FAQs

The new Heroes & Generals™ from Insight Interactive is best described as a rebuild and modernization of the original concept, not a direct sequel, remake, or remaster.

We’re taking the core ideas that made the original great, large-scale World War II battles, combined arms warfare, and the strategic war map and rebuilding them from the ground up using new technology, new assets, and a sustainable long-term structure.

This isn’t HnG 2, and it’s not just a visual update of the original. It’s a full rebuild of Heroes & Generals™, built from the ground up with modern technology to preserve the original gameplay experience while addressing what held it back, including performance, balance, and long-term stability.

If you loved the original, this will feel like coming home, just rebuilt for today.

We’re rebuilding from scratch using Unreal Engine, not the original Retox engine that Reto-Moto developed.

The old Heroes & Generals code and engine remain proprietary to Reto-Moto’s successors (now likely held by Endava plc through its acquisition of TLM Partners). Because of that, Insight Interactive is creating a new foundation built on Unreal’s proven modern framework.

This means every system, graphics, gameplay, networking, and backend is being rebuilt for modern hardware, scalability, and long-term support.

Using Unreal allows us to capture the same combined-arms warfare that defined Heroes & Generals, but with the visual fidelity, stability, and flexibility expected today. It also opens the door for future mod support, cross-platform play, and community-driven features, all built on a modern, sustainable engine.

Our goal with the new Heroes & Generals™ is to modernize, rebalance, and rebuild the game around fair play, more historical authenticity, and long-term replayability, without losing what made the original special.

Here are some of the biggest planned changes:

1. True Faction Identity Weapons, vehicles, and equipment will now be fully faction-specific. That means no more cross-faction gear, no German soldiers using bazookas, etc. Each nation will have its own complete set of authentic WWII equipment, with new items added to fill missing roles so that balance and variety remain intact. With that said, the captured weapons mechanic will no longer be available.

2. Ethical Monetization The original HnG was often criticized for its pay-to-win structure. We’re replacing that with a player-first monetization model focused on cosmetics, customization, and optional boosts, not power advantages. Free-to-play players will have full access to core gameplay, progression, vehicles, and weapons without ever being forced to pay to compete.

3. The Real-Time Strategy (RTS) layer and War Map will stay true to the original vision, but we’re making targeted balance changes to make it fairer and more rewarding for all factions. The goal is to phase out the pay-to-win advantages that once came from resource spending or purchased generals, and to tighten the connection between battle outcomes and the overall war effort.

Each faction will still compete for control of Europe, but under a system that values strategy, coordination, and contribution, not just who can spend the most credits. Far down the line, we’re exploring a fourth playable faction to further stabilize the global war (purely a long-term concept at this stage).

4. Seasonal & Historical Events Inspired by games like War Thunder, we plan to host WWII-themed seasonal events featuring limited-time gear, uniforms, camos, and cosmetics tied to real historical campaigns. These events will celebrate the era’s history while keeping the game’s content cycle exciting and fresh.

Yes, Heroes & Generals™ will be free-to-play, just like before.

Yes, Heroes & Generals™ will still include microtransactions through a premium gold currency, but the system is being completely reworked for balance.

Buying the ribbon progression outright (as in the old version) will no longer be possible. Instead, players will progress naturally through play, with optional ways to speed things up, not skip them entirely.

There will be Veteran Accounts, which give increased XP and credit gain multipliers compared to standard accounts. Players can also use ribbon boosters, which stack with Veteran bonuses for faster progression.

The difference this time is that we’re redesigning progression to be less grindy and more rewarding, so the game feels cohesive and enjoyable, whether you’re free-to-play or premium.

At launch, Heroes & Generals™ is planned to release primarily on Steam, and to also bring it to the Epic Games Store shortly after.

In the long term, we hope to expand to console platforms, bringing Heroes & Generals™ to players on PlayStation and Xbox once the PC version is stable and feature-complete.

Our focus right now is delivering a smooth, polished PC experience first, then building outward from there.

Technically, development has already started. Many of the game’s core systems, including progression, weapons, vehicles, and the RTS layer, are already being fully documented. Concept art, design planning, and budgeting are also well underway to ensure everything is ready once full production begins.

As for early access, we don’t have a confirmed date yet. Our current goal is to launch a crowdfunding campaign in early to mid-2026, which will help fund the playable early-access build and bring the community directly into development.