HEROES OF MIGHT AND MAGIC III REMAKE HANDS-ON PREVIEW — A GREAT RETURN TO ERATHIA WITH SOME PERFORMANCE CONCERNS

Returning to a beloved strategy classic after more than two decades is no small undertaking, especially when the goal is to rebuild the experience for a modern audience. Ubisoft's Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake aims to do exactly that, bringing the legendary 1999 strategy game into a new era with a fully reimagined 3D presentation, updated systems, and a collection of features designed to preserve its lasting appeal.

After getting hands-on with the game at Gamescom 2026, we came away with a positive overall impression. The experience was great, and it was exciting to see this classic fantasy strategy game receiving such a substantial modernization. Ubisoft is not simply refreshing the original visuals; the remake is being built from the ground up using the Snowdrop engine, with a new camera system, environmental effects, updated interfaces, and quality-of-life improvements.

However, our time with the build was not entirely without concerns. We encountered some frame-rate drops during our hands-on session, an issue worth noting as development continues. While it did not change our overall positive impression of the experience, performance will be an important area to watch before the game launches.

Currently scheduled for 2027 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake has the potential to introduce a new generation of players to one of strategy gaming's most recognizable names. Based on our time with the game and the features Ubisoft has announced, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about its return.

A CLASSIC WORLD REBUILT IN 3D

The most significant transformation is the move away from the original's fixed 2D isometric presentation toward a fully three-dimensional world. Built with Ubisoft's Snowdrop engine, the remake gives players a new way to view Erathia through a freely controlled camera.

This represents a considerable change for a game whose original presentation became a defining part of its identity. The familiar fantasy setting is being reimagined with more detailed environments, dynamic lighting, real-time weather, changing seasons, and support for 4K visuals. These improvements are intended to give the world a greater sense of scale while preserving the recognizable atmosphere that made the original memorable.

What makes this approach particularly interesting is that Ubisoft is attempting to modernize the presentation without completely abandoning the classic's visual character. The original menus and their distinctive style remain an important influence, while the interface is being updated to improve readability and usability.

That balance is essential. A strategy game needs to communicate information clearly, and an attractive 3D world means little if players struggle to identify important details while managing their armies and exploring the map. The new camera gives the presentation more flexibility, but it also places greater importance on making sure the environment remains easy to navigate.

Our time with the remake left us with a positive impression of the direction Ubisoft is taking. The visual overhaul gives the classic a fresh identity, and it is encouraging to see the developer approach the project as a substantial rebuild rather than a simple resolution upgrade.

THE EXPERIENCE WAS GREAT, BUT PERFORMANCE NEEDS ATTENTION

Although our overall experience was positive, we did encounter frame-rate drops in the build we played at Gamescom 2026. This is worth mentioning because the remake's expanded visual presentation and 3D environments make performance an important part of the experience.

Strategy games depend on clear visual feedback. Players need to follow what is happening on the map, inspect their surroundings, and make decisions without the presentation becoming distracting. While frame-rate fluctuations do not automatically make a game difficult to play, noticeable drops can interrupt the experience and make an otherwise polished presentation feel less consistent.

It is important to put this observation into context. We played a preview build, and performance in a development version does not necessarily represent the final product. Ubisoft still has time to optimize the game before its planned 2027 release, and we cannot determine from our session alone what caused the drops or how widespread the issue might be.

Nevertheless, this is an area we want to see improved. The remake has an opportunity to bring a classic strategy experience to modern platforms, and stable performance should be part of that modernization. The visual improvements are exciting, but they need to be supported by the technical consistency players expect from a finished release.

For now, the frame-rate drops are a concern to monitor rather than a reason to dismiss the project. Our hands-on experience was still great overall, and we are interested in seeing how much smoother the game becomes as development progresses.

STRATEGIC GAMEPLAY REMAINS THE FOUNDATION

The enduring appeal of Heroes of Might and Magic III comes from the relationship between exploration, resource management, hero development, and tactical combat. Players must expand their influence across the map, collect resources, recruit creatures, discover artifacts, and build armies capable of overcoming increasingly difficult opponents.

These systems work together to create a steady stream of meaningful decisions. Spending resources on a town upgrade can strengthen a player's long-term position, but it may also leave fewer resources available for recruiting additional troops. Taking a different route across the map can reveal valuable opportunities, although it may expose an army to unexpected threats.

That interconnected design is a major reason the original has remained relevant for so long. The game rewards players who think ahead and understand how individual decisions affect their broader strategy.

The remake aims to preserve that foundation while making the experience more approachable through modern interface improvements. That is the right direction for a project like this. The goal should not be to remove the need for careful planning, but to make it easier for players to understand their options and focus on the strategic decisions that matter.

For returning players, the familiar structure provides a strong foundation. For newcomers, the updated presentation and interface could make it easier to discover why the series has maintained such a dedicated following.

