Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is the official prequel to the entire franchise, developed by Unfrozen and co-published by Hooded Horse and Ubisoft. Designed as a spiritual homecoming, the game directly targets the design philosophy of Heroes of Might and Magic III, bringing back classic grid movement, a seven-resource economy, and deep isometric tactical hex combat while sprinkling in modern engine features and multiplayer systems.

The Narrative: The Unexplored Continent of Jadame

Setting the clock back before the events of the very first game (A Strategic Quest), the campaign takes place on the untamed, rugged continent of Jadame on the planet Enroth (previously seen only in the RPG Might and Magic VIII).

The plot centers on a prominent Minotaur hero named Gunnar, who stumbles upon a terrifying, apocalyptic entity emerging from the depths: The Hive, a devastating swarm of corrupted, fire-wielding insectoids led by an Inferno demon lord. To prevent the annihilation of Jadame, ancient, warring rival empires must set aside generations of blood feuds to forge a desperate planetary defense pact.

The Six Launch Factions

The game fields six distinct playable factions at launch, prioritizing asymmetry and unique clear conditions on the adventure map:

• Temple: The classic, heavily armored human knight archetype. Exceptionally well-rounded, their early-game tier 1 and tier 2 units form highly cohesive vanguard combos that keep losses minimal, scaling up to high-powered ranged entities at the apex tier.
• Necropolis: The undead horde, completely re-imagined for continuous momentum. In a dramatic twist, Vampires have been elevated to Tier 7, behaving as self-healing, immortal anchors. The faction thrives on aggressive, non-stop map routing, using skeletons as cost-effective meat shields to snowball armies.
• Grove: A highly mobile, nature-forward faction made up of elemental spirits, fauns, and autumn-themed woodland creatures. Their marquee feature is the Mycelium Roots / Mushroom Teleporter Network, a unique structural building that allows their heroes to instantly blink between controlled castles across massive map distances.
• Dungeon: Subterranean dark elves, medusas, and minotaurs. A highly mechanical powerhouse that dominates map clearing. They pair tactical stance-switching units with the legendary Black Dragons / Ashen Dragons, who retain their iconic, complete immunity to all hostile magic.
• Hive (New): A terrifying swarm of demonic insectoids and molten bugs. Built entirely around aggressive close-range swarm tactics, their Tier 1 Parasite units natively deal scaling extra damage specifically targeted against enemy high-tier units, making them high-risk, high-reward executioners.
• Schism (New): A highly technical, mysterious faction heavily dependent on terrain placement and momentum mechanics. While crippled by a notoriously fragile early game, they feature a “win-streak” modifier and an incredibly powerful Tier 6 unit roster that punishes opponents who fail to map-control them early.

Overhauled Progression: Faction Laws & Skill Subclasses

Olden Era addresses the rigid, static character structures of previous entries by introducing two major strategic layers:

• The Law System: Functioning as an empire-wide research tree, players spend a specialized currency accumulated through exploration and spreading global influence to enact Faction Laws. These provide sweeping, tailorable macro buffs (such as permanent unit growth modifiers or exclusive attribute advantages) that let you adjust your town’s capabilities on the fly.
• The Refined Skill Matrix: Heroes scale across classic primary stats (Attack, Defense, Spellpower, Knowledge) but choose their leveling progression from a dynamic matrix. Players choose between three secondary skills alongside four distinct branching subskills, allowing deep customization over spellbook mastery or economic logistics.

Dynamic Strategic Game Modes

The expansion of game modes aims at both the single-player lore community and modern competitive matchmaking infrastructure:

• Classic Mode: The timeless Heroes experience; sandbox maps where players manage multiple heroes, construct castles, optimize chains, and explore massive biomes.
• Single-Hero Mode: A swift, high-stakes mode where players are strictly limited to a single commander. Losing your main hero means immediate permanent defeat, emphasizing strict tactical preservation over structural army throwing.
• Arena Mode: A highly focused, drafting-centric 1v1 mode. Players choose a hero, build a quick artifact and army profile, and drop directly onto a tactical hex grid for immediate competitive warfare, complete with dedicated online leaderboards.

Release Timeline & Lifecycle

• Steam Public Demo Release: October 9, 2025
• Early Access Launch Date: April 30, 2026 (PC / Microsoft Windows)
• Development & Production: Developed by Unfrozen with active consultation input from franchise creator Jon Van Caneghem, the game experienced a massive launch, surpassing over 500,000 copies sold within its first week in Early Access.