| Community Interviews and Event Feedback |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 3 4 · «PREV |
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Protolisk
Promising
Famous Hero
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posted April 01, 2015 02:29 AM |
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Are lizard men actually a thing? I mean, it's no stretch to make a beast-men faction of lizard dudes, or possibly some wild but smart humanoids not unlike the Naga (bestial, but not "beast men" per se) but are they actually talked about in some game or lore bit? Or is it just a hope? I mean, I'm all for a H3 Fortress rebirth (though with the Naga taking more watery aspects and now the Stronghold having the gnolls, wyverns, and basilisks, their claims to fame are starting to dwindle) but is it a feasible reality?
The Void and Free Cities seem much more likely, though I'd personally be against "amalgamations", which just seem like a recipe for infernopolis problems and model-sharing, but then again, I haven't seen this Void faction in Online so I don't know how it was implemented.
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Sandro400
Promising
Supreme Hero
Shadow of Death
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posted April 01, 2015 02:39 AM |
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They were mentioned in Falagar's bio (as Beastmen). So they exist in Ashan 100%, even if it's just a name-drop for now.
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Let's play poker game, lich-style!
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Protolisk
Promising
Famous Hero
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posted April 01, 2015 03:02 AM |
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Sandro400 said:
They were mentioned in Falagar's bio (as Beastmen). So they exist in Ashan 100%, even if it's just a name-drop for now.
Well then, hot damn. I'll board the Lizardman hype train as soon as it comes into the station.
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War-overlord
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
Presidente of Isla del Tropico
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posted April 01, 2015 10:16 AM |
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Stevie said:
And about "little to no indication of change in willingness", just goes to show you didn't actually watch the interviews. ELB said that they have been discussing within the IP team about having faction number 10 or even 11 and that they have interesting leads so maybe we'll see them in the future. Words from the guys mouth 
I'll readily admit that at time of reply I had not found the time to listen to the interviews. All I went with was Storm's statement.
So I retract the statement that there is no indication of willingness to adding a new faction to the mix.
The rest of the statement I stand by. Maurice has explained my view on this very well.
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Vote El Presidente! Or Else!
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VieuxSinge
Hired Hero
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posted April 07, 2015 01:18 PM |
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Sligneris said:
The source is our experience with sim turns in Heroes V, lol 
I am still hoping they will implement a more powerfull sim turns that enables sim turns to come back if players can't meet THIS turn, even if they have met before.
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DIEGIS
Supreme Hero
power of Zamolxis
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posted May 04, 2015 11:07 PM |
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Finally a good news for all tohers and everybody, regarding Sim Turns! From my point of view the game have good chances to stand ferm 
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ninjata12
Adventuring Hero
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posted May 04, 2015 11:34 PM |
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Yes, but let's see how the sim-turns actually work, it may be different this time. There is a lot of optimisation that can be done.
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DIEGIS
Supreme Hero
power of Zamolxis
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posted May 05, 2015 12:21 AM |
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at least we do have H5 mechanics, I hope...
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dacian falx behind you
-knowledge itself is power-
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ninjata12
Adventuring Hero
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posted May 05, 2015 12:42 AM |
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I hope they will make it work better. For example when heroes meet, but then are far away from each other, sim-turns can again be activated. The annoying part is, you can sometimes just drop slow units out of your army and you hero suddenly can travel further and it will be frustrating to get the sim turns activated and paused all the time.
I have to say, I can't think of ways to improve the sim turns, but I feel that there is something that can be done...
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cori14
Adventuring Hero
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posted May 05, 2015 12:46 AM |
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Edited by cori14 at 00:50, 05 May 2015.
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What the heck is this sim turn everybody is so happy about? I know that It's something about moving when it's the other player's turn? And I know there were something like moving with a ghost hero and exploring the map? But it has limited move points like normal heroes. And that in H3 you had to watch your last screen in your turn when somebody else played his or her turn. But I never played online with heroes games, only single and hotseat, so could somebody explain this to me please?
