It’s only been a week, well actually less than a week, since the beta testing of the next Heroes of Might and Magic game, HOMM V, opened up. Yet already, Ubisoft is announcing that the game will be delayed from its initial March release date. Although a new release date has not been set, Ubisoft is planning on announcing the revised date by the end of the week.

Normally, fans would be upset over such news, but it is highly likely that Heroes fans will be completely thrilled at the game’s delay. The third game in the series, Heroes III, was unarguably the best game in the series. Heroes III developed such a loyal following that the game still has a significant fan base a full seven years after the game’s release. The subsequent release of Heroes IV, though was a catastrophe, and many Heroes fans felt let down and cheated by the 2002 sequel. So when Ubisoft announced that it was taking over the series and had a new game, Heroes V, in development, Heroes fans around the world scrambled to make their voices heard.

In response, a number of long-time fans of series set up a petition on a website called SaveHeroes.org. The website is dedicated to restoring the game to its previous glory and delaying a premature title release. The site greets visitors with the message: “All of the undersigned wish to see Heroes of Might and Magic [V] as the title that reinvents the series, the title that brings glory back to the Heroes of Might and Magic name… All wish to see more releases in this new world that Ubisoft has created for Might and Magic. However, we also feel that, should you release the game on its currently scheduled release date, all of our dreams will be shattered.” Clearly Heroes fans were concerned that pressure to prematurely release the game would result in another failed title. More time, argued Heroes fans, would give the developer more time to fine tune the game, add in extra features, and fix buggy code. The latest news, that the game has been delayed, therefore, should send a flurry of cheers throughout the gaming community.

So has Ubisoft heard the pleas if its fans and delayed the release of the game in response to their concerns? Or has preliminary beta testing revealed so many bugs that the developer has no choice but to delay the title’s shipping date? As of yet, no one knows since Ubisoft has not yet commented on the delay. But one thing is certain: regardless of the reason for the delay, Heroes fans are thrilled at the outcome. And in the end, that may really be the only thing that matters.

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