Windstorm: The Legend of Khiimori Lets You Ride Hyper‑Real 13th‑Century Mongolian Horses — Survival, Crafting, No Human Combat (Early Access Nov. 4)
Windstorm: The Legend of Khiimori is an open-world, third-person adventure from Aesir Interactive set in 13th-century Mongolia that focuses on horse care, riding, and courier missions rather than large-scale human conflict. At Gamescom the developer showed a hands-on 30-minute demo and discussed the game’s systems, cultural input, and audio work.
Overview
Windstorm: The Legend of Khiimori is developed by Aesir Interactive and set in 13th-century Mongolia. The game positions the player as a young courier who travels between settlements on horseback to deliver messages and goods. Unlike many historical games, only wild animals will attack the player; there are no human combat campaigns in the demo shown at Gamescom.
Gameplay and demo details
At Gamescom, reporters were given a 30-minute hands-on demo that combined riding, survival, and light crafting. Players receive a bow (for protection), a map, and consumables. Materials gathered from the environment can be combined in a crafting menu to make arrows, potions, and medicine.
During the demo the player character faced threats such as wolves, dangerous cliffs, and cold mountain weather. Developers also demonstrated an anti-cold potion for a horse; if a horse dies, the demo treats that event as a game-over condition. The in-demo economy and horse ownership features include buying, selling, and breeding horses, plus stat pages that show differences in strength and endurance between mounts.
Horses: realism and systems
The Windstorm series centers on horses, and this entry emphasizes realistic appearance and behavior. Aesir Interactive employed a horse advisor, Alice Ruppert, to guide development on behavior. The art team observed horses in a barn for visual reference, while the sound team recorded real horse sounds rather than using generic downloads.
Players must manage feeding, watering, and overall happiness for their horses. The demo also showed that different horses have different stats, giving players a reason to choose specific mounts for specific tasks. The development team is still undecided about whether players will be able to freely name their horses.
Cultural work and audio
Aesir Interactive hired Mongolian advisors, a Mongolian musician, and a Mongolian actress to contribute to the project. The studio stated an aim to portray Mongolian culture and history in a way that is believable and respectful. As Alice Ruppert put it: “Not everything is possible. There’s always a choice of what we choose to portray and what we highlight. But it must be believable and respectful towards the culture.”
The musician who contributed to the demo said: “I thought of this song as a reflection of the history of Mongolia,” and added, “I want people to experience the natural beauty of the Mongolian steppes.” He also said, “I hope [Windstorm: The Legend of Khiimori] reaches many people, and that people will learn more about nomadic culture.”
Release plan
Windstorm: The Legend of Khiimori will enter early access on Nov. 4 for Windows PC. The full release is planned for 2026 on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X/S.