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raenus
Famous Hero
Grouchy curmudgeon
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posted May 05, 2015 03:24 AM |
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cori14 said:
What the heck is this sim turn everybody is so happy about? I know that It's something about moving when it's the other player's turn? And I know there were something like moving with a ghost hero and exploring the map? But it has limited move points like normal heroes. And that in H3 you had to watch your last screen in your turn when somebody else played his or her turn. But I never played online with heroes games, only single and hotseat, so could somebody explain this to me please?
Sim turns are simply a way of making multiplayer games go much quicker and smoother.
They make it so that in the beginning of a match both/all player take their turn at the same time. Each day only ends when both players hit end turn. This continues until you and another player get within a certain distance of each other, at which point it reverts to alternating turns.
The ghost mode is something completely different that I do not fully understand. As far as I know it merely gave each player a ghost that they could move around the map without having to clear a path through monsters. The ghost could do some simple tasks that had no major impact on the game. All they could really do is hassle the enemy slightly, more of an inconvenience than any real threat.
At least that is as far as I understand them. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.
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Creature Quest: HaltWhoGoesThere
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DIEGIS
Supreme Hero
power of Zamolxis
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posted May 06, 2015 12:38 AM |
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ninjata12 said:
I hope they will make it work better. For example when heroes meet, but then are far away from each other, sim-turns can again be activated. The annoying part is, you can sometimes just drop slow units out of your army and you hero suddenly can travel further and it will be frustrating to get the sim turns activated and paused all the time.
It is true, and the thing with reactivated sim turns seems a very good idea..could be reactivated only when players hit each other for the figting, but would be fine as it was in H5. For instance, if a player saw some spot and the other player came there (the first player not necessary to be in the area), turn base activated.... but overall it's good to have it back
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dacian falx behind you
-knowledge itself is power-
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Kastore
Tavern Dweller
Hunting for your dopamine ;)
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posted January 18, 2026 07:00 PM |
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Edited by Kastore at 22:32, 18 Jan 2026.
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Earlier, my dear collegues from the Tavern of Might and Magic fan-community and I, interviewed Greg Fulton — the lead game designer on Heroes III and the Armageddon’s Blade expansion. It was thanks to him that we learned about the true nature of the angels, details about the unreleased Forge town, and many other interesting aspects related to the story and the making of our beloved game.
A few years after that, Greg launched a project called Fanstratics, which was in many ways inspired by Heroes III. Unfortunately, the project closed for a number of reasons.
I’d been wanting to talk to Greg for a long time, but only managed to catch up with him over the recent holidays. It means a lot to me that, over the years, we’ve kept in touch with him and other wonderful developers from New World Computing who gave us those legendary games.
***
1. What caused Fanstratics to shut down?
There were a variety of factors, but easily the biggest was the steep decline in my health from a prolonged infection of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
I’m still dealing with the aftermath, and I honestly don’t know if my persistent symptoms will ever retreat. What would normally take a typical work week, now takes me four to six weeks... and it can’t be anything physically or mentally taxing. To accomplish anything, I quite literally need to work in very small, incremental steps. For someone who liked working at a high level, for prolonged periods of time, this new reality is very frustrating.
2. Who was in the core team? Do we know any of these people from the Heroes III days? Were there any notable newcomers who deserve mention?
Other than myself and Justin Gerard, a consistent ‘core team’ was elusive. I had plenty of people offer to help, then ghost me when it came time to do the hard work. Others were simply not up to the task, or unable to budget the time as they expected.
David Mullich and I agreed to bring him on, once the project reached critical mass. Obviously, this never occurred. Working with him again would have been fun.
