Ubi Soft signs agreement with Infinite Interactive to publish Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria

Ubi Soft Entertainment, one of the world largest video game publishers, today announced a deal with Infinite Interactive to publish Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria, the next installment in the extremely popular series of fantasy turn-based strategy games. Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria is expected to ship in Q4 of 2003.

Infinite Interactive is headed by Steve Fawkner, creator of the Warlords series. The Strategic Studies Group, previous developers of the Warlords games, recently split into two companies, with Infinite Interactive taking over development responsibilities for the Warlords series. The company is based in Melbourne, Australia.

"We are excited to have Steve Fawkner developing Warlords IV," said Dexter Chow, Executive Producer for Ubi Soft Entertainment. "As the Warlords creator, his personal attention will ensure that Warlords IV reflects the high-quality gameplay values and attention to detail that gamers have long associated with the Warlords brand."

Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria is a fantasy turn-based strategy game in which players build heroes - their main characters - as battles progress, gaining new skills, spells, and levels, and ultimately becoming the mightiest force in the Realms of Etheria! Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria features a brand new engine, and introduces players to a new level of resolving battles with the addition of tactical battles.

"We think the new features in Warlords IV will make the fans very happy," said Steve Fawkner, President of Infinite Interactive. "The Speed Tactical System adds a whole new element to the gameplay and speeds up strategic game play without giving up the tactical element to the game. Even traditionalists should be pleased."

Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria Features:

• STS: Speed Tactical System - Innovative new combat resolution system which greatly speeds up combat and allows unit control of traditional tactical combat systems without the micromanagement of movement of units and terrain effects.


• Terrain - All new lush 3D rendered height-mapped terrain. Dozens of terrain and animation effects.


• Persistent Heroes - Your hero improves after every battle, and the same hero can be used in campaign, skirmish or multiplayer. There are a huge number of development options for a hero.


• Enhanced Computer AI - The proprietary AI gives you unparalleled and incredibly cunning opponents.


• A New Campaign - Choose any hero and any side to battle over the whole of Etheria with our new open-ended, dynamic, non-linear Campaign. Fight duels, beat off invasions, capture territory and use your hard-won cash to purchase powerful magical artifacts.


• Unique Multiplayer Features: STS combat will allow faster gameplay for both allied play and free-for-all (up to eight players) over the Internet.


• Ten Different Sides - Ten unique sides all feature their own tech-trees, buildings, units, and playing styles.


• Spells - Automated combat casting and high quality graphical effects.


• Almost 120 Different Units - That's a huge number of fantasy creatures and Heroes for a strategy game.


• CD Quality Orchestral Score - Almost half an hour of original Celtic/orchestral music provides a soundtrack to your epic accomplishments.


• Victory Conditions - The game offers a wide variety of victory conditions and scripted victory events in both single and multiplayer.