (press N) and find eligible nobles.
2. Travel to their location and speak with them. Build relationship by completing quests or giving gifts.
3. When relationship is positive (0 or above), propose marriage. The clan leader’s approval is required.
4. The approval step uses the barter interface — you may need to offer denars, trade goods, or equipment. (PC Gamer)
5. If accepted, the spouse joins your clan. Female characters can also marry — Mount & Blade Wiki says they can propose to lords via the “cement the alliance” option.

Data from TaleWorlds FAQ.

Six factions, one pattern: three Imperial successor states and three non-Imperial kingdoms. Your starting culture determines which troop trees you have easy access to, but the core combat rules remain the same.

Can you have kids in Bannerlord?

Yes. After marrying, children can be born while the couple is staying in the same settlement. The Mount & Blade Wiki (community wiki) confirms that pregnancy occurs randomly. Children grow up and can later become companions or heirs.

What are the chances of having a kid in Bannerlord?

Community reports suggest a base chance of roughly 10% per night when both parents are in the same settlement. That number is not official — Steam Community (player discussion) mentions it varies with mods and game version. If you want a large clan, marriage and babies are a key mechanic because children grow to become new party leaders.

The pattern: pregnancy rates are community-sourced, so treat the 10% as a rough guide rather than a fixed rule.

What we know, what we don’t

We’ve separated well-documented facts from areas where information is thin or community-sourced.

What players and guides say

“PC Gamer describes the marriage process as requiring a player to find a candidate, speak with them, obtain the liege’s approval, and often pay a large dowry.”

PC Gamer (gaming publication)

“A popular beginner guide on YouTube recommends checking potential spouses through the kingdom and clan interfaces, then selecting candidates by faction or culture.”

YouTube beginner guide (community content)

“One player notes that relation below 0 with a potential spouse’s clan guarantees a failed marriage attempt.”

Steam Community discussion (player forum)

“The Mount & Blade Wiki explains that male characters can court multiple ladies before deciding whom to marry.”

Mount & Blade Wiki (community wiki)

Bannerlord pros and cons at a glance

Bannerlord specifications

Six key specs, one takeaway: Bannerlord is a last-generation-friendly game that still pushes large battles thanks to its efficient simulation.

The pattern: the specs show a game that prioritises simulation scale over graphical fidelity — your hardware matters less than your strategic patience.

How to get married in Bannerlord (step-by-step)

Based on the guides from PC Gamer and YouTube community guides, here’s the process:

1. Find a candidate — Use the Encyclopedia (N key) to locate eligible nobles of the opposite sex who are not already married.
2. Build relationship — Complete quests for them or give gifts. A positive relationship (0 or above) is required; below 0 guarantees rejection. (Steam Community)
3. Propose — Speak to the candidate and choose the marriage dialogue option. Then you’ll need approval from the head of their clan (often the father).
4. Negotiate the barter — The approval step opens the barter screen. You may need to pay a significant amount of denars, offer trade goods, or hand over equipment. (PC Gamer)
5. Celebrate — If accepted, the spouse joins your clan. For female characters, the process involves choosing the “cement the alliance to their house” option with a lord. (Mount & Blade Wiki)

Related reading: It Takes Two Game Guide · PlayStation 6 Release Date

For a more detailed walkthrough, you might also appreciate the Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord guide covering both PS5 and PC.

Frequently asked questions