It’s not often that you get to see Hollywood royalty on these pages. When you do, it’s because something pretty exciting is about to happen.
The exciting thing that’s going to happen in this case is the worldwide release of Era of Conquest, a hugely popular Chinese free-to-play strategy game that’s about to go global on Android, iOS, and PC.
To mark the occasion, developer 4399 Games has appointed none other than Benedict Cumberbatch as spokesperson, as well as casting him as an enigmatic time traveler in a slickly produced trailer, which you can watch below.
In terms of gameplay, Era of Conquest is a hugely ambitious 3D open-world strategy MMO that gives you nine world civilizations to choose from, several famous generals to appoint, allies to befriend, and enemies to mercilessly crush.
You’ll encounter Ying Zheng of the Qin Dynasty; Saladin, scourge of the Third Crusade; Julius Caesar; King Arthur; and more, all while attempting to outwit and outmaneuver countless human foes from around the world.
Era of Conquest is currently in pre-registration. Here are five reasons you should be getting excited for the game’s impending global launch.
Benedict Cumberbatch!
Clever people always give the best advice, and Benedict Cumberbatch has played some of the cleverest people of all time, including Alan Turing, Sherlock Holmes, and Dr Steven Strange.
He’s also an incredibly accomplished actor, with a trophy cabinet that’s creaking with awards and a resume that contains the full spectrum of actorly endeavors, including plays, radio comedies, sci-fi blockbusters, arthouse movies, and more.
Oh, and he’s a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), which is one step down from being an actual knight.
When Benedict Cumberbatch has something to say, you listen.
It’s Already a Hit
Nothing says “future hit” like “current hit”.
If you’ve never heard of Era of Conquest, that’s only because it’s not available where you live. It’s a household name in its native territory of China, where millions of players have propelled it to the top of the strategy game charts.
Developer 4399 Games is going all out with this global launch, bringing Era of Conquest to 83 regions and enlisting the aid of a Hollywood superstar to get the message across.
It’s a safe bet that Era of Conquest will be on everybody’s lips this time next year, and it always feels good to get in on the ground floor.
Technically ambitious
Open-world strategy games are ten a penny on mobile. It takes something special to stand out in this crowded genre, and Era of Conquest distinguishes itself in a number of ways.
The game’s most obvious ace card is the way it looks. Not only does it feature an absolutely titanic 120x120km 3D open world map to explore, but it manages to make every inch of that virtual world look stunning.
Thanks to cutting edge SPR and DOTS technology, Era of Conquest lets up to 6000 players duke it out at the same time in environments you could live in (if they weren’t so darned dangerous).
Global Multi-Platform Play
4399 Games clearly wants everybody to play Era of Conquest. Everybody. Not only is it going live in pretty much every region where people play games, but it’s going to be available on Android, iOS, and PC.
So far the campaign to enlist global players seems to be working. Almost 3 million people have pre-registered at the time of writing, and 4399 Games is clearly confident in hitting the 5 million mark before the game launches at the end of the month.
That’s an awful lot of opponents and allies to play with on day one.
Pre-registration Rewards
Speaking of pre-registrations, 4399 Games is dangling a huge carrot in front of everybody who signs up in the form of in-game items, in-game currency, and a bunch of expensive real world stuff.
There are already 50 Gems and a Soldier Soul Stele in the bank for anybody who pre-registers right now, and as Era of Conquest reaches its next couple of tiers these prizes will be joined by an S-Skill Chest and a General Soul Stele.
But it’s at the highest tier—5 million—where things get really juicy. There are 30 prizes up for grabs, including iPhone Pro Max x4, PS5 x6, Nintendo Switch x10, and $20 Amazon Gift Card x30. That’s 50 chances to win.
Era of Conquest will be available worldwide on October 27th. Before then, you can pre-register for your chance to win some loot and represent your chosen civilization.
