Ubisoft — After Strategy

Heroes 3 Remake Closed Playtest: November 18 Start, PC Requirements and How to Sign Up

Sat, 07 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Ubisoft has finally put a date on the first public hands-on with its Heroes of Might and Magic III remake: the closed playtest starts on November 18, 2026. The publisher confirmed it on November 5 on the game’s Steam page, alongside a spec sheet that will raise eyebrows among anyone still running the 1999 original on a work laptop.

The date matters less than what it unlocks. Since the Gamescom reveal, the remake led by Ubisoft Chengdu and Ubisoft Shanghai has taken heat over its creature designs. This test is the first time players, rather than trailers and stage demos, will get to judge the result for themselves.

Heroes 3 Remake playtest: the PC requirements

Ubisoft deliberately set the hardware bar at the Medium preset planned for launch. The test targets 1080p at 60 fps. Here is what you need:

CPU: Intel Core i5-10600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 8 GB or AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT 12 GB
RAM: 16 GB
Storage: 45 GB on an SSD
OS: Windows 11 64-bit

French outlet Spiritgamer carries the same list. In other words, this is not a minimum spec: it is the mid-range comfort target the team is aiming for. A Windows 10 machine or a laptop without a dedicated graphics card will not get in.

The engine goes some way to explaining that bar. The remake runs on Snowdrop, Ubisoft’s in-house engine, with a 3D world and a free camera replacing the fixed isometric view. For a turn-based game, the jump from the original is still striking.

Ubisoft Connect required, and no guaranteed spot

The playtest is PC only and runs through Ubisoft Connect. Ubisoft says the requirement is technical: it needs to manage access and gather feedback. To apply, you sign in with a Ubisoft account, pick PC as your platform and fill in a short questionnaire. As TechTimes points out, signing up is no promise of an invitation.

The team’s message still stresses that Steam remains a key platform for the game. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series players will have to wait for the full release, set for 2027 with no date or price yet.

Test length, playable content, whether feedback stays under wraps: Ubisoft has said nothing on any of it. Expect limited access, with no promise about how many maps or factions will be open.

What the playtest has to settle: art style and creatures

The test lands in the middle of an openly acknowledged course correction. On October 7, the team published a roadmap split into 4 cycles. The first covers “Playstyles”, a system meant to let players adjust object scale, colours, lighting and the interface. Game modes and quality of life come next, then user-generated content, then multiplayer.

On October 23, a dev blog on unit design made a rare admission. The Gorgon had been given lizard-like traits to fit the swamps of the Fortress faction. The team concedes it pushed the idea too far and is now reworking the creature, as AllKeyShop also reported.

The real value of this playtest is checking whether those fixes hold up in play. A creature you can recognise on a busy adventure map matters more than a polished still image. The risk is that a test filtered by hardware only hears from part of the community.

What to watch after November 18

Worth watching if you get picked: how readable the creatures are in combat, and how the game behaves at 1080p on an RTX 3060. If your PC falls short of the bar, you are better off waiting for the first impressions than hoping for an invite.

For series fans who want to play something right now, Olden Era remains the franchise’s other project, developed by Unfrozen and available in early access.

Going further

Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake Revealed at Gamescom 2026: Ubisoft Goes Full 3D

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Twenty-seven years after its 1999 release, Heroes of Might and Magic III is coming back as a full 3D remake. Ubisoft revealed it during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live on August 25, 2026. The game is announced for 2027 on PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, with no precise date or price.

Update, October 26, 2026: the team promised on September 4 to study community feedback, then published a 4-cycle roadmap on October 7, starting with a “Playstyles” system. It also announced the refinement of several creature models, after criticism of the design of some units. Registrations for the November closed playtest have been open since October 19.

Who is making the remake, and with what

The project is led by Ubisoft Chengdu and Ubisoft Shanghai, backed by the teams in Paris and Montpellier. It runs on Snowdrop, Ubisoft’s in-house engine. The fixed 2D isometric view of 1999 gives way to a 3D world in 4K, with a free camera, dynamic lighting, real-time weather and seasons.

The game will be playable on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store and the Ubisoft Store for wishlists), Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, and included in the Ubisoft+ subscription. The Steam page already exists under ID 3809850, but no price is shown.

What the remake contains

The announced content covers the full story of the original, including The Restoration of Erathia, and the two expansions Armageddon’s Blade and The Shadow of Death. All 9 factions are present at launch: Castle, Rampart, Tower, Inferno, Necropolis, Dungeon, Stronghold, Fortress and Conflux.

The original campaigns are merged into a single story, with a new prologue, an epilogue and new cinematics. Ubisoft describes tactical grid combat, without specifying the shape of the cells.

On the multiplayer side, the game hosts up to 8 players online, with a simultaneous turn system and improved matchmaking. Hot Seat and the random map generator return.

A 25-year community taken into account

The map editor will import maps made for the original and convert them for the remake. A community content platform is built into the game to share, browse and download mods and maps. Ubisoft also promises tools to create scenarios and modifications.

The first development blog, published on August 27 under the title “Welcome Back to Erathia”, explains the approach. The team cites the 2015 release of Heroes III HD Edition as a lesson: better graphics were not enough, and players also wanted complete content, reliable multiplayer and a modern interface. It sets three principles, Authentic, Refreshed and Evergreen, and states that the remake does not replace the original.

The original is in fact back on Steam, in its 1999 version with both expansions, and Ubisoft promises to keep supporting it.

Not to be confused with Olden Era

The remake is not Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era. That second game, developed by Unfrozen and published by Hooded Horse, has been in early access since April 30, 2026 and tells new stories with new factions. Ubisoft presents the two projects as “one commitment, two games”: Olden Era for the future of the series, the remake to preserve it.