TACTICAL BATTLES GET A NEW PERSPECTIVE

Turn-based combat remains central to the experience, requiring players to consider unit placement, movement, attack opportunities, and the capabilities of their armies. Success is not simply determined by which side brings the largest force to the battlefield.

Every encounter presents a tactical problem. Players must decide which units should engage first, how to protect vulnerable troops, and when to use their available advantages. A poorly planned move can leave an important unit exposed, while a carefully considered formation can help overcome a stronger opponent.

The remake introduces camera controls that let players rotate the battlefield and zoom out for a broader view. A tactical overlay can also display unit movement possibilities and enemy attack ranges, helping players evaluate the situation before committing to an action.

These features have the potential to improve battlefield readability without changing the fundamental nature of the combat. Instead of relying entirely on a fixed viewpoint, players have more flexibility when examining the positions of their forces and their opponents.

For a game built around deliberate decisions, clarity is particularly important. The challenge is ensuring that the new perspective makes tactical encounters easier to understand without obscuring the precise information that experienced players rely on.

TOWN MANAGEMENT BENEFITS FROM QUALITY-OF-LIFE IMPROVEMENTS

Developing settlements is another major part of building a successful kingdom. Towns provide access to creatures, military upgrades, and other structures that influence how an army develops over time. Deciding what to construct and when to invest resources can have consequences throughout an entire campaign.

Ubisoft has announced improvements to town management, including a planning tool that allows players to schedule future building upgrades. The remake will also offer an option to retain a more traditional building-menu experience.

These additions address a practical challenge in strategy games: helping players organize complex plans without making routine management unnecessarily cumbersome. A planning system can make it easier to think several turns ahead, while a familiar interface option gives experienced players more control over how they interact with their settlements.

The key is preserving the consequences of those decisions. Quality-of-life improvements should help players manage their resources and understand their choices, rather than making economic planning irrelevant.

If these tools are implemented effectively, they could make town development more comfortable for newcomers while respecting the habits of longtime fans.

ALL NINE FACTIONS AND THE COMPLETE CAMPAIGN RETURN

One of the remake's strongest selling points is the amount of classic content Ubisoft intends to include. The package brings together the original Restoration of Erathia campaign and the Armageddon's Blade and The Shadow of Death expansions, alongside a new prologue and additional cinematics.

All nine original factions are also returning: Castle, Rampart, Tower, Inferno, Necropolis, Dungeon, Stronghold, Fortress, and Conflux. Each contributes its own creatures and strategic possibilities, giving players different approaches to building armies and handling encounters.

Faction variety is an important part of the experience because it encourages experimentation. Learning how different armies operate, identifying their strengths, and adapting to an opponent's capabilities can change the way players approach a scenario.

The campaigns provide an opportunity to explore these systems through a series of connected challenges. The new prologue should also help introduce the world and its mechanics, giving newcomers a more accessible starting point before they tackle the broader campaign.

For longtime fans, the inclusion of the original expansions means the remake is not limited to a small selection of familiar content. It is being positioned as a comprehensive return to the classic experience, with modern presentation and additional usability features.

CUSTOM MAPS COULD GIVE THE REMAKE A LONG LIFE

Beyond the official campaigns, community-created content could become one of the remake's most important long-term features. Ubisoft has announced support for importing and converting older custom maps and campaigns, alongside an updated editor and an in-game hub for user-generated content.

This is significant because the original game's community has helped keep it relevant long after its initial release. Custom scenarios offer different objectives, unusual challenges, and fresh ways to experience the underlying mechanics.

Preserving older creations gives returning players a connection to the game's history, while the updated tools could encourage new creators to develop their own maps. An in-game hub would also make it easier for players to discover community content without having to navigate separate resources.

The success of this system will depend on how well the conversion process works and how easy it is to find, install, and play user-created scenarios. Still, Ubisoft's commitment to this aspect of the experience is encouraging. A strategy game with a strong creative community has a much better chance of remaining engaging beyond its launch window.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Our hands-on experience with Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake at Gamescom 2026 was great overall. Ubisoft's effort to rebuild the classic with modern visuals, a flexible camera, interface improvements, and a substantial collection of returning content gives the project plenty of promise.

The frame-rate drops we encountered are worth keeping in mind, but they occurred in the preview build we played and should not be treated as a verdict on the final release. With the game targeting 2027, there is still time for further optimization before launch.

What matters most is that the remake appears committed to preserving the strategic foundation that made the original so memorable. Its campaigns, factions, tactical battles, kingdom management, and community-created content all contribute to an experience with the potential to appeal to veterans and newcomers alike.

There is still more to learn as development continues, particularly regarding final performance and how the new systems work together across PC and consoles. For now, we came away encouraged by what we played. If Ubisoft can maintain the quality of the experience while addressing the performance issues we noticed, Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake could be a worthwhile return to Erathia in 2027.