Ubisoft releases Heroes of Might and Magic III on Steam, forgets to include the actual game files

Soon after unveiling an upcoming remake of the beloved turn-based strategy game, Ubisoft made the original version of Heroes of Might and Magic III available on Steam. However, the first purchasers of the classic title were unable to launch it due to an embarrassing oversight. The 1999 version of Heroes of Might and Magic III became available on Steam on Tuesday, but users had to wait an additional day to play it.

This was because Ubisoft accidentally released the game without uploading the necessary files, resulting in customers receiving only about 23KB of files, including a dummy executable. Despite claiming a storage requirement of 1GB, the game's files were shockingly small. News of the issue quickly spread on the Steam forums and in the game's negative reviews.

One review humorously described it as "23.49KB of pure nostalgia and the best CMD prompt simulator of 2026." Ubisoft swiftly rectified the situation the following day, issuing a response to a review that included the relevant quote, "You will own nothing and be happy." Heroes of Might and Magic III is considered one of the most acclaimed turn-based tactical RPGs since its 1999 release.

However, for years, the only version available on Steam was a 2015 remaster with mixed reviews. While the new release includes the game's two expansions, it lacks some of the original's high-resolution graphics mods and free HD mods found on other platforms. Ubisoft released the remake shortly after announcing it, with a launch slated for next year.

The remake promises to rebuild the original game in Ubisoft's Snowdrop engine, featuring enhanced graphics, multiple combat angles, automated battles, and a wish list screen for construction projects. For new players, the remake also includes a prologue campaign serving as a tutorial, followed by the ability to generate new maps or download community maps designed for the original version.