Homeworld 3 - What We Know So Far

After nearly two decades since the release of the last numbered installment in the series, "Homeworld 3" is finally on the way. Announced back in 2019, the sci-fi RTS has faced delays and left fans frustrated by an absence of updates. A lack of information made publisher Gearbox's gaming presentation one of the most disappointing at 2021's E3. Following years of uncertainty, however, Gearbox finally shared more details, giving gamers a clearer picture of what to expect.

"Homeworld 3" continues the story established the original entry, allowing players to guide the fleets of the Hiigarans under the command of Imogen S'jet, the successor of the previous protagonist. Set a century after the conclusion of "Homeworld 2," the galaxy faces a new threat and players will make use of new ships and tactics to defeat it.

Creator Rob Cunningham told Eurogamer in August 2022 that he and his team look to stay true to the ideas of the first "Homeworld" while making the latest addition to the series bigger than ever and as great an experience as possible. Fortunately, fans now have an idea of when they'll get to find out how successful these efforts were.

"Homeworld 3" was originally set to release at the end of 2022; however, Gearbox and developer Blackbird Interactive revealed in June that they were delaying the launch to refine the game and deliver the experience they had envisioned. "We recognize the special place this series holds in the hearts of players," read the announcement. "The additional time will allow us to make good on our commitment to quality in a healthy and sustainable way for all those involved." Given this, "Homeworld 3" will now arrive sometime between January and June of 2023.

As with previous entries in the series, "Homeworld 3" will be a PC exclusive when it comes out. This isn't surprising for the real-time strategy genre but may be disappointing for console gamers who will miss out on the excitement. The title already has a page on Steam and the Epic Games Store. A physical collector's edition is also available through Amazon and GameStop with plenty of extra digital and physical goodies.

Fans have gotten several trailers since "Homeworld 3" was revealed. The announcement trailer features sci-fi music and visuals as several small fighters fly towards one of the hyperspace gates discovered and unlocked during the previous entry. This seems to hint that the gates and near-instant travel between distant points will factor into the plot of the sequel.

In December 2021, Gearbox released a short gameplay trailer. In addition to offering brief glimpses of the space combat, the sequence also provides narration from a woman hooked up to a ship (presumably "Homeworld" and "Homeworld 2" protagonist Karan S'jet) speaking in a vague, mysterious way about the gates. Once again, this new technology appears to be emphasized in the story.

A more detailed look at gameplay was provided in the Kesura Oasis trailer for Gamescom 2022. This time, fans got to see a brief walkthrough of a mission involving fending off an ambush. The trailer emphasizes the sorts of tactics that players will be able to make use of in battle. Taking cover behind debris, hiding in tunnels, and deploying different ships to respond to threats are all highlighted in the video.

Based on the "Homeworld 3" trailers, website, and Steam page, Blackbird Interactive looks to bring back the same tactical RTS gameplay but with more polish, better graphics, a larger scale, and new features. Players will command a variety of ships with different capabilities and specialties, moving them in three-dimensional space as they face off against enemy fleets. Environmental challenges also seem to be emphasized. Cover is being introduced in the form of floating debris that can be used to avoid attacks and mask radar signals. Also, asteroid fields and particle storms will represent threats to be avoided or used to one's advantage. 

While the devs are currently being coy about just how this will work in the game, persistent ships and fleets will make a return for this sequel. During the single-player campaign, your fleet will continue with you from one mission to the next, acquiring damage, and perhaps other things, as you progress. Fans will have to wait until next year to find out if this sequel lives up to the hype, but Blackbird and Gearbox hope to make "Homeworld 3" the biggest of the series yet.