Homeworld
Genre(s)Real-time strategy
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)
Composer(s)
First releaseHomeworld
September 28, 1999
Latest releaseHomeworld Mobile
October 11, 2022

Homeworld is a series of real-time strategy video games created by Relic Entertainment. Relic Entertainment developed the first two Homeworld games (Homeworld and Homeworld 2). The series then spent over a decade in dormancy until Gearbox Software acquired the franchise in 2012 and tasked Blackbird Interactive to develop Homeworld 3, the third mainline installment of the franchise, and the spin-off game Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak.

Games

Release timeline
1999Homeworld
2000Homeworld: Cataclysm
2001
2002
2003Homeworld 2
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015Homeworld Remastered Collection
2016Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022Homeworld Mobile
2023
2024Homeworld 3

Relic Entertainment era (1999-2003)

Homeworld (1999)

Set in space, the science fiction game follows the Kushan exiles of the planet Kharak. The survivors journey with their spacecraft-constructing mothership to reclaim their ancient homeworld, encountering a variety of pirates, mercenaries, traders, and rebels and forging unlikely alliances along the way.[1] The game's narrative was inspired by Battlestar Galactica, and its gameplay drew inspirations from the Command & Conquer franchise.[2]

Homeworld was developed by Relic Entertainment and published by Sierra Studios. It was Relic Entertainment's debut title. The game received critical acclaim when it was released in 1999, and went on to become a commercial success, selling more than 500,000 in its first six months.[3] Homeworld was considered an influential title, as it was the first RTS video game that allow players to move units in a fully three-dimensional space rather than being limited to a two-dimensional plane.[4][5]

Homeworld: Cataclysm (2000)

A standalone expansion for the game, Homeworld: Cataclysm, developed by Barking Dog Studios, was released in 2000. The story follows a small mining clan named Kiith Somtaaw, which encounters a race of hostile nanobots that threaten the peace of the galaxy. Cataclysm is not part of the Remastered Collection, though it was re-released by GOG.com as Homeworld: Emergence in June 2017. The title of the expansion was changed as the name "Cataclysm" was trademarked by Blizzard Entertainment for its third expansion to World of Warcraft.[6]

Homeworld 2 (2003)

Homeworld 2's story continues the struggle of the Hiigarans, who encounter a new threat that forces them to leave their homeworld and embarck on a journey into the "oldest regions of the galaxy".[7]

Relic Entertainment once again led the development of the sequel. It was released in 2003. The game was a critical success and was considered to be a visual upgrade over its predecessor.[2] Homeworld 2 is the last Homeworld game developed by Relic Entertainment, which moved on to develop games including Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War and Company of Heroes after being acquired by THQ in 2004.

Gearbox Software era (2012-present)

While THQ confirmed in 2007 that it had acquired the rights to the series from Sierra, it did not commission the development of any new game in the series.[8] When THQ filed for chapter 13 bankruptcy in 2012, Sega acquired Relic Entertainment, while Gearbox Software acquired the rights to the Homeworld intellectual property for $1.35 million. Other bidders for the IP rights include Aspyr Media and Paradox Interactive. When Gearbox purchased the rights to Homeworld, it admitted that the studio had no long-term plan for the franchise.[9]

Both Homeworld and Homeword 2 were remastered by Gearbox Software. The remastered version was released as Homeworld Remastered Collection in February 2015, though Cataclysm was not included as its source code was lost at that time.[10] Gearbox also partnered with developer Stratosphere Games and released Homeworld Mobile for iOS and Android in October 2022.[11] Gearbox described the game as a free-to-play strategy massively multiplayer online game (MMO).[12]

Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak (2016)

In the game, Chief Science Officer Rachel S’jet must lead an expedition across the desert planet of Kharak to investigate an all-powerful artifact which may saves the planet and their species from extinction. Deserts of Kharak is a prequel to the first Homeworld and a spin-off game of the franchise. Due to the desert setting, the gameplay focuses on vehicular combat, terrain control and ground battles instead.[13]