What to watch

For players attached to the 1999 Heroes III, the thing to watch is the fidelity of the system: combat, spells, economy and faction balance matter more than the 3D rendering. Ubisoft has announced neither a precise date in 2027 nor a price, and the risk is that fans judge the remake on its visuals before seeing how these choices play out.

The studio has promised more development blogs on visuals, quality of life and community tools, which should soon shed light on these questions.

Going further

Anno 1800: Complete Guide Strategy Industrial City-Builder 2026

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Anno 1800, released in 2019 by Ubisoft Blue Byte, is considered the best historical city-builder ever made. In 2026, with its 30+ DLCs, it offers an unparalleled 19th century industrial management experience. Here’s the complete guide.

Watch the official trailer:

Why Anno 1800 is king of city-builders

Production chain system of unmatched depth (50+ final goods)
Sumptuous graphics: each building has unique animations, your citizens have a life
Multi-session: Old World + New World + Cape + Arctic = parallel map management
30+ DLCs adding entire mechanics (Docklands, Land of Lions, Eden Burning DLCs…)
Competitive and cooperative multiplayer

Your progression goes through raising your population through 5 levels:

Level	Needs
Farmers	Fish, work, market access
Workers	Sausages, clothes, bread, beer, community
Artisans	Canned food, pies, perfume, gramophones
Engineers	Wine, canned meat, coffee, bicycles
Investors	Jade, cigars, pearls, pumps

Each level = new production chain to build. It’s Anno’s ultimate progression.

The 4 World regions

Old World (Old Europe)

Your starting point. Industrial, classic, stable economy. Most players spend the most time here.

New World (America — DLC)

Exotic resources: sugar cane, cotton, leather, cacao, coffee. Hot climate, specific buildings. Trade with Old World mandatory.

Cape / Enbesa (Africa — DLC Land of Lions)

Spices, pearls, precious fabrics. Climate challenges (drought, heat). Unique rival civilizations on the continent.

Arctic (DLC The Passage)

The hardest and most rewarding. Extreme climate, heat management, rare resources (natural gas, arctic fish, oil). Accessible after a well-advanced game.

Essential production chains

Sausages (Workers)

Pig farm (wheat needed)
Butchery
Distribution market
Delivery to worker residences

Cotton (Artisans+)

Cotton plantation (New World)
Trade ship to Old World
Textile (Old World)
Clothing factory
Market → Artisans

Gramophones (Artisans)

Foundry (steel)
Wheat mill
Gramophone factory (steel + mechanisms)
Delivery

Economic strategies

Rule #1: balanced surplus

Always keep +20% surplus on every consumed good. Absorbs consumption peaks.

Rule #2: specialization per island

Each island has its optimal resources (fertile soil for wheat, near sea for fishing, etc.). Specialize: island #1 = cereals, island #2 = textiles, island #3 = heavy industry.

Rule #3: inter-island trade

Build automatic maritime routes to ship goods. No need to duplicate each chain on each island.

Rule #4: active diplomacy

AI rivals offer trades, alliances, contracts. Accept most good offers — diversify your income.

Essential DLCs

Season Pass 1

Sunken Treasures — underwater expeditions, treasures
Botanica — botanical gardens, exotic ornaments
The Passage — Arctic, new continent

Season Pass 2

Seat of Power — imperial palace, prestige
Bright Harvest — industrial agriculture with tractors
Land of Lions — Africa, new continent

Season Pass 3

Docklands — modernized port management, international trade
Tourist Season — tourism as industry
The High Life — skyscrapers

Season Pass 4 and 5

New content 2024-2025: Empire of the Skies (airships), New World Rising (New World extension), Eden Burning (climate events).

Mods and tools

Active mods scene via ModDB and Steam Workshop:

Ornaments Plus — 100+ extra decorations
Spice It Up — gameplay rebalance
Sprite Mod — visual improvements
Content Mod — extra gameplay buildings

Anno 1800 multiplayer

Max 4 players, cooperative or competitive. Games averaging 10-20h. Meta: specialization per player (1 industry, 1 trade, 1 military…).

Conclusion

Anno 1800 is the apotheosis of the historical city-builder. With 30+ DLCs, 4 regions, hundreds of hours of content, it’s a must for any economic management fan.

For other strategic city-builders, see our Manor Lords guide and our top 10 PC strategy games 2026.

For a transport-focused city-builder, see Transport Fever 3, with blended biomes, a visual day-night cycle and living cities.

Before buying expansions, read Anno 1800 best DLC in 2026: what to buy, prices and Steam reviews.

Ubisoft — After Strategy

Heroes 3 Remake Closed Playtest: November 18 Start, PC Requirements and How to Sign Up

Heroes 3 Remake playtest: the PC requirements

Ubisoft Connect required, and no guaranteed spot

What the playtest has to settle: art style and creatures

What to watch after November 18

Going further

Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake Revealed at Gamescom 2026: Ubisoft Goes Full 3D

Who is making the remake, and with what

What the remake contains

A 25-year community taken into account

Not to be confused with Olden Era

What to watch

Going further

Anno 1800: Complete Guide Strategy Industrial City-Builder 2026

Why Anno 1800 is king of city-builders

The 5 social levels

The 4 World regions

Old World (Old Europe)

New World (America — DLC)

Cape / Enbesa (Africa — DLC Land of Lions)

Arctic (DLC The Passage)

Essential production chains

Sausages (Workers)

Cotton (Artisans+)

Gramophones (Artisans)

Economic strategies

Rule #1: balanced surplus

Rule #2: specialization per island

Rule #3: inter-island trade

Rule #4: active diplomacy

Essential DLCs

Season Pass 1

Season Pass 2

Season Pass 3

Season Pass 4 and 5

Mods and tools

Anno 1800 multiplayer

Conclusion

Sources