The Astronauts' dark fantasy first-person shooter Witchfire has been missing in action for nearly 5 years. Fortunately, the latest Summer Game Fest showcase provided a much-needed update on the title.
Witchfire was first announced for PC during The Game Awards 2017. The first game by The Astronauts was The Vanishing of Ethan Carter and the development team wanted to create a new first-person shooter for its next title. The change in direction into development of an FPS title was not a challenge for The Astronauts considering the co-owners also worked at People Can Fly, the studio behind titles such as Bulletstorm, Painkiller, and Outriders.
The Astronauts confirmed that Witchfire is coming to PC through the Epic Games Store. An early access version is coming soon, and a new trailer was shown during the Summer Game Fest showcase. The trailer highlights the game's high-octane gameplay in stunning 4K with fantasy elements thrown into the mix. At the end of the trailer, The Astronauts confirms that those eager to play the new title may add Witchfire to their wishlist right now in the Epic Games Store.
The early access version will help the development team gain valuable player feedback about Witchfire, with the community's involvement key to developing the full release. Many of Witchfire's elements are being kept a secret for now. Witchfire's secrets will be divulged in future blog posts and updates, but The Astronauts says the game is not in "full marketing mode" yet.
The Summer Game Fest world premiere of Witchfire was necessary after the 5-year hiatus. After a prolonged period, those following the developers began to wonder about the status of Witchfire. Summer Game Fest presented a great opportunity for Witchfire to reappear with a stellar gameplay trailer, silencing the doubts once more. However, there is still a lot of work to be done for Witchfire and the Astronauts wanted to make that clear with the announcement of early access.
Although Witchfire appears to be an Epic Games Store exclusive, the title is coming soon to more platforms later on. A multi-platform release provides an avenue for more gamers to try out Witchfire. Currently, The Astronauts are aiming for an early access release in Q4 2022, but the release window is subject to change. The Astronauts will share an exact release date when the development team is ready to deploy the game on PC.
Witchfire is coming soon to PC through the Epic Games Store.
Source: The Astronauts