Homeworld 3 delayed yet again, now launching in May 2024
It looked like Homeworld 3 was finally on the last stretch of its journey towards release after a series of delays – however, Gearbox and Blackbird Interactive have had to step on the brakes once more. Instead of March 8, Homeworld 3 will be released on May 13, 2024.
“After careful analysis of feedback, we made the decision to delay the global launch of Homeworld 3 until May 13, with advanced access set for May 10, to ensure that we’re making the final tweaks needed to deliver at the level of quality that we strive for and you deserve,” the two companies said in a joint statement.
Homeworld fans will need to be patient a while longer.
Gearbox
Players currently have access to Homeworld 3’s roguelike co-op mode, War Games, during the Steam Next Fest and tests have been going on behind the scenes as well, so the developer has sourced feedback from many directions. Since the game has already been delayed a few times, this can’t have been an easy decision to make.
“To say that you as a community of players have been waiting patiently for this next installment would be an understatement, and we are deeply appreciative of that. We will continue to keep you updated on our progress,” the statement continued.
However, both the publisher and the developer have reasons for being careful with Homeworld 3: Gearbox is owned by Embracer Group, which is going through a devastating cost-cutting phase and has shown that failures can be punished harshly, as in the case of Volition, which was shut down after fumbling the Saints Row reboot. Blackbird Interactive recently stopped development on Minecraft Legends after player interest in the title waned despite the power of the Minecraft IP.
Homeworld 3 being a success right from the start is crucial for both parties.
Though player feedback on Homeworld 3 has been positive overall, there are some issues to iron out, such as the very buggy tutorial, the challenging camera controls, and unit pathfinding. The additional time will hopefully give the studio enough room to polish the game more. Plus, getting out of the hellish February-March 2024 release window, which is going to see many big launches, may be a smart move in general for the niche title.
