Jagged Alliance 3 - What We Know So Far

THQ Nordic had a lot to highlight during its Digital Showcase in August 2022, including remakes of "Alone in the Dark" and "Gothic 1." Turn-based strategy fans may have been more drawn to "Jagged Alliance 3," which revealed additional gameplay footage along with the promise that the follow-up is still coming out despite the lack of updates for almost a year.

While "Jagged Alliance 2" released all the way back in 1999, the series saw a return with "Jagged Alliance: Rage!" in 2018. A few years later, THQ Nordic announced "Jagged Alliance 3," and fans had the opportunity to play the first "Jagged Alliance" for free on Steam around the same time. This understandably caused more people to get excited about "Jagged Alliance 3," and they shared that enthusiasm online. Luckily for prospective buyers, the game isn't shrouded in mystery – THQ Nordic and developer Haemimont Games have offered quite a bit of information about what players can expect.

Unfortunately, there isn't a release date for "Jagged Alliance 3" yet. This is true of many of THQ Nordic's upcoming titles shown at the 2022 Digital Showcase.

Despite having little to work with, fans on the official community site for "Jagged Alliance" were quick to look for any kind of hint at a release date in the Showcase trailer. User Flowable mentioned that the sequence displays "09-12" at one point, hinting that the date could be important. It is worth pointing out that both THQ Nordic and Haemimont Games are headquartered in Europe, so this date would read as December 9 (not September 12) according to user Biff.

Other commenters hypothesized years, with one coming up with 2024 and another an even more hopeful 2023 launch at the earliest. However, more than one fan mentioned that waiting for the game isn't too bad, especially since it should ensure a higher quality end product. When "Jagged Alliance 3" does come out, players can pick up for PC via Steam.

THQ Nordic showed off "Jagged Alliance 3" for the first time with an Announcement Trailer back in September 2021. The video combines detailed cinematics about a retrieval mission gone wrong with a look at the strategy gameplay. The graphics, mechanics, and characters, elicited a mixed response from commenters, though many expressed cautious optimism about finally receiving a true sequel to the beloved "Jagged Alliance 2."

The August 2022 Showcase Trailer expands on the details shown in the original. It includes more battlefields and even points towards the theme of the game: saving the president. The official "Jagged Alliance" website explains that the player is tasked with hiring mercenaries to find the president and take back control of Grand Chien while also making choices that dictate the country's ultimate fate. Players must forge alliances and gather resources to reclaim the countryside from the paramilitary organization called The Legion.

"Jagged Alliance 3" combines tactical turn-based combat with RPG elements. Players assemble squads from a pool of new and returning mercenaries, which they can bolster using weapons and other equipment gathered through looting and salvage. Level-based mercenary perks allow for further customization. Using their curated squads, players will take over different regions and fend off attacks from enemy combatants. Gamers can even take on these challenges with their friends via online co-op.

While the trailers have offered increasingly in-depth looks at the "Jagged Alliance 3" gameplay, fans on the community forum have expressed the desire for additional elements. A thread created by co-design lead Boian Spasov spawned many suggestions, such as pulling ideas for weapons from games like "Escape from Tarkov" and incorporating lots of modding capabilities. Spasov drove home that the development team continues to read player feedback and discussions, all of which could impact the final design of the game, which was still getting its footing at the time. Fans can expect an increase in "Jagged Alliance 3"-related updates in the months to come.