3. In what ways was Fanstratics meant to be better than Heroes III? Which ideas were you planning to develop?
Fanstratics was supposed to be the HoMM, I wanted to make today. As for new ideas, there are simply too many wrinkles to discuss in this format. [We'll try to find another - Kastore]
4. What were your favorite faction and creature in Fanstratics and why?
I don’t really have a favorite faction. I liked them all. As for favorite creature? It’s tough to pick one...
Willow Wisp
Manticore
Basilisk
Mammoth Bone Crusher
Mandrill Berserker
Hell Hound
Hellion
Faith Archer.
Ugh. Gotta admit. Looking back through all of the troops really hits me in the feels.
5. Was there any way to save Fanstratics, or do you think this outcome was inevitable?
A large infusion of funds was the only way to save the project, and I can’t imagine anyone gifting me millions of dollars to continue the development.
6. Do you still keep in touch with anyone from NWC? Are there any interesting updates or happenings you can share about them? Maybe someone is involved in other interesting projects now?
On occasion, I’ll exchange an email with someone from the team, but David Mullich is the only person with whom I still have regular contact. Most everyone has moved on from the video game industry.
7. What creative plans do you have at the moment? Would you be interested in working with the Horn of the Abyss Crew?
Presently, I am answering a very long list of questions compiled by the HotA crew. Technically, considering the list of HotA questions, I am working with the HotA crew. ;-)
Afterwards, my goal is to finish writing the remaining HoMM Recollections (from the Fanstratics Newsletters), and collect them into a published book. It’s a lot of work, and I don’t know if I’m up to the task.
Assuming I can finish the book, what comes next will be dictated by my health. We’ll see what happens.
8. At the time of our conversation the Bulwark town by the HotA Crew—the one devoted to the island of Vori and the snow elves—was about to be released or had just been released. What do you think of the idea and do you plan to try it out?
I have seen the video showcasing the faction. Looks pretty good. I’ll definitely budget some time and energy to check it out.
9. When we talked with you and your colleagues at NWC, we learned there were several possible versions of how Forge might look. Tell us which version appeals to you now and why — as a game designer and a visionary.
There were basically three potential visions.
David Mullich wanted H.G. Wells or Victorian era technology. This would later become culturally formalized as Steampunk.
I was leaning toward War World 2 era technology. This would later become culturally formalized as Dieselpunk.
Phelan Sykes pushed for a more Brutalist interpretation.
Eventually, we hybridized my and Phelan’s ideas into a Brutalist Dieselpunk approach. Looking back, considering the limitations of the NWC art staff, I suspect an Atompunk approach would have been the best fit for their skillset.
Putting aside the limitations of the NWC art staff, I would have preferred a traditional Cyberpunk approach, with a heavy emphasis on body modification.
10. If you could design Forge’s lineup from scratch, would you keep the same creatures or invent new ones? As a reminder, in the original version there were creatures from other towns, but modified or with new weapons. Could you give a couple of examples of how you'd currently describe the city and its inhabitants?
Tough question to answer, as there is a public expectation regarding the Forge’s look, feel, and performance. Creating a new Forge from scratch has the potential to be confusing, so I would suggest a hybrid approach. Some of the old. Some of the new.
11. In 2025 I've started a channel for indie game developers. Can you give professional advice for them as a lead game designer and producer?
Typically, there is an inventive path between the game you want to make, and the game you can make.
12. We are hopeful about the 2026—I’m sure it will be interesting. What would you like to wish Might and Magic fans?
I can only speak for myself, but watching others play and enjoy HoMM3 is a treat for me. So... glhf (sincerely). :-)
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BulwarkIsHere
Tavern Dweller
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posted January 21, 2026 03:06 PM |
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The whole hisotry of the Fanstraticks:
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Kastore
Tavern Dweller
Hunting for your dopamine ;)
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posted July 15, 2026 04:24 PM |
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Edited by Kastore at 23:51, 15 Jul 2026.
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Hi everyone!
I recently sat down for an extensive interview with Jakub Olekszyk, the project manager and lead designer behind the Heroes III board game.
