Summary
- Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era respects franchise roots while adding new faction abilities and artifact sets.
- Developed by Unfrozen, the game launches in Early Access in 2025, serving as a prequel to the original title.
- Players can expect expanded hero customization, new magic spells system, story-driven campaign, and multiplayer modes.
At Gamescom, Ubisoft announced Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era, the eighth mainline game in the series. In an official statement, Ubisoft promised that the new strategy game will stay true to the franchise's roots while incorporating modern features that appeal to veterans and newcomers.
Heroes of Might and Magic was released in 1995 as a spin-off of Might and Magic. Unlike Might and Magic, which featured first-person dungeon crawling, Heroes of Might and Magic games are predominantly tactical in nature. Players explore a sprawling map to gather resources and upgrade and expand their castle using a construction management system. In the castle, they can recruit units from their faction and engage in turn-based battles set on a grid battlefield to defeat monsters and opposing heroes to achieve victory. The most recent mainline game, Might & Magic Heroes 7, was released in 2015.
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Nearly ten years after the seventh installment, Ubisoft announced Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era. The game is being developed by Unfrozen, the studio behind Iratus: Lord of the Dead. The new Heroes of Might and Magic game will launch in Early Access on Steam in the first half of 2025, celebrating the franchise's 30th anniversary. Ubisoft's official website shared more details about what players can expect in the new title. Although it's the eighth installment, Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is a prequel to the original Heroes of Might and Magic, and it will take place on the continent of Jadame, bringing players back to the world of Enroth.
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Regarding features, Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era will respect the franchise's classic gameplay while expanding on it. In addition to turn-based map exploration, city management, and unit recruitment, players will now have more control over their heroes and how they level up. Each character will have faction-specific abilities this time, and artifacts can form part of a set, with more substantial effects when several pieces are equipped. There is also a new system for learning skills and magic spells that enhances customization and the RPG elements within the strategy game.
Eric Damian-Vernet, the Brand Director at Ubisoft, says Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era draws significant inspiration from the cult classic Heroes of Might and Magic 3, one of the most played titles in the franchise to this day, while also incorporating elements from the second and fifth titles. Olden Era will feature a story-driven campaign and various multiplayer modes. The game will include a random map generator, allowing up to eight players to engage in highly strategic and rewarding multiplayer matches. Still, one-on-one duels are also available for those preferring a more streamlined experience. More details are expected to be revealed ahead of the Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era's Early Access launch.