Might and Magic Heroes Online will broaden the audience but remain a core experience, Blue Byte says

Blue Byte's upcoming free-to-play browser game based on the Might and Magic series, Might and Magic Heroes Online, will be accessible enough for new players to join in, but it will also deliver a "core Might and Magic" experience for players who are familiar with the series, according to the developer.

Speaking to Polygon, Blue Byte's Stefan Böhne said bringing the game to the browser lowers the barrier of entry for new players, and making it free-to-play lowers that barrier even further. But just because it's free-to-play and in a browser doesn't mean it is lacking anything its predecessors had.

"The nice thing about Might and Magic Heroes Online is it's actually not that different [to other Might and Magic games]," Böhne said. "The universe is still rich and there are so many stories to be told — we've just brought it to the browser world."

The browser experience does come with some changes in the game's design, though. According to Böhne, browser games aren't meant to be played for fours hours in a row — Might and Magic Heroes Online's browser-based and free-to-play nature means players can hop in and out as they please to gather troops and battle enemies when they have the time to. The game will have slow periods when a player has run out of troops and has to wait to recruit more, and during these periods players can tab away from the browser to do something else and return later to take part in in-depth, strategic turn-based battles the series is known for.

Böhne says he understands that some Might and Magic fans might be skeptical of the free-to-play business model and the fact that the game is in a browser, but he believes that the team behind the game has delivered something fans will enjoy.

"I think the best thing for players who already know the Might and Magic series to do is to simply give it a try and see if this is something they would like to play. I think true Might and Magic fans will appreciate it."

Registration for the game's closed beta is now available.