Blitzkrieg 3 will blend single and multiplayer modes for asynchronous online combat

Blitzkrieg 3 was announced in September with the intriguing promise of asynchronous multiplayer, an unusual feature for a real-time strategy game. The multiplayer component will actually consist of two parts: "Unhurried" base-building, in which you'll construct your defenses, and attacks against AI-controlled enemy forces.

Asynchronous multiplayer games are those in which players don't have to engage simultaneously, but can instead make their moves whenever it's convenient. It's an easy thing for turn-based games—I go, then you go, repeat until victory or boredom—but RTS games, as the name of the genre suggests, tend to happen in real-time. In Blitzkrieg 3, however, players can construct their defenses at their leisure, erecting buildings and fortifications on varying landscapes, laying mines and barbed wire, and placing their defensive defending units as they see fit. Combat sequences will occur separately, with control of those defenses left to the computer.

"While attacking you’ll try to break through other player’s AI-controlled defenses to capture their base and resources, applying various units and tactics to solve the brain-teaser they have left for you," Nival Interactive CEO Sergey Orlovskiy said in a recent interview with MMO Reviews. "So in general, it’s a blend of single player and multiplayer modes—you are actually playing a mission, created under certain rules for you by another player."

Blitzkrieg 3 will support leaderboards and clans, and it won't be totally free-to-play, although what exactly it will be in terms of payment model is a bit hazy. "Blitzkrieg 3 will have paid single-player campaigns with free multiplayer, where you can purchase individual missions or an optional subscription via a premium account for all single player campaigns," Orlovskiy said. And while there will be no microtransactions, Nival "will be selling additional historical campaigns as optional DLC."

Nival also released a new "Word from the Front" video prior to the weekend that shows off some of the game's models and animations, and in terms of eye candy I'd have to say it's looking pretty good so far. Blitzkrieg 3 is expected to come out sometime in 2015.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.