My goal was to talk about the design and production behind the project. We discussed how Archon Studio originally started and grew its production pipelines, what it’s like to adapt the systems of Heroes III for a tabletop format, and their experience working with Ubisoft, Greg Fulton, and the HotA crew. Jakub shared how they managed to find the right vision for the legendary Forge faction, and shared what the studio is planning next.
It turned out to be a really deep conversation about game development.
Enjoy the read!
 Studio Foundations, Infrastructure, and Evolution
 Archon Studio started out largely focused on manufacturing technology and casting miniatures for other companies. What was the biggest obstacle you faced when shifting the company from a manufacturing contractor into a fully independent game publisher?
 It wasn’t quite a transition from being a manufacturing contractor to becoming a publisher overnight. Archon originally operated as the manufacturing arm for Prodos Games, and the two companies were very closely connected. When Prodos ultimately didn’t stand the test of time, Archon gradually absorbed many of its functions and evolved into both a manufacturing company and a game publisher.
That transformation didn’t happen quickly, nor was it without challenges. It was a long and sometimes bumpy process that required us to develop new skills, build publishing expertise, and rethink how we operated as a business. Looking back, though, that diversification is exactly what has made Archon Studio a significant player in the tabletop industry today. Having both manufacturing and publishing under one roof gives us a level of flexibility and control that few companies in the market can match.
Scaling up production is always tricky in the tabletop industry. What key lessons did your team learn during those formative years?
As Eisenhower famously said, “Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.” That mindset has been incredibly important for us. In tabletop manufacturing, things rarely go exactly as expected, so being able to adapt and respond quickly is often more valuable than having a perfect plan on paper.
Another major lesson was the importance of diversification, which ties into what I mentioned earlier. We invested heavily in building expertise across both publishing and manufacturing, while also creating specialized teams dedicated to different areas of the business. Developing strong in-house capabilities - from design and development to production, logistics, and customer support - has made us much more resilient and better equipped to scale. It’s an ongoing process, but having a broad and well-balanced structure has been key to our growth.
Looking back, which came first: the desire to build an independent board game company, or the opportunity to work on Heroes of Might & Magic III?
For me personally, working on Heroes of Might & Magic III is a dream come true. I grew up with the game, so having the opportunity to help bring it to the tabletop has been incredibly rewarding.
For Archon’s founders, however - Jarosław Ewertowski and Michał Pawlaczyk - the defining passion was StarCraft. In fact, there are subtle references to it embedded in the company’s history: Prodos was inspired by the Protoss, and Archon is a nod to the powerful unit created by merging two Templars. So I believe passion came first. The founders set out to build something that would allow them to work on the worlds and games they loved, and over time they achieved that goal - we’ve just released aStarCraft: Tabletop Miniatures Game.
What’s equally important is that they’ve created a company where others can fulfill their own dreams as well. People like me have had the chance to work on the games that shaped our childhoods, and that’s something truly special.
The Art of Partnership
Partnering with a publisher like Ubisoft requires a lot more than just a solid game concept. From a studio producer’s perspective, what makes a professional pitch for a legacy IP stand out? What does it actually need to cover? In the early stages, what did they focus on most—manufacturing capability, audience reach, or risk management?
All of those factors matter - but I would mention also the creative side.
When you're pitching a legacy IP, you have to convince the rights holder that you truly understand the brand: what makes it special, why fans love it, and how its identity can be translated into a tabletop experience. You need a clear vision for what that adaptation looks like and why it feels authentic to the original.
At the same time, you need a solid business case. You have to demonstrate that the project has commercial potential, that it can be manufactured and delivered successfully, and that it will ultimately benefit the brand itself. In other words, the pitch needs to answer two questions equally well: Will fans love it? and Will it make sense as a business?
Corporate brand protection usually comes with strict boundaries regarding lore and visual assets. How was the day-to-day feedback loop structured between Archon’s design team and Ubisoft? Have you ever had to cut a well-functioning mechanic just because it didn't fit the IP’s guidelines?
