ARMA is not the typical modern military shooter. Czech developer Bohemia Interactive’s tactical FPS series prides itself on realism over raw spectacle. While that might limit its broad appeal, the series built a strong following among PC FPS players. With today’s announcement of ARMA 4, series fans finally have a new installment to look forward to.
The developers revealed ARMA 4 with an announcement trailer earlier today. Titled “Road to ARMA 4,” the trailer recaps the series’ history, showcasing its 21-year evolution. Players can also get a taste of what’s in store through the new ARMA Reforger, which launched today in early access.
The short trailer opens with ARMA: Cold War Assault, which Bohemia Interactive released in 2001 under the name Operation Flashpoint: Cold War. The camera focuses on a soldier running and follows him through decades of changing settings and graphical improvements. The next scene depicts another soldier dashing through the desert of 2006’s ARMA: Armed Assault, followed by similar scenes from ARMA 2 and ARMA 3, before finally arriving at ARMA Reforger. After several shots showcasing Reforger’s new graphics and environment, the trailer ends with the ARMA 4 logo reveal.
Unfortunately, the trailer from Bohemia Interactive didn’t show anything from the actual ARMA 4 or indicate the release date. One could even argue that it’s more of a trailer for ARMA Reforger than ARMA 4. Still, if the trailer’s YouTube comments are an indication, it succeeds in building excitement for the upcoming game.
Set during the Cold War, the new game lets players return to the mid-Atlantic island of Everon, featured in the original Operation Flashpoint. Players can take up arms of either the United States or the Soviet Union and clash in tactical multiplayer battles across the sprawling open-world environment remade in ARMA’s new Enfusion engine. The new ARMA game is also designed to be easy to mod and is the first cross-platform ARMA title, also launching on Xbox consoles. It will even support cross-platform multiplayer, letting PC and console players team up and go head-to-head in online battles.
Bohemia Interactive describes ARMA Reforger as “the first step towards ARMA 4” and says it offers fans a glimpse at what players can expect from the next numbered sequel. Players can grab the early-access version of ARMA Reforger from Steam for $29.99. Developers say that the core gameplay experience is already complete and plan to have the full release in about a year. Still, players can expect three significant updates adding new weapons and gadgets to ARMA Reforger along with several smaller patches. Hopefully, it lives up to the legacy of its predecessors.
ARMA 4 is in development.