I’m dating myself here, but one of my favorite games for the PC (and early Genesis) was New World Computing’s King’s Bounty. The predecessor to what would later become Heroes of Might & Magic, King’s Bounty offered the essence of those later games with a fraction of the complication. It was easy to dive into and amass an army, and I cannot count the number of hours spent alone or with friends spent conquering the countryside.

Now publisher 1C Company has announced that the previously announced game Battle Lord has been renamed as King’s Bounty: The Legend. The game will feature real-time RPG elements as well as battles that unfold in classic King’s Bounty style with “a strong emphasis on turn-based tactical elements”, says Ivan Magazinnikov, project lead designer. The game, which is being developed by Katauri Interactive (Space Rangers), is set for release in the fourth quarter.

According to a statement announcing the name change, the upcoming title is being developed by fans of the original King’s Bounty, and is described as “not just a spiritual successor for the critically acclaimed series, but its true rejuvenation.”

“Our aim was to create a game that would preserve the traditions of the classic PC title,” adds Nikolay Baryshnikov, international sales director of 1C Company. “King’s Bounty was a founder of a new and very popular genre. There are still people that remember and love this game throughout the world. I’m sure that together with Katauri Interactive, the creators of the successful Space Rangers series, we will able to deliver a game worthy of its famous predecessor.”

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