After A Decade Off, The Age of Wonders Series Is Returning

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Starting off the morning with a blast from the past (in more ways than one) developer Triumph Studios has announced Age of Wonders III, a new sequel for their turn-based strategy series that has been dormant since 2003. While specific gameplay details are still sparse, it will definitely be expanding on the model established in 2002's AoW II.

Where in that game you were stuck (I say that like it was a bad thing...) controlling a wizard who in turn commanded the army, you'll now be able to choose between a host of "RPG-inspired" leader classes, including a "Goblin Theocrat." Yes please! Happily, Triumph will also be continuing the play-by-email mechanic which was part of the originals. It's like snail-mail chess, but with hard fantasy.

With an out-of-nowhere announcement, and apparently high production value, there are questions as to who exactly is funding Triumph's surprise sequel. In a conversation with Eurogamer , Age of Wonders lead designer Lennart Sas said the studio had a "big partner" to be announced later, and when asked if it was Epic Games—who originated the series with Triumph in 1999—he responded "you've been reading up! That's something for a later moment." Slated for an "Autumn 2013" PC release—with a possible Mac port— Age of Wonders III has an official website with more info and screenshots.