Streets of Fortuna Offers Deep NPC Simulations

Kitfox Games, known for its work on Caves of Qud and Dwarf Fortress, is back with Streets of Fortuna, a new project that takes procedural simulation to dizzying heights. Set in a sandbox city modeled after ancient Constantinople, the game promises a living, breathing world where every NPC, whether visible or not, is actively following schedules, needs, and behaviors. At present, the game simulates around 1,000 NPCs, with plans to increase that number to 3,000 in the near future.

The level of detail in Streets of Fortuna is staggering, and lead designer Brent Ellison is keen to show off just how deep this goes. The game’s NPCs interact with objects, go about their daily routines, and can even become the victim of your own nefarious schemes. In a recent devlog, Ellison teased a gameplay system that will allow players to poison drinks, leave the scene undetected, and pull off crimes with a sense of cold calculation. Of course, the game also lets you disrupt these routines in other ways, including setting someone's possessions on fire if you’re feeling particularly devious.

It’s an exciting glimpse into a world where your every action is part of a larger, constantly evolving web of interactions, and where every NPC has a story to tell—if you're clever enough to notice it. The game is still in development, but fans of procedural simulations should definitely keep an eye on Streets of Fortuna as it continues to shape its world.