Ubisoft’s Might & Magic: Chess Royale blends Auto Chess with Battle Royale

I don’t think it’s a stretch to suggest that the two most pervasive new genres in video games are the Battle Royale – which birthed games like Fortnite Battle Royale and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds; and 2019’s popular Auto Chess, the mod of a mod that’s given rise to games like Dota Underlords, Teamfight Tactics and Hearthstone: Battlegrounds.

Perhaps jumping on the bandwagon a little too late, Ubisoft is releasing a game that combines both genres. Developed by Ubisoft Paris Mobile & Ubisoft Bordeaux, Might & Magic: Chess Royale is a spinoff the of the company’s Might and Magic series that blends together the general mechanics of Auto Chess battling with the 1v99 ethos of Battle Royale. Ubisoft revealed that they’d be releasing the game on Android, iOS and PC on January 30 though it’s already in a soft-launch testing phase.

Apparently, it’ll be distilling both genres down to their core elements, with matches that’ll be over within 10 minutes. Given that it’ll be on mobile, that’s probably a smart move. While the game has little to do with Ubisoft’s turn-based strategy series, it will feature units and characters from Might and Magic to give it an air of familiarity. Like other Auto Chess games, it’ll focus on the synergies and strategies between various units and factions.

It’ll be launching as a microtransaction-supported free-to-play game. It definitely seems to be a bit of trend-chasing, and it’ll take some work for it to become especially popular given how Might and Magic’s popularity has waned over the years. Here’s the bullet-point feature list as per the press release:

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?

If that tickles your fancy, you can pre-register for the thing here.

Last Updated: January 14, 2020