Might and Magic: Heroes Kingdoms — first announced as Heroes of Might and Magic Kingdoms — was a free-to-play browser strategy game played in real time by thousands of players on one map, developed and published by Ubisoft[1][1]. It was set in Ashan and ran from 2009 to 2014[1][1].

History

• Ubisoft announced it on 13 December 2007 together with the Heroes of Might and Magic Complete Edition; beta keys came only with that edition, and launch was planned for spring 2008[1][1][1]. Fans criticised tying the beta to a paid re-release[1].
• After several closed betas and missed dates it launched in France on 3 November 2009[1].
• On 28 May 2010 an iPad client — Ubisoft's first iPad game — went live in the UK and Germany, alongside the browser version[1][1].
• After its showing at E3 2010 an open beta for the US and Canada followed in July 2010[1].
• In Asia (China, Taiwan, Korea) the game was run by Ubisoft's Chengdu studio[1].

How it played

• Everyone played at once, in real time; it was pitched as a strategy game for a few minutes a day, with domination, honour or wealth as the ways to win[1]. A typical session took about a quarter of an hour[1].
• A world ran for about six months, and the goal was to collect the Tears of Asha; finishing a season gave bonuses on the next server[1][1].
• Seven resources — gold, ore, wood, mercury, crystals, sulfur and gems — traded between players and with NPC merchants[1].
• Each faction had eight troop types, and battles were fought on a grid[1]; shooters beat infantry, infantry beat cavalry and cavalry beat shooters[1].
• Alliances fought over artifacts and fortresses, with their own forums and mail[1].
• Four factions were playable in mid-2010 — Haven, Academy, Inferno and Necropolis[1]; later sources list Sylvan as a fifth[1][1].
• Season 3, from 15 September 2011, brought the Air Dragon Ylath, dwarven runic fortresses for alliance battles, the first co-operative PvE and an in-game store[1][1].

Business model

It was free to play with limits: a non-paying player had three heroes and three towns for the first two months, then one more of each per month; a monthly subscription lifted the limits and added bonuses, and virtual goods were sold[1][1]. Sources give different subscription prices — €5 a month in France at launch[1], later from €3[1].

Reception

GameWatcher gave it 8 out of 10 and called it a thinking player's game[1]; GameStar found it very slow at first, then gripping, with a mature community[1]. MMORPG.com notes that it did not keep its players[1].

Closure

The closure was announced on 22 January 2014[1]. Development had already stopped; memberships became free at once, and the servers went offline at the end of August 2014[1] — sources date the closure 1 September[1].

Not to be confused with Heroes of Might and Magic Online, a different online game of the same years.

Discussion: the game's forum board.