Ubisoft Sold A Game But Forgot To Include The Literal Game Part
Ubisoft’s release of the classic Heroes of Might and Magic 3 on Steam has become a cautionary tale in digital distribution. The publisher made the original turn-based strategy game available on the platform for $10, bundling the complete edition alongside its two expansions. The release was announced during Gamescom Opening Night Live alongside the announcement of an upcoming full remake scheduled for 2027, built in Ubisoft’s Snowdrop engine.
However, the launch quickly turned into a major embarrassment. Players who purchased the game discovered that the Steam installation was only 23.49KB in size—far too small to contain an actual game. Upon investigation, it became clear that Ubisoft had failed to include the game files themselves in the package. Customers received only a launcher or stub file, without access to the actual Heroes of Might and Magic 3 software they had paid for.
The botched release generated significant negative attention on Steam’s user review platform, where players documented the failure. The incident highlights a surprising lapse in quality control for what should have been a straightforward re-release of a 25-year-old classic—one that the publisher positioned as a stopgap offering ahead of its upcoming 3D remake. Ubisoft has not yet issued a public statement about the error or provided clear information on whether customers will receive refunds or if the game files will be restored.