Sci-fi RTS Homeworld 3 has been delayed into the first half of 2023

What you need to know

• Homeworld is a sci-fi RPG franchise that hasn't seen a mainline entry since Homeworld 2 in 2003.
• Blackbird Interactive and Gearbox Publishing are working on Homeworld 3, originally slated for a late 2022 release.
• On Friday, it was announced that Homeworld 3 has been delayed into the first half of 2023.
• The team needs the additional time to ensure the quality of the title, without sacrificing team health.

The long-dormant Homeworld franchise was officially revived at the end of 2021 with the announcement of Homeworld 3, an expansive sci-fi RTS in development at Blackbird Interactive, to be published by Gearbox Publishing. Fans have been understandably excited for this upcoming real-time strategy game, which was originally slated to release in Winter 2023.

It seems players will have to wait a little longer to get their hands on Homeworld 3, as the team at Blackbird Interactive has announced the title has been delayed into the first half of 2023.

The reasons cited for the delay are to ensure the quality of the game without sacrificing the health of the development team or resorting to unnecessary and harmful crunch. The delay into the first half of 2023 means players could be looking at up to a year before the release of Homeworld 3.

Blackbird Interactive appears to be confident in the game it's building, and promises to provide the "deepest look yet" into Homeworld 3 during Gamescom 2022 later this year. In the meantime, players can still wishlist the title on Steam. There is clearly a lot of interest in Homeworld 3, with the game accumulating over $1.5 million in funding on the Fig crowdfunding platform.

The most notable recent release in the RTS genre was Xbox Game Studios' Age of Empires 4, and while that title does count among the best PC RTS games, it certainly isn't going to scratch the itch for those looking for a comprehensive science-fiction real-time strategy experience. Only time will tell if Blackbird Interactive will be able to deliver on its ambitions with Homeworld 3.