Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era – Hooded Horse Takes the Reins

In a significant development for fans of one of my favourite turn-based strategy series, Hooded Horse, the acclaimed publisher behind strategic hits like Manor Lords, Against the Storm, and the more recent 9 Kings which Yonan is raving about, has officially taken over publishing duties for Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era. The agreement sees Hooded Horse partnering with intellectual property holder Ubisoft and developer Unfrozen to bring the highly anticipated prequel to PC via Steam Early Access later this year.

This strategic alliance comes as Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era has already garnered immense attention, boasting over 600,000 wishlists on Steam and ranking among the platform’s top 50 most anticipated upcoming titles. While Ubisoft will retain ownership of the beloved Heroes of Might and Magic IP, Hooded Horse will manage the day-to-day publishing operations, a move expected to significantly bolster the game’s marketing, visibility, and regional reach.

Tim Bender, CEO of Hooded Horse, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership. “Heroes of Might and Magic is a legendary series, one that has a place in the hearts and childhoods of many gamers,” Bender stated. “We’re honored to be teaming up with Ubisoft and Unfrozen on this project.”

Alain Corre, Chief Publishing Officer at Ubisoft, echoed Bender’s sentiments, highlighting Hooded Horse’s expertise. “We are thrilled to welcome Hooded Horse aboard to support the next chapter of Heroes of Might and Magic,” Corre said. “Their passion for the franchise and strong connection with strategy communities make them the perfect complement to Unfrozen’s creative talent. Together, we’ll reignite Heroes of Might and Magic and bring players to exciting, unexplored realms.”

Denis Fedorov, CEO of Unfrozen, the studio behind Iratus: Lord of the Dead and the developers of Olden Era, also voiced his excitement. “The entire Unfrozen team is very excited that Hooded Horse is joining the project,” Fedorov commented. “We firmly believe that their expertise, combined with Ubisoft’s legacy, will allow us to make Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era truly successful and introduce the game to even more fans of tactical turn-based strategies from all over the world.”

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is set in the mysterious new continent of Jadame, a land referenced but never fully explored in the main series. The game promises to deliver the deep, strategic gameplay that defines the franchise, featuring new factions, biomes, and creatures. Players can look forward to a captivating single-player campaign, various multiplayer modes including the classic Hotseat, and a robust in-game map editor.

The announcement follows a recent delay in Olden Era’s Early Access launch, pushing it to later in 2025 to ensure the game receives the necessary polish and refinement. With Hooded Horse now at the helm for publishing, the development team and fans alike are optimistic about the future of this highly anticipated return to the world of Might and Magic.

#roundtablecoop