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Revision #2
Hand-written Russian version.
original text
Revision #3 current
Deeper article with inline citations incl. Chinese sources; the 2008/2009 launch-date conflict stated; no manual Sources list.
original text
Heroes of Might and Magic Online
(英雄无敌在线)
was a free-to-play 2.5D online
MMORPG
role-playing
made
game
for the Chinese market, developed by TQ Digital Entertainment and published by NetDragon Websoft under licence from Ubisoft[1]. It was set in the world of Heroes III
Ubisoft
— the continent of Antagarich[1][1]
.
History
• Originally
Ubisoft China and TQ Digital announced the deal on 8 October 2004 in Shanghai; a Chinese release
was
planned for 2005, and Ubisoft spoke of joining
late
Asian
2005
gameplay
; released
on
with
30
a
May
Western
2008
series[1][1]
.
• An
A
English
closed
version
had a
beta from
began
7
in
May
December
to
2007, with
9
launch
June
set
2010
for
and
the
launched
second
on
quarter
11
of
June
2008[1][1]
2010, but was open only to Asian IP addresses
.
• Shut
English Wikipedia dates the launch 30 May 2008[1]; Chinese sources date its
down
open
on
beta
31
8
March
July
2014
2009[1]
.
• An English version took closed-beta sign-ups from April 2010, ran a closed beta from 7 May to 9 June 2010 and opened on 11 June 2010[1][1][1]. It was open only to Asian IP addresses, because TQ's licence covered Asia[1][1].
How it played
• Three layers: a shared MMORPG
world played in real
world
time
, a strategic map like
Heroes III,
and turn-based tactical battles on
a
battles[1][1]
grid, much like Heroes III
.
• Eight factions with
and
56 unit types in total
all
, and
with
four magic schools[1][1]; the 2010 press release added 16 classes, a ten-chapter campaign, a town
schools
prestige system, guild wars and PvP[1]
.
• Set
Its
in the
world of
and
Heroes
story
III
were
(Erathia), with
no
not
storyline
part
of its
the
own
series'
; its events were
not
canon[1]
canon
.
Multiplayer.it found the core mechanics solid but the isometric graphics dated, capped at 1024×768, and called it free to play yet tilted towards payers[1]. Game Informer advised readers to approach cautiously[1]. A Chinese retrospective blames growing pay-to-win for its decline[1].
Closure
The game shut down on 31 March 2014[1][1]. Chinese press reported players' explanations — little room to earn, and Ubisoft taking back the rights — rather than an official reason[1].
Not to be confused with
• Might & Magic Heroes Online — a different browser game by Ubisoft Blue Byte, released in 2014 and closed in December 2020[1]; see its forum board.
• Might and Magic: Heroes Kingdoms — Ubisoft's own real-time browser strategy game of 2009–2014.
Discussion: the game's forum board.
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Removed