14 DAY