Learn more about Homeworld 3, including the expected release date
Want to know the expected Homeworld 3 release date?After 20 years, the Homeworld franchise is back with a full sequel.Homeworld 3continues theRTSseries that’s now remembered as a PC classic, but the long wait likely has fans feeling both excited and nervous. Fortunately, we’re here to round up everything we know so far, so that you know what to expect.
Below, we’ll break down everything we know so far about Homeworld 3, including the expected release date, a look at the announcement and gameplay trailers, a dive into what’s new for the franchise, and any story details that are currently available. Rest assured that we’ll keep this guide updated with the latest reveals as they come.
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Homeworld 3 expected release date
It depicts three ships flying through space, preparing to make a hyperspace jump. It then cuts to a brief shot of a sleeping woman, who seems to be suspended in the air via pipes connected to her hair. This imagery is enough to get longtime fans excited, as franchise protagonist Karan S’jet plugged into the hyperspace core of her Mothership while serving as fleet commander in the original games. The woman, presumably Karan, wakes up just before the title card reveals that, indeed, Homeworld 3 is coming.
While it does little to show how Homeworld 3 will play, it at least confirms that it’ll retain the series' signature look. Various shots highlight starfighters dancing around during combat, and the engine trails left in their wake are sure to provide a nostalgia hit for fans.
At it’s core, combat will remain the same - as mentioned above, Fighters, Bombers, and other classes return. You’ll manage your mothership across the campaign, introducing new units to your army with each mission. The steady mothership growth over the campaign was a key part of the original Homeworld games, and it’ll remain a central pillar in Homeworld 3.
The battlefields, though, will feel far more dense. Rather than maps featuring swathes of empty space as they did in the originals, you’ll now be able to utilise structures and scrap to hide or take cover from enemy spacecraft. We expect this will make Homeworld 3 feel far more interactive, introducing new layers of strategic movement as you traverse different terrain throughout the campaign.
At the end of Homeworld 2, the player discovers a hyperspace network that spans the galaxy, opening civilisation up to much wider space travel and new trade possibilities. It was a huge moment, but Homeworld 3 suggests that it may have introduced new problems to the galactic network. Homeworld 3 picks up generations after that discovery, and we’ll be diving into the issues it’s caused in the years since.
Complicating matters further, Karan S’jet, the original protagonist of the Homeworld franchise, is missing. A new evil known as the Anomaly also threatens the galaxy, and it’s seemingly connected to Karan’s disappearance. In Homeworld 3, Imogen S’jet assumes the role of fleet commander, and tries to fight back against the Anomaly while investigating the whereabouts of their missing predecessor.
Imogen is a successor to Karan, and part of the Kiith S’jet group. A Kiith is a house representing a group of people - Kiith S’jet is focused on scientific advancements, for example. This is important to note, as the S’jet title might look like a traditional family name, which may not be the case here. It’s entirely possible that there’s no relation between Karan and Imogen S’jet.
Yes, Homeworld 3 has multiplayer.There are two modes that allow you to play with others: co-op and PvP.
In co-op, you and a friend can team up to manage a fleet through a series of randomly-selected battles. It’s a mix of RTS and roguelite, with your fleet expanding and growing more powerful with each victory. If you perform well, you’ll earn upgrades that carry between runs.
PvP is the more traditional multiplayer mode that you might expect from an RTS, allowing you to battle others in 1v1, free for all, or team battles. It’ll undoubtedly get quite competitive, so this is where you’ll want to test your mettle after learning ropes in the campaign mode. Of course, you can also choose to battle AI rather than other people if you’re eager to practice in a more predictable environment.
That wraps up everything we currently know about Homeworld 3. Make sure to check back regularly for more news on this upcoming sci-fi RTS over the coming months!