The classic Homeworld space RTS series is set to continue, with Gearbox and developer Blackbird Interactive unveiling Homeworld 3. However, you won’t see the game any time soon, with a tentative Q4 2022 release date pencilled in for the game at this point.
This is a full sequel to the game, unlike the prequel story told in the planet-bound Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak. That also means its a return to the series’ defining interstellar strategy, which wowed players with its implementation of full 3D combat in the void of space. There’s a reason why Homeworld and Homeworld 2 are still held up as some of the best RTS games out there.
Blackbird Interactive were founded by former members of Relic Entertainment, who worked on the 1999 original and its 2003 sequel, and Rob Cunningham is leading the production of Homeworld 3. Founded in 2007, they started on development of what was then called Hardware: Shipbreakers, intended as a spiritual successor to Homeworld. With THQ’s bankruptcy, they then sought to snap up the Homeworld IP, but were outbid by Gearbox. Thankfully, Gearbox agreed to work with Blackbird and Hardware: Shipbreakers morphed into Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak.
What’s unusual, then, is that Blackbird and Gearbox are heading to a crowdfunding platform for Homeworld 3. We obviously don’t know the exact terms of the relationship, but with the backing of a large developer/publisher like Gearbox it’s very weird that the game is up on Fig.
The game is also only in the earliest stages of pre-production, and it feels like Gearbox are fishing for an idea of how much money and funding to commit to the project at this stage. There’s good news for fans in that the game has already blazed past its crowdfunding target. The target was set at $1.
Oh, and if you’re someone that despises Epic Games Store and loves Steam… well, the game’s confirmed for PC, but not committed to a particular storefront at this point. The preferences that people have are already being made quite clear in the comments section of the Fig page.
Source: Fig
