We Love It's Guide to…
Build a gladiator school, outfit a mortal team, and fight grid-based arena battles on a revenge campaign against an emperor.
Released 12 Mar 2026
Spare Rivals to Recruit
Build a Gladiator City
Fight Grid-Based Arenas
Bloodgrounds merges tactical turn-based combat with strategic management, RPG and roguelite elements. Forged in the pits of the arena, you fought your way out and now as a wealthy patron you recruit, train, and command your team of hardened Gladiators to glory - or death.
Developed by Exordium Games · Published by Daedalic Entertainment









As a wealthy patron in a fantasy world inspired by ancient Rome, you recruit and train gladiators to take revenge on the tyrannical emperor who killed your father. Fighters can be recruited with gold, won over by sparing them in the arena, or lost permanently if they die in battle.
Arena fights use turn-based, grid-based combat. Assemble a team drawn from physical, ranged, and magical classes, then spend movement and action points to reposition, use weapons and abilities, deploy items, and contend with arena hazards. Audience challenges offer additional rewards during fights.
Between battles, spend earnings to build and upgrade city facilities for recruiting, training, healing, and trading. Equip and develop your fighters, manage injuries and traumas, and defeat regional champions to advance through new ages and unlock more buildings and items.
Players who enjoy Bloodgrounds often point to the appeal of assembling and customizing a gladiator roster, combining classes and equipment, and developing the city between fights. Some praise the tactical choices and high stakes of permanent death, while others enjoy the pixel-art presentation and the way new buildings and options unfold with progression. Reviews differ sharply on combat balance and how repetitive or demanding later battles feel.

Lead your team of Gladiators in turn-based arena battles, recruiting, training, and sometimes sacrificing them for glory. But remember, your Gladiators are mortal - If they fall in battle, they are lost forever... though their legacy will live on.
As a noble heir, you'll manage your city by unlocking, constructing, and upgrading buildings that provide new services and mechanics to aid you on your bloody quest for vengeance.

You fought tooth and nail for survival, driven by a burning hatred and a thirst for justice. Now, as a wealthy patron and a gladiator trainer, you plot your revenge against the tyrannical Emperor who stole your freedom and murdered your father. But the path to redemption is fraught with peril, and you must navigate a treacherous world filled with deception and danger.
Recruit new allies and expand your gladiator team to climb the ranks of the brutal tournaments. Each victory brings you closer to the grand Capitol, where your ultimate target - the Emperor, lost in his madness - awaits on his throne.

Before each battle, assemble a team of gladiators from various classes: physical, ranged, or magical. Will you pay gold, duel them, or show mercy in the arena to recruit them?
Level them up, increase their stats, and learn new abilities to ensure they're battle-ready. Don't forget to address any negative statuses or traumas, and equip them with shiny new weapons, armor, and consumables.
Use powerful Deity abilities to aid your Gladiators in battle, or make a shady deal with a local crime lord to sabotage your enemies before the battle even begins.

Combat unfolds in turn-based battles on a grid, where units act in order of initiative. Strategically move your gladiators, attack, and position them to outsmart and outmaneuver your opponents.
Use your action points wisely - unleash powerful weapon or class abilities, make use of items like potions and magical scrolls, or set traps on the ground to catch enemies off guard.
Win the favor of the audience by fulfilling their bloodthirsty wishes and reap rewards after each battle. But beware - permadeath is on. If a gladiator falls, they and their equipment are lost forever, adding high stakes to every decision.

You’ve inherited an estate overlooking the desolate coastal city of Marevento, and the city’s future now rests in your hands.
Between battles, use your hard-earned gold to build and upgrade city buildings, unlocking new tools and services to aid you in your quest for vengeance. From the infirmary, where your gladiators can recover, to the bustling market for trading items, and even a grand monument to honor fallen gladiators.
Defeat each region’s Arena Champion to advance the age and access powerful new buildings and items.
Are you ready to rise to the challenge and carve your name into history?
| Platforms | Windows, macOS |
|---|---|
| Achievements | 100 |
| Age ratings |
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| Controller support | PlayStation, Xbox |
| Controller required | No |
| Demo | View demo on Steam |
| DLC / extras | 2 listed on Steam |
| Website | Official website |