Rob Cunningham, one of the co-founders of Relic, founded Blackbird Interactive in 2007 and began working on a real-time strategy game named Hardware: Shipbreakers. The team approached THQ for publishing, though the talks subsequently faltered. Blackbird was outbid by Gearbox during the THQ auction, though it sparked dialogue between Gearbox and Blackbird to turn Hardware into a Homeworld title. The game was then renamed to Homeworld: Shipbreakers, before further renaming to Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak.[9][14]

Released in January 2016, Deserts of Kharak received generally positive reviews.[15]

Homeworld 3 (2024)

Blackbird Interactive led the development of the third installment of the franchise. While Gearbox fully funded the game's development, Blackbird and Gearbox launched a successful mixed crowdfunding/investment campaign on Fig in late 2019 which went on to generate the highest donation average in the platform's history.[16] The game is set to be released in February 2024.

Other media

A tabletop role-playing game named Homeworld: Revelations was announced in October 2019.[17] It was developed by Modiphius Entertainment. The studio partnered with Gearbox and Blackbird, and employed Martin Cirulis, one of the writers for the first Homeworld game, for the project.[18]

A board game titled Homeworld Fleet Command, also developed by Modiphius Entertainment, was announced in August 2022.[19]

References

  1. ↑ Bedford, John (February 22, 2015). "There's no place like Homeworld". Eurogamer. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  2. 1 2 "How Homeworld Almost Got Lost in 3D Space". Ars Technica. YouTube. April 7, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  3. ↑ Saltzman, Marc (2000-05-18). Game Design: Secrets of the Sages. Brady Games. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-57595-422-6. Even though Homeworld was a relatively difficult game and was a true "genre-buster" by fusing various kinds of gameplay together, it still went on to sell over 500,000 units within six months of its release.
  4. ↑ "How the Homeworld game series could come back from the dead". CNET. January 12, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  5. ↑ Moss, Richard (September 15, 2019). "Build, gather, brawl, repeat: The history of real-time strategy games". Ars Technica. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  6. ↑ Chalk, Andy (June 23, 2023). "GOG brings 17-year-old Homeworld expansion Cataclysm back from the dead". PC Gamer. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Homeworld 2 Q&A". GameSpot. February 26, 2003. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  8. ↑ "THQ docks Homeworld license". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. 2007-11-07. Archived from the original on 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
  9. 1 2 Williams, Mike (September 2, 2012). "Gearbox had "no clear path" for Homeworld IP". Gameindustry.biz. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  10. ↑ Nunneley-Jackson, Stephany (January 25, 2023). "Homeworld Remastered Collection dated, first gameplay footage released". VG 247. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  11. ↑ Nelson, Jared (October 12, 2022). "Out Now: 'Torchlight: Infinite', 'Homeworld Mobile', 'Undecember', 'Kraino Origins', 'N-GON', 'Pocket Reality', 'Retro Abyss', 'Unhappy Raccoon' and More". TouchArcade. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Homeworld Mobile Launches Globally on IOS and Android". Gearbox Publishing. October 12, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  13. ↑ Mahardy, Mike (January 13, 2016). "How the Homeworld Series Could Come Back from the Dead". GameSpot. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak Announced - IGN". Archived from the original on 2015-12-24. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  15. ↑ Storm, Steven (January 21, 2016). "Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is a small game in a big galaxy". Ars Technica. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Homeworld 3: Blackbird Interactive's next space real-time strategy game raises money on Fig". August 30, 2019. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  17. ↑ Hollingworth, David (October 21, 2019). "Homeworld is getting a tabletop RPG". GamesRadar. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  18. ↑ Hall, Charlie (July 22, 2021). "The Homeworld tabletop RPG will include work from the game's original writer". Polygon. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  19. ↑ Hall, Charlie (August 24, 2022). "New Homeworld board game includes more than 100 ships and a 10-part campaign". Polygon. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
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