First of all, I want to sincerely thank Vicky Malineau and Eric Damian-Vernet - working with them over the past several years has been an absolute pleasure, and the collaboration has been extremely smooth.
In general, we are given a great deal of creative freedom when it comes to game rules and mechanics. At the same time, the visual side of the projects - especially illustrations, UI, and overall UX - is reviewed very carefully, with a strong focus on maintaining brand consistency and quality.
There was a single situation with Heroes of Might & Magic: The Card Game that was more of an exception rather than the rule. There, we did have some design discussions that led us to step away from a dice-based mechanic. However, that kind of adjustment is not typical of our usual workflow.
Overall, both sides are aligned on the same goal: making the best possible product for the IP and its fans, which makes the collaboration very effective.
For independent studios looking to work with global franchises, handling corporate oversight can be a significant challenge. Based on your journey with the Heroes III license, what is the most important lesson you can share about setting up a sustainable, long-term workflow when working with a major publisher?
One of the most important lessons is finding the balance between ambition and practicality. On one hand, you should not be afraid to dream big and aim high - working with major franchises like Heroes III or StarCraft shows that even very ambitious projects are possible if you approach them with the right mindset.
On the other hand, you need to stay firmly grounded in reality. It’s not enough to know what you want to create; you also need to understand how to bring it to life - how to develop it, manufacture it, and ultimately deliver it to players in a sustainable way.
Core Game Design & The Tabletop Footprint
In a digital strategy game like Heroes of Might & Magic III, players manage the economy, build trees, logistics, and combat all at once. When adapting this macro-system to a physical tabletop footprint, what was your approach to managing cognitive overload? How did you draw the line between which mechanics needed to remain physical, like deck-building, and which could be abstracted for smoother pacing?
It was definitely a significant challenge, I won’t deny that. The key was finding the right balance between simplification and preservation - deciding what could (and should) be streamlined so that the board game could stand firmly on its own, while still retaining the spirit and atmosphere of the original computer game.
We had to be very intentional about reducing cognitive overload. Players in a tabletop environment don’t have the same convenience as a digital interface, so systems that work well on screen can become overwhelming when translated directly into physical form.
A good example of this is resource management. In the original Heroes of Might & Magic III, there are seven different resources. In the board game adaptation, we reduced that number to three. This kind of abstraction helped keep the gameplay more readable and faster-paced, without losing the strategic depth that defines the experience.
Ultimately, the goal was always to preserve the essence of the game, while ensuring that the tabletop version feels natural, fluid, and enjoyable in its own right.
Adventure Map logistics are a huge part of the franchise’s identity, but downtime can easily stall a board game session. How did the movement and exploration systems evolve during playtests? How did you balance map scale against game pacing for players to stay engaged even during an opponent's turn?
Preserving the feel of the Adventure Map while minimizing downtime was one of our biggest challenges. Hexagonal tiles, familiar from many board games, proved to be a great solution for movement and exploration.
We also streamlined logistics: heroes can recruit troops remotely without returning to town, and each player is limited to just two heroes - a main hero and a supporting one. To further reduce waiting time, we introduced a degree of simultaneous play. While the active player is moving around the Adventure Map, opponents can manage their towns, recruit units, and review their hands, keeping everyone engaged throughout the game.
Map scale follows the philosophy of the video game. Smaller maps offer a quicker experience, while larger ones provide a more epic adventure for groups willing to invest additional time. Ultimately, it's a matter of personal preference.
Tactical turn-based combat on a hex-grid is another core pillar of the franchise. How did you handle the scaling of creature power levels and special abilities without letting individual combat encounters drag out the overall playtime of a scenario?
Combat also required a fair amount of simplification. First, players can recruit only five unit stacks, similar to Heroes I, which already makes battles more manageable. Standard combat is intentionally streamlined, with simplified rules and round limits for encounters against neutral enemies, ensuring that scenarios keep moving at a good pace.
