Ubisoft Apologizes After Heroes of Might and Magic III Steam Launch Downloads Only a Dummy File
Ubisoft has apologized after the new Steam release of Heroes of Might and Magic III Complete Edition launched without the actual game.
Players who purchased the classic strategy game initially received a tiny 23.49 KB download. Instead of loading Heroes of Might and Magic III, the included file opened a Command Prompt window and showed a dummy executable message.
Ubisoft has now said the issue is fixed. Players who downloaded the broken version are being told to fully uninstall and reinstall the game through Steam.
However, players quickly noticed that something was wrong. The download was only 23.49 KB, which is far too small for a full PC game.
The install folder reportedly contained only one file: Heroes3.exe. When players tried to open it, it launched a Command Prompt window instead of the game.
The message read:
“Dummy executable. Ensure that you are on the right Steam branch.”
In simple terms, players were given a placeholder file instead of the full game build.
Ubisoft Confirms the Issue Is Fixed
Ubisoft acknowledged the issue on Steam after players reported the missing game files.
The company said:
“The cause of the issue has now been resolved.”
Ubisoft also asked affected Steam users to completely uninstall the title and download it again. This should trigger the correct installation and provide the full game files.
Reports suggest that the game was fixed around 10 hours after its release, with Steam later delivering a much larger update containing the real game data.
If you downloaded Heroes of Might and Magic III Complete Edition when it first launched, follow these steps:
Open your Steam Library.
Right-click Heroes of Might and Magic III Complete Edition.
Select Manage, then choose Uninstall.
Once it has been removed, install the game again.
Wait for Steam to download the complete game files before launching it.
A correct installation should be far larger than the original 23.49 KB placeholder download.
What Is Included in the Complete Edition?
The Steam release is the original version of Heroes of Might and Magic III, first released in 1999. The Complete Edition includes the base game and its two major expansions:
Armageddon’s Blade
The Shadow of Death
The Steam launch came shortly after Ubisoft also announced a separate Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake. That remake is planned for 2027 and will be a modern version of the beloved strategy game, while the Complete Edition is the original classic experience.
The error quickly became a talking point among strategy-game fans. Many players expected to jump back into Erathia, build towns, recruit armies, and explore the world map—but instead, they got a tiny file and a CMD message.
Thankfully, Ubisoft says the issue has been resolved. Anyone still seeing the dummy executable should fully uninstall the game and reinstall it from Steam.
Heroes of Might and Magic III Complete Edition is now available on Steam.
