Turmoil is heading underground again. The Deeper Underground DLC will arrive on July 14 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and the Microsoft Store. Ahead of its release, Gamious creative director Jos Bouman discussed the expansion, the series’ history, and what may come next in an interview with Xbox.
The simulation game has sold millions of copies across its current hardware platforms. Its formula combines real-time strategy with the 19th-century oil rush in North America, asking players to lease land, find oil, build pipe networks, sell resources, and compete for control of the town.
A bigger campaign beneath the surface
Deeper Underground adds a new campaign built around resources that change how players approach each field. Petrol is the star of the expansion. It is more refined than oil and can bring in more money, but producing it requires players to find and use water, dynamite, and rubies.
Bouman explained that the team only began planning another major expansion after finishing the mobile and console ports and adding multiplayer. Once the new mechanics had passed the prototype stage, Gamious saw enough potential to build a full campaign around them.
The campaign will also be tougher than the earlier content. Players who want to become the most successful oil baron in the old West will need to manage limited supplies carefully while working with the new underground resources.
Deep Mode answers a longtime fan request
The DLC’s other major addition is a set of Deep Mode levels. These challenges separate deep drilling from the usual town-management loop. Instead of storing and selling oil, players focus on reaching the lowest point possible with the resources available.
The idea came from players who asked for a way to dig farther down. Gamious chose not to add extra vertical space to the standard oil fields because that would make it harder to view the entire operation at once. The separate levels let the team build around vertical drilling without taking away the balance between underground work and town management.
That makes the mode feel different from the main campaign, but it still uses the same visual style and core ideas. Some players may treat it as a side challenge, while others will enjoy pushing their drills as far down as possible.
Song titles and what comes next
Turmoil has a playful naming tradition. The first DLC, The Heat Is On, shares its name with Glenn Frey’s song, while Deeper Underground recalls Jamiroquai’s late-1990s hit. Bouman said the team also discussed “Under Pressure” as a possible name before settling on the final title.
When asked about future Turmoil content, Bouman said Gamious had nothing to announce yet. He did confirm that the studio is working on two new strategy games. Bouman is designing one of them, and some members of the team who worked on Turmoil more than a decade ago are involved as well.
For now, the focus is on Deeper Underground and its new campaign, petrol production, and drilling challenges. Tell us what you think of the DLC in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram.