At the same time, we know that tactical hex-based battles are a defining part of Heroes III for many fans. That's why we created a separate game mode called Battlefield, featuring a large hex map designed for epic miniature battles. Naturally, there's a trade-off: these encounters can take quite a while to resolve, so the Battlefield mode reduces exploration to the bare minimum and focuses almost entirely on combat.
The Resurrection of Forge: Greg Fulton, and HotA Crew
For nearly three decades, the Forge faction has been a legendary "what if" and a haunting legend for the Heroes III community. How did the decision to officially bring Forge to the tabletop format come to life, and what were the unique design challenges specific to this faction?
The idea of not stopping at the nine officially released Heroes III factions was actually mine. From the beginning, I wanted to expand the roster with the pirates of Regna and later with the elves of Vori. Subsequently, when our collaboration with the HotA Crew became a reality, Archon's board asked me, "Do we have anything beyond Factory and Bulwark?" I replied, "Well, there is still the legendary Forge…"
Bringing Greg Fulton—the lead designer of the original PC game—into the loop for the return of Forge was an incredible milestone. What was his initial reaction when Archon Studio approached him about resurrecting a faction that was historically canceled due to fan backlash back in 1999? How did his design philosophy influence the mechanics of the new expansion?
Once the decision to move forward with Forge was made and Ubisoft gave its approval, Eric Damian-Vernet suggested bringing Greg Fulton on board - and it turned out to be an excellent idea
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From the very beginning, Greg was open and enthusiastic about the collaboration. It quickly became clear that we shared a very similar vision for what Forge could be within the Heroes III universe. Under his guidance, we started rebuilding Forge not as a strict 1:1 reconstruction of the original 1999 materials, but as a thoughtful reinterpretation that respects the spirit of the concept while adapting it to a modern tabletop format.
Both Greg and the team at Archon are very satisfied with where the project stands so far, and we genuinely hope that players and the wider fandom will feel the same when they get their hands on it.
The community holds the Horn of the Abyss crew in massive regard for keeping the game vibrant and alive for so many years. Can you tell us about your experience collaborating with them? How did you approach the creative process when adapting their custom factions, like Cove and Factory, into the unified design system of the board game?
I’ve been a long-time fan of the Horn of the Abyss project, and my work on Heroes of Might & Magic III: The Board Game has been closely tied to it from the very beginning. In a very real sense, the timing of everything felt almost surreal - one day the Polish gaming media was reporting the tragic passing of Docent Picolan, and the very next day I received confirmation that we had secured the license for the board game adaptation.
Once again, I have to mention Eric Damian-Vernet - not to flatter him, but because he played a key role in making something possible that initially felt out of reach. When I was pushing for the inclusion of a pirate faction from Regna, I was originally thinking about some Archon-original interpretation inspired by Might & Magic VIII and mobile Era of Chaos. Eric, however, suggested a different path: why not reach out directly to the HotA Crew, since they had already created the pirate faction that the community knows and loves?
That decision changed everything. Our collaboration with the HotA Crew has been extremely professional and structured. We are working with their original creations, and in practice they lead the review process for their content. Their attention to detail is remarkable - they are deeply committed to ensuring that the tabletop versions of their factions faithfully reflect what they built and what the community values.
From our side, the goal has been to integrate their work into a unified board game system without losing the identity that makes HotA so special.
Coordinating the distinct perspectives of an international publisher, the original 90s game designer, and a legendary community modding crew sounds like a massive logistical puzzle. What was your main strategy for aligning all these voices to ensure that the final expansion feels cohesive, respectful to the lore, and satisfying for modern players?
It really is a puzzle - but one where all the pieces actually fit together into a coherent whole.
In Heroes of Might & Magic III: The Board Game, we effectively work with three parallel streams. The first stream is the original source material, where Vicky Malineau, Narrative Director at Ubisoft, plays a key role - not only overseeing that stream, but also ensuring consistency across the entire project as a whole.
