Warlords Battlecry III

2004 Infinite Interactive Strategy

Windows 11With a fix

MacNot sold

LinuxGold

Steam DeckUnsupported

Gamicality score

Metacritic 734

OpenCritic Not rated

Steam players 791

How it’s combined

Playability today

Runs today3/5

Design today3/5

Steam user reviews

Very Positive

84%

934 reviews1

Get it on Steam Watch the trailer

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Does Warlords Battlecry III run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11With a fix

Runs with a fix. See the steps below.1

Mac (Apple Silicon)Not sold

No Mac version is sold.

LinuxGold

Through Proton. ProtonDB: Gold, runs perfectly after tweaks.3

Steam DeckUnsupported

Unsupported, as rated by Valve.1

Played Warlords Battlecry III lately?

One click, no account, so the next player knows. How we check where it runs

How to get Warlords Battlecry III running today

For resolutions above 1280×1024 and windowed modes, install the Warlords Battlecry III Widescreen Patch (PCGamingWiki).

Synopsis

Warlords Battlecry III is a fantasy real-time strategy game from Infinite Interactive that mixes base building with role-playing. Players create a hero from one of many races and classes, level them up across battles, and carry an army through a campaign that sails between ports and islands. Skirmish and LAN modes add replay value with over a dozen playable factions.

Developer: Infinite Interactive
Released: 2004
Best version: The Steam release ships an unofficial fan patch that changes balance and unit rules; players who want the game as originally designed point to the official 1.03 version sold on GOG.
Genre: Strategy
Where to get it: Steam

Reception

Critics in 2004 liked the depth, the large number of races and the RPG hero system, and the game holds a Metascore of 73. They also called it too similar to its predecessor, faulting the aging 2D engine, tiny units with no zoom and weak AI. Steam players rate it Very Positive and treat it as a cult classic. Several long-time fans warn that the Steam build is a modified fan-patch version, with crashes and resolution trouble on newer machines.

Trailer from Steam

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

3/5

Sold or given away today by an official source
Needs fan patches to run well on Windows 11
?Not confirmed yetSingle-player works without an internet connection
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
Some content no longer works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
The official online multiplayer service has shut down, leaving LAN and direct IP, and the Steam build replaces the original rules with an unofficial fan patch (PCGamingWiki).
No proper support for modern resolutions and widescreen
The game only offers up to 1280×1024 and needs a fan patch for widescreen (PCGamingWiki).
No full controller support and no remappable controls
There is no controller support (PCGamingWiki).
Not Steam Deck Verified or Playable
No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
No known game-breaking bugs in the current version
The Steam build now ships with DDrawCompat, which fixes the input lag and Alt+Tab glitches PCGamingWiki describes, though some players still report crashes (PCGamingWiki, Steam Community).

Design today

3/5

Controls feel awkward on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Keys cannot be remapped beyond a single Space bar option, and there is no controller support. The Steam build now bundles DDrawCompat, which fixes the sluggish input other versions have on modern systems. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, steamcommunity.com.
Menus, text or interface are hard to read on today's screens
The menu is fixed at 800×600 and the game tops out at 1280×1024 without a fan patch, while units are drawn very small. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, gamewatcher.com.
Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
Campaign and skirmish games can be saved at any time from the in-game menu behind the small skull icon; only the optional Ironman hero mode restricts reloading. Source: steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com.
It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progress
A built-in tutorial teaches the basics, and the interface lays out hero and building options clearly. Source: gamewatcher.com.
Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtracking
The campaign moves between ports on a world map, with optional side missions that add allies rather than mandatory filler. Source: gamewatcher.com.
Camera or movement fights the player
The view has no zoom, so small units and terrain are hard to read during battles. Source: gamewatcher.com.