Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era finally has an early access date. Publisher Hooded Horse, developer Unfrozen Studio, and Ubisoft confirmed on April 1 that the long-awaited strategy game will launch into early access on April 30, 2026, via Steam and the Microsoft Store. It will also be available on PC Game Pass from day one.
The announcement comes nearly two years after the game was first revealed in August 2024, and marks the first new Heroes of Might and Magic title in over a decade. A free demo is already available on Steam for anyone keen to try it before launch.
A Prequel To The Original 1995 Game
Olden Era is set before the events of the original 1995 Heroes of Might and Magic, exploring a period of the franchise’s lore that hasn’t been touched before. The game promises strategic empire building, turn-based tactical battles, and RPG mechanics across both hand-crafted and procedurally generated maps.
“It has been more than 10 years since the last Heroes game, and we are honoured to add a new chapter to the legendary legacy we all grew up with,” the developers said in the announcement.
What’s Included At Early Access Launch
The early access build is arriving with a substantial amount of content across single-player and multiplayer. Here’s what will be available on day one:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Factions | Six unique factions: Temple, Dungeon, Schism, Grove, Necropolis, and Hive |
| Campaign | First act available at launch, with more acts coming at full release |
| Game Modes | Classic, Single Hero, and Arena, playable in both single-player and multiplayer |
| Multiplayer | Matchmaking, ranked play, leaderboards, and hotseat mode on a single PC |
| Scenarios | Premade scenarios with self-contained stories, with more planned during early access |
| Replayability | Random Map Generator templates for unlimited variety |
| Challenges | Puzzle-style challenge missions |
| Map Editor | Pre-release version for creating custom adventures |
| Tutorial | In-game tutorial for new players |
The inclusion of hotseat mode is a nice nod to the franchise’s roots, letting players take turns on a single PC the way many fans remember playing the older titles. Matchmaking and ranked play across all three modes should also give competitive players something to dig into straight away.
Multiplayer And Local Play Options
Beyond online matchmaking, Olden Era is designed for both solo and social play. Classic, Single Hero, and Arena modes all support multiplayer, while the hotseat option caters to local sessions with friends or family. Ranked leaderboards will track competitive performance across all three modes from day one.
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PC Game Pass And Platform Availability
Olden Era will be available on both Steam Early Access and the Microsoft Store via Game Preview. The day one inclusion on PC Game Pass lowers the barrier to entry significantly, especially for players who want to test the waters before committing to a purchase.
The game will also ship with localisation support for 16 languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Ukrainian, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.
A Free Demo Is Already Available
If April 30 feels too far away, there’s a free demo on Steam right now. It offers a first look at the gameplay and new features ahead of the early access launch, giving returning fans and newcomers a chance to see how Unfrozen has approached the franchise’s revival.
With over a decade since the last entry in the series, Olden Era has a lot of expectation riding on it. The early access period will likely be the proving ground for whether this prequel can live up to the legacy of one of the most beloved strategy franchises in PC gaming history.