The first two streams - (1) the original Heroes III material and (2) HotA content such as Cove, Factory, and Bulwark - are largely faithful, almost “translational” in nature. In both cases, we are working from existing source material and adapting it into a board game format rather than reinventing it.
The third stream is Forge, which is something completely different. This is where we move into a much more open, creative space, with Archon, Ubisoft, Greg Fulton, and the HotA Crew collaborating closely, and Greg taking a leading design role. This is the part of the project where we can explore and expand the universe in a more experimental way, while still staying true to the DNA of Heroes III and HotA.
We’re also supported by lore experts from the community, which helps keep everything grounded and internally consistent. Forge in particular feels like a rare opportunity to meaningfully contribute to the broader Heroes III universe, rather than just adapt it.
I honestly don’t remember the last time I worked on a project that gave me this level of eustress - there were nights where I couldn’t sleep simply because of the excitement and responsibility of helping shape something that, in a way, becomes part of Heroes III canon.
Future Horizons, Scaling, and Other Franchises
Tabletop adaptations are heavily driven by nostalgia, and Archon has proven it can handle complex, fan-favorite universes. Looking at the broader industry, are there other classic video game IPs outside of strategy genres that you believe are ripe for a high-quality tabletop re-imagining, and does Archon plan to expand into these new territories?
Absolutely. We already have quite a few things planned for 2027-2028, but I can’t talk about them publicly just yet. 
At the same time, I’m very interested in continuing to grow our own fantasy setting, Deuslair. So far we’ve released three RPG books, with a fourth currently in development, and I would really like to see that universe expand beyond RPGs into other types of games as well.
You mentioned Deuslair, but some of our readers may not be familiar with it yet. Could you tell us a bit more about this setting? What makes it special, and where would you recommend people start if they want to dive into the world of Deuslair?
Deuslair is our own original fantasy setting created specifically for tabletop RPGs. It's system-agnostic, but it's fully compatible with D&D 5E, making it easy to adapt regardless of your preferred ruleset.
The setting actually began in 2023, when we were preparing our first crowdfunding campaign focused on fantasy miniatures. I suggested that instead of creating miniatures without a larger context, we should build an original world around them. Over time, that idea evolved even further, and after a bit of retconning, everything in our Dungeons & Lasers miniature line became part of the Deuslair universe.
I laid down the first foundations of the lore. Interestingly, the world originally had a strong science-fiction core - very much in the spirit of the classic Might & Magic games. ;-) Later, our writer, Alex Kubiak, took over worldbuilding and steered Deuslair toward a much darker fantasy direction. Still, quite a few of my original ideas survived, including the backstory of the beastkin, who are actually the result of human experiments.
What I love most about Deuslair is its diversity. It features a wide range of unique cultures, monsters, and regions, but it also offers playable ancestries you don't often see in fantasy RPGs, such as medusas, centaurs, pigfolk, and turtlefolk.
We've already published three books set in Deuslair, with a fourth heading to the printer soon and a fifth currently in development. If you're just getting started, I'd recommend picking up the World of Deuslair Bestiary alongside the World of Deuslair Campaign. Together, they provide the best introduction to the setting, its lore, and the adventures waiting within it.
Having stabilized your production pipeline and established co-management workflows with major rights holders, what is the next major milestone for Archon Studio as a publisher over the next few years? What can the tabletop community expect from your upcoming projects?
At this point, StarCraft is a major focus for us. Once Wave 1 of the Tabletop Miniatures Game is shipped, players can expect additional waves to follow in relatively short intervals, as we continue to build out that line in a structured and consistent way.
At the same time, we are absolutely not stepping away from either Heroes of Might & Magic or our own Dungeons & Lasers line. Both remain core pillars of our portfolio, and we’re continuing to develop them in parallel.
