Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake Compare Heroes III Editions
Four products, one griffin, and a lot of store-page confusion.
If you search “Heroes 3” in 2026 you will hit four different products. Only one of them is Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake. This page is the buying and wishlisting compass. The video below is a creator walking through the remake-versus-Olden Era question; the table in prose is the rest of the field.
Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake (this wiki)
What it is: a 3D Snowdrop rebuild of the 1999 game plus both expansions, launching in 2027 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series. Content: Restoration of Erathia, Armageddon’s Blade, The Shadow of Death, nine factions, new prologue, editors, UGC hub, eight-player online, Hot Seat. Rules: intended to be faithful. Buy action today: wishlist only. Details: announcement, release window.
Heroes of Might and Magic III Complete Edition (1999)
What it is: the original 2D game with both expansions, listed on Steam in August 2026 after a first package that had to be replaced. GOG has sold this complete set for years. Content: the real campaigns and the real map files your editor guide cares about. Rules: the rules. Buy action today: this is the one you play while waiting. It will not look like the trailer. That is the point.
Heroes of Might and Magic III HD Edition (2015)
What it is: a Dotemu resolution bump of Restoration of Erathia only. No Armageddon’s Blade. No Shadow of Death. No Conflux. Online was a sore spot. Community advice for a decade was to skip it in favour of Complete plus HD mods. Buy action today: only if you have a specific reason. It is not a substitute for the remake and not a substitute for Complete.
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era
What it is: a new Heroes game from Unfrozen with Hooded Horse, new factions, new campaigns, early access on a separate clock. Ubisoft has described Olden Era and the remake as two results of the same 2022 reinvestment: one looks forward, one preserves III. Buy action today: if you want a new Heroes, not a rebuilt III. Do not expect .h3m imports from 1999 to be the selling point; that sentence belongs to the remake.
Quick chooser
- “I want the trailer I saw at gamescom.” — Remake wishlist.
- “I want to play tonight.” — 1999 Complete Edition.
- “I want Conflux and both campaigns tonight.” — Complete Edition, not HD Edition.
- “I want new towns that are not in III.” — Olden Era.
- “I want my custom maps in 3D later.” — Remake, and keep your files. See map editor.
- “I want to teach a new player on a couch in 2027.” — Remake Hot Seat, with the beginner guide open on a phone.
Why Ubisoft shipped both tracks
The Welcome Back to Erathia blog said the remake will not replace the original. Listing Complete Edition beside a 2027 remake is how you avoid the HD Edition mistake: locking the complete ruleset behind a future client. You can practise the how to play loop now and still owe the remake nothing until a price exists.
If a store page is ambiguous, look for the word Remake, the year 2027, and the nine-faction claim. If you see 1999, Complete, or “this is the original version,” you are on the other SKU. If you see factions that are not in the faction overview, you are in Olden Era or a mod. Close the tab and come back here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers for new commanders and returning veterans.
Which version should I buy today?
The 1999 Complete Edition if you want to play. Wishlist the remake if you want the 2027 client. Skip HD Edition unless you know why you need it.
Does the remake replace Olden Era?
No. Different games. Ubisoft has said so in the launch blog.
Will Complete Edition maps open in the remake?
That is the import promise. Vanilla expansion objects are the safe bet. See the map editor caveats.