Early this morning, Might & Magic: Chess Royale popped up on the Google Play Store for pre-registration, and upon closer inspection, it would appear that this is a title designed to offer large 100-player clashes in the latest take on the auto battle genre, also known as auto chess. Clearly, Ubisoft is keen to get in on the growing auto chess trend, and so has slapped a Might & Magic skin on top of its upcoming auto battler to squeeze out as much nostalgia from the brand as possible.
As you can see in the trailer linked above, Might & Magic: Chess Royale is indeed an auto chess clone that contains a Might & Magic skin. Since the title isn’t officially available yet, all we have to go on so far is the information offered on the Google Play Store listing. First and foremost, Ubisoft has made it very clear that the game will provide massive battles, where fans will fight 99 other players in real-time to see who will be the last hero standing. Of course, classic Might & Magic heroes will make up your forces in this high-fantasy universe, so expect to spend a lot of time collecting and upgrading these heroes if you want to stay competitive. Ideally, each match should only last up to ten minutes, which makes this a fitting choice if you are looking for short sessions from your auto battler.
What we don’t know is when the game will be officially released, or how it will be monetized. So far, the official Facebook page for Might & Magic: Chess Royale is blank beyond a few profile pictures, though there is a dedicated subreddit, but it too looks to be dead at the moment. I was able to find a couple of gameplay videos on YouTube that date back to December, so it would appear that a closed beta (in Finland) already took place with little fanfare.
So there it is. Ubisoft will soon be jumping into the auto battle genre with Might & Magic: Chess Royale. While I can’t say this is a game that appeals to me, especially since there are already more than a few auto chess games already available on the Play Store, I suppose those that are really into the genre may get a kick out of the larger battles, shorter sessions, and M&M theme. Of course it would be easier to judge the game if we knew how it will eventually be monetized, or when we should expect the official release. So as always, once we learn more, expect an update from yours truly. Until then, feel free to pre-register though the Play Store widget listed at the bottom of the page.
Might & Magic: Chess Royale officially coming to Android on January 30th
It looks like there was a reason Ubisoft published the pre-registration listing for Might & Magic: Chess Royale on the Play Store earlier this morning. As of this afternoon, Ubisoft has officially announced that Might & Magic: Chess Royale will be released on Android on January 30th, which is only two weeks away. An official website was also launched in the last few hours, but it doesn’t mention anything that we already don’t know. So sadly, there are still no details about how the game will be monetized, which is never a good sign this close to release, so it’s probably safe to assume that Might & Magic: Chess Royale will land as a free-to-play title on the 30th.
GAME OVERVIEW
Discover the first massive real-time 100 players autobattler in the Might & Magic Universe!
Fight 99 other players on a real-time chess battlefield and be the last hero standing! Re-discover classic units and heroes from the Might & Magic high-fantasy universe and create deep strategies in ten-minute competition!
Developed for Mobile and PC, this new genre-breaking game is inspired by a mix of the Battle Royale and the Autobattler genres, the two hottest trends of the video game market. With a High Fantasy artistic direction, Might & Magic: Chess Royale present a unique gameplay experience.
Choose your Hero, build your powerful team, recruit new units, create synergies and fight to be the last one standing!
Who will win the Chess Royale?
FEATURES
Experience a completely new take on the autobattler genre:
FIGHT AGAINST 99 PLAYERS
- Experience the first Battle Royale autobattler, by fighting 99 other players in real-time
- Adapt your strategy by analyzing the most used composition among all the opponents during the scouting phase
- Be the last Hero standing to rank up in the ladder
- Witness a true social fest! See who’s left on the board, feel the crowd, and get a taste of your chance of victory
10 MINUTES GAMES FOR THE WIN
- Define your own play-style by creating your team with unique synergies between Units, Faction & Heroes
- Use the daily rotating Spell pool to gain an advantage on your adversaries
- Manage your Gold and spend it wisely, as it is a valuable resource
- Loose quick – win quick: be ready for frantic fights!
- Adapt your strategy to an always-changing meta!
BECOME THE MIGHTIEST
- Discover the rich world of Might & Magic with unique Heroes, Faction & Units
- Enjoy an appealing and distinctive High Fantasy Artistic Direction
- Become the strongest Hero & climb the levels
- Will you be the mightiest Hero?
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
Publisher Ubisoft®
Developer Ubisoft Paris Mobile & Ubisoft Bordeaux
Pre-Registration start 13th January 2020
Release Date 28th January 2020
Language available in game EFIGS, Brazil PT, Russian, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian
Category Games (Strategy / Action)
Platforms Mobile (iOS, Android), PC
Ratings 12+ TBC
Business Model Free-to-play (including in-app purchases)
Build size 150 Mb
Requirements iOS 10 or later / Android 6 and above
An online connection – 4G or Wi-Fi is required
Might & Magic® Chess Royale
© 2019 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Might & Magic, Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are registered or unregistered trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries.
Might & Magic: Chess Royale is available a day early
Two weeks ago, we learned that Ubisoft’s strategic auto-battler Might & Magic: Chess Royale would be coming to Android on the 30th of January, but apparently, someone jumped the gun a little early since the game is available on the Play Store right now. Sadly, it would appear that the game is currently having issues with its servers, to the point that all Play Store reviews are negative.
Now, I was able to get past the loading screens to play my first match, and as expected, the gameplay is barely explained to the player since the game drops you into your first match with zero warning. So unless you’re familiar with the mechanics of the auto chess genre, you’re going to have to have a rough time starting with this release.
One thing that does strike me as odd is that there is no monetization to be found in Might & Magic: Chess Royale despite today’s worldwide release, so as it stands, the game is actually free to enjoy, though somehow I doubt it will stay that way. I suppose the real question is, when will the monetization hammer drop, and how bad will it be? I guess we’ll simply have to wait and see.
