Upcoming space-faring real-time strategy game Homeworld 3 receives a major delay and will no longer release in the first half of 2023. The Homeworld 3 delay means longtime fans will have to wait even longer for the franchise's first numbered entry in nearly two decades.Following the successful release of prequel Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, Gearbox Software and developer Blackbird Interactive announced development of Homeworld 3 was underway. After multiple years in active development, the developers would share its first gameplay premiere for Homeworld 3 at The Game Awards 2021. The game was slated for a Q4 2022 release, but Blackbird Interactive pushed the release window to the first half of 2023 to encourage a healthy working environment and avoid crunch. However, eager fans will not be able to play Homeworld 3 by the end of spring 2023, either.The official Homeworld Twitter account announces that Homeworld 3 has been delayed out of 2023, pushing the RTS title's release date to February 2024. Blackbird Interactive's goal for Homeworld 3 involves delivering a great sequel that lives up to the legacy and standards set by its predecessors. The development team is fulfilling its vision for Homeworld 3, but more time is needed to further refine and polish the game according to Blackbird Interactive.
Reception for the Homeworld 3 delay is mixed with several users showing their support for Blackbird Interactive, while others express doubt or hope the game is not experiencing development troubles. While responding to a worried user's inquiry about a new gameplay video or demo, Blackbird Interactive confirmed a major progress update is planned for summer 2023. This particular progress update will be the largest yet for Homeworld 3, and Blackbird Interactive is excited to share what the development team is working on.
The Homeworld 3 delay is crucial for the end user experience since the extra development time will allow Blackbird Interactive to address bugs and technical issues that may be affecting in-house builds. Unfortunately, this is the second consecutive delay for Blackbird Interactive's new RTS game, so some fans may be losing patience after waiting several years for the third installment.
At the very least, the Homeworld 3 developers have a 4-day workweek, and the team will not be crunching to reach its end goal. The health and safety of developers is vital toward a creative vision being fully realized for a new game. Hopefully, the summer 2023 update and subsequent news releases are enough to keep fans excited and patient until February 2024.
Homeworld 3 launches in February 2024 for PC.