Might and Magic is a series of role-playing video games in a mix of science fiction and fantasy genres. The games were created by New World Computing, which became part of The 3DO Company in 1996. The original Might and Magic series stopped when The 3DO Company shut down. Ubisoft bought the rights to use the Might and Magic name for $1.3 million. Ubisoft started a new version of the series with no connection to the old games, beginning with the titles Heroes of Might and Magic V and Dark Messiah of Might and Magic.

History

• Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum (1986; available on Apple II, Mac, MS-DOS, Commodore 64, NES, MSX, and PC-Engine CD-ROM²)
• Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World (1988; available on Apple II, Amiga, MS-DOS, Commodore 64, Mac, Genesis, Super NES (Europe only), Super Famicom (Japan-only, different from the European Super NES version), and MSX)
• Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra (1991; available on MS-DOS, Mac, Amiga, Super NES, Genesis (prototype), Sega CD, and PC-Engine Super CD-ROM²)
• Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen (1992; available on MS-DOS and Mac)
• Might and Magic V: Darkside of Xeen (1993; available on MS-DOS and Mac)
• Might and Magic: World of Xeen (1994; available on MS-DOS and Mac)
• Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven (1998; available on Windows)
• Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor (1999; available on Windows)
• Might and Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer (2000; available on Windows and PlayStation 2 (Japan-only))
• Might and Magic IX: Writ of Fate (2002; available on Windows)
• Might & Magic X: Legacy (2014; available on Windows and OS X)

There have been several side series based on the main Might and Magic series, including the long-running Heroes of Might and Magic series, Crusaders of Might and Magic, Warriors of Might and Magic, Shifters of Might and Magic, Legends of Might and Magic, Might and Magic: Heroes Kingdoms, and the fan-made Swords of Xeen.

In August 2003, Ubisoft bought the rights to the Might and Magic franchise for US$1.3 million after 3DO filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Ubisoft has released multiple new projects using the Might and Magic brand, including a fifth game in the Heroes series made by Nival, an action-style game called Dark Messiah of Might and Magic made by Arkane Studios, a puzzle RPG titled Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes made by Capybara Games, and a mobile strategy RPG called Might & Magic: Elemental Guardians.

Gameplay

The games mostly take place in medieval fantasy worlds. Later parts of the games often use science fiction ideas, and this change is usually an unexpected part of the story. Players control a group of characters, each with different roles. The game world is shown from the player's viewpoint. In the earliest games, the screen looks similar to another game called Bard's Tale. Starting with Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven, the screen shows a 3D environment. Combat happens in turns, but later games let players choose to fight in real time.

The game worlds in all Might and Magic games are large, and each game usually takes many hours to complete. The games often have many battles with large groups of enemies. The monsters and situations in the games are common fantasy creatures, like giant rats, werewolves, dragons, and zombies, rather than new ideas. Some games, like Isles of Terra and the Xeen series, mix fantasy and science fiction in a special way.

The Might and Magic games can be played again because players can choose different characters, improve different skills, pick sides, complete quests in different orders, find hidden items, and change the difficulty level.

Plot

The first nine games in the Might and Magic series mix fantasy and science fiction elements. The story takes place in a fictional galaxy, part of an alternate universe, where planets are ruled by a powerful group of space travelers called the Ancients. These Ancients created humans, elves, dwarves, goblins, and other races on these planets. In each game, players control a group of characters who fight monsters and complete tasks on these planets. Eventually, the characters become involved in the Ancients' larger story, making the series a blend of science fiction and fantasy.

The series was created by Jon Van Caneghem. He has said in interviews that the game’s setting was inspired by his interest in both science fiction and fantasy. He mentioned that shows like The Twilight Zone and a Star Trek episode called For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky influenced the game’s story.

The first five games focus on Sheltem, a robot created by the Ancients to protect the planet Terra. Sheltem becomes corrupted and starts destroying worlds to stop the Ancients’ experiment. He lives on flat worlds called nacelles, which are inside large spaceships. Corak, another robot made by the Ancients, hunts Sheltem with the help of the player’s characters. Sheltem and Corak are destroyed in a final battle on the nacelle world of Xeen.

Games six through eight take place on Enroth, a planet ruled by the Ironfist dynasty. These games follow the aftermath of an attack by the Kreegan, enemies of the Ancients. It is explained that wars between the Ancients and the Kreegan caused the worlds of Might and Magic to become medieval fantasy settings instead of futuristic ones. The worlds were cut off from the Ancients and fell into chaos. The first three games in the Heroes of Might and Magic series explore the Ironfist dynasty’s story in more detail. Only the Kreegan appear in the Heroes series as science fiction elements. Games IX and Heroes IV take place on Axeoth, a planet where survivors from Enroth were sent after an event called the Reckoning destroyed their home.

The Ubisoft game Might & Magic X: Legacy is set in a new world called Ashan, which was created for later Heroes games. This setting is purely fantasy with no science fiction elements. The original setting was not used again until the 2025 game Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era, a prequel set on Enroth’s continent Jadame, first introduced in Might and Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer.

Reception

Might and Magic is regarded as one of the important examples of early role-playing video games, along with The Bard's Tale, Ultima, and the Wizardry series. By March 1994, total sales of the Might and Magic series reached 1 million units. Sales increased to 2.5 million units by November 1996 and reached 4 million units by March 1999.