Hot off the heels of the Shadow Warrior 3 reveal and its action-packed 17-minute trailer, development studio Flying Wild Hog has started to discuss its next project. In a blog post sent out by publisher Jagex, the game’s setting, genre, and release window were revealed, all of which confirm that it will not exist within the Shadow Warrior universe.
Described as a multiplayer, “living” action-RPG, gamers can expect a flurry of content drops after the untitled game’s release. Runescape, which was also published by Jagex, was listed as a similar type of living game, and this comparison could allude to a similar setup for this new project. Mirroring the massively successful MMO is hardly a bad idea, and could give the game plenty of life long after it releases.
Both an open and closed beta are planned, with the developers seeking opinions on the game before it releases in 2021. Further, the game will be built using Unreal Engine 4, something it has in common with the next Bioshock release. Players can expect “high adventure and explosive action” when they get their hands on the project, as well as customization options.
How extensive these options are and what can be customized in-game is unknown. Platforms weren't specified for the game either, though it can be assumed that it will launch on next-gen consoles and PC, given the “multi-format” description.
The post specified a sci-fi setting, and it will be interesting to see how far Flying Wild Hog takes the new universe it's building. Setting the game in a sci-fi universe will be a fairly large step away from the backdrop of the Shadow Warrior series that Flying Wild Hog is best known for.
Whether the studio leaves more aspects of Shadow Warrior behind, such as the over-the-top humor or Shadow Warrior's bizarre boss fights and hybrid of melee/ranged gameplay, remains to be seen. Regardless, the game sounds more similar to Shadow Warrior 2 than the story-focused single-player experience of the original game and the upcoming third entry in the series.
With a successful publisher behind it and plenty of experience with action-RPGs, Flying Wild Hog seems poised for success when they launch their next game. Fans of the studio will likely need to wait until Shadow Warrior 3 releases before they can expect more details on this bold new sci-fi project, but it certainly sounds like something that is worth multiplayer fans keeping their eyes on.
Source: Jagex