While Heroes and StarCraft are iconic licensed franchises, Dungeons & Lasers is a completely original Archon Studio brand. What does this project mean to you personally, and how do you envision its development over the next few years?
Dungeons & Lasers is one of the cornerstones of our diversified portfolio and, without a doubt, our strongest original brand.
As I mentioned earlier, one of the things I'm most proud of is that we didn't stop at creating a successful line of RPG miniatures and terrain - we also built an original fantasy world around it. I believe that gave the brand its own identity and long-term potential beyond the products themselves.
Looking ahead, I'd love to see Deuslair become much more than just the setting for Dungeons & Lasers. In fact, I recently had a conversation with our Sales Director, and we both agreed that Deuslair should serve as the flagship fantasy setting not only for Dungeons & Lasers, but for future fantasy games published under the Archon Studio banner. Building a shared universe across multiple products opens up exciting creative opportunities and gives our community a world they can continue to explore in many different ways.
Global Footprint, Community Legacy, and Closing Thoughts
Heroes of Might & Magic III has a passionate global player base, with especially strong communities in certain regions. What are your plans for expanding distribution in Europe and other international markets? Specifically, how does localization for regions with massive HoMM fandoms, such as the Eastern Europe and Central Asia, factor into that strategy?
Central and Eastern Europe is already the strongest market for Heroes of Might & Magic III, particularly countries like Poland, Czech Republic, and Germany.
We are currently collaborating with trusted distribution partners such as Rebel, Arcana, Warfactory, Xzone, and Blackfire, who each play an important role in bringing our games to players across different regions.
Do you have any plans to release official localizations of your games for the CIS region in the future, particularly Heroes of Might & Magic III: The Board Game and its expansions?
Currently, we're exploring broader localization opportunities for our products, including new ways of working with regional distribution partners.
While I can't announce anything specific regarding the CIS region or Heroes of Might & Magic III: The Board Game at this point, expanding the availability of our games through localized editions is definitely something we're considering as part of our long-term strategy.
Given the current stagnation of the digital franchise, many fans now view tabletop adaptations as the true guardians and continuation of the Might & Magic legacy. How does it feel to hold that level of responsibility as a studio, and do you believe that board games are becoming the new ecosystem where classic PC gaming franchises will permanently live on?
On one hand, it’s something truly incredible. As I mentioned earlier when talking about Forge, we feel like we’re adding our own small brick to something that already means a lot to the fandom. We’re giving players the chance to physically interact with the worlds they love - to literally touch the IP that shaped their imagination.
On the other hand, I also think it’s fair to say we might have been one of the small catalysts that helped create renewed momentum around the Might & Magic brand. There’s clearly movement happening again - new projects like Olden Era are on the horizon, and it feels like the universe is starting to breathe more actively once more.
And finally, a more personal question. Which faction in Heroes of Might & Magic III has always been your favorite, and why? Feel free to answer both for yourself and share the favorites of your colleagues at Archon Studio as well.
My favorite faction has always been Rampart. In fact, it might be my favorite faction across all games I've ever played. It has everything I love: elements of Greek mythology, a Tolkien-inspired fantasy atmosphere, and even a touch of Japanese aesthetics.
I think Phelan Sykes created something truly special with Rampart’s unique blend of influences. That kind of eclectic mix makes the faction feel unlike anything else. I also love its defensive playstyle and its resistance to magic - it really fits the way I enjoy approaching the game.
As for the rest of the Archon team, our CEO is a big fan of Necropolis. He’s such a fan, actually, that he has a portrait of a lich hanging in his office.
To wrap things up, what message or closing thoughts would you like to share with the global Might & Magic community and the subscribers of Tavern of Might and Magic who have been following your journey from the very beginning?
Thank you for this interview. I think we’re currently in a very good moment for both the fandom and the Might & Magic brand as a whole.
So - thank you to everyone who has been following Archon’s journey from the beginning. Let’s keep it going!
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