News Tower

Set in the 1930s, from the Great Depression to the brink of World War II, News Tower is a tycoon game set in a newsroom. Players start with a humble neighbourhood gazette and must work their way up to become a media powerhouse that dominates New York City's newsstands. They must master various aspects of newspaper production, including the printing floor, editorial judgement, political influence, and circulation battles. The game combines elements of tycoon management, resource allocation and narrative decision-making.

Players start with an empty room and design the newsroom from scratch. As the newspaper grows, every workstation is key to keeping the presses running, from printing stations and compositing desks to the legal corner for damage control. Players run a full production pipeline, including printers, darkrooms, pneumatic tubes and supply deliveries, in a tower building that can be expanded and extended floor by floor. It is important to make smart layout choices here, as the placement of walls, elevators and pneumatic tubes directly affects how efficiently your team works under pressure.

Then there's the staff to consider: editors, reporters, copywriters, advertising salespeople, cleaners and lawyers. There are more than 30 unique job roles in total, each with their own traits, needs and areas of expertise. It is also important to consider employee well-being, production efficiency and meeting weekly publishing deadlines (Sunday is publication day). Over the years, more and more upgrades are unlocked, influencing production and making it more efficient.

However, it's not only about production, which can be quite complex in places, but also about the content. Players must search for newsworthy stories from around the world, ranging from major historical events to minor local stories. The last Early Access update extended the campaign to 1939, adding hundreds of new stories from the United States and Europe. Each story can be approached from different angles. Players must choose whether to maintain journalistic integrity or succumb to pressure from influential external sources, such as the four factions in the game: the Mayor, the Mafia, the Military and High Society. These factions will push their own agendas and offer shady deals in exchange for cash, influence, exclusive rewards and vital new connections across the Big Apple. And it's impossible to please all the factions. Over time, as players "nail the mix and profits soar", the newspaper's reach extends to the NYC districts, from Harlem to Wall Street. Each borough has its own reader profiles, preferences and rewards. In order to grow the subscriber base further, it is necessary to tailor stories to local tastes while staying ahead of two rivals: the Empire Observer and the Jersey Beacon.

The music is also fitting for the time period, with live-recorded jazz providing the soundtrack. Recorded with members of the New Cool Collective, the original score channels the energy of Count Basie and Duke Ellington, recreating the pulse of a newsroom in this era.

News Tower is being developed by Sparrow Night, an independent video game company based in Rotterdam. It was founded in 2019 by Stefan Rijsmus and Jan-Maarten Nachtegeller. News Tower is their debut game, which launched in Early Access on 13 February 2024. As fans of the tycoon genre, they have poured their passion into this project. Inspired by Nachtegeller's previous work on Turmoil, the team of five set out to create a blend of tower building, newsroom management, and narrative choices set in 1930s New York. The game won three awards at the 2024 Dutch Game Awards: Audio, Game Design and Best Game.

The publisher is Twin Sails Interactive, an independent international video game publisher formerly part of the Asmodee Group. Originally known as Asmodee Digital for its digital board game adaptations, Twin Sails Interactive has since expanded into publishing original and creative titles for PC and consoles. Following the success of Gloomhaven and Ember Knights, they released Survival: Fountain of Youth, Bloomtown: A Different Story and News Tower.

"This launch is incredibly meaningful to us. News Tower is our first 1.0 launch as an independent publisher, and seeing Sparrow Night reach this moment with their debut game fills us with pride. Their vision, craftsmanship, and dedication to building a deep, charming, and thoughtful management experience embody the kind of talent we want to support. We are thrilled to help bring their world to players, and excited for what comes next for them, and for Twin Sails. We believe in games with strong identities, elegant systems, and memorable worlds, experiences that stand apart because they dare to do something different. Bringing News Tower to players is only the beginning. We have an ambitious lineup ahead, and players can expect a busy slate of exciting new titles throughout 2026 as we continue building a catalog defined by originality and heart." - Nicolas Godement, CEO at Twin Sails Interactive

News Tower left Early Access on 18 November 2025. It is available on Steam for €24.99 for both PC and macOS.

Conclusion

Stop the presses! News Tower is both a "love letter to the golden age of journalism" and an excellent tycoon game that playfully conveys the importance and influence of journalism.

Features

• Multi-layered tycoon management combined with journalistic aspects
• Decisions shape the perception and success of the newspaper
• Authentic 1930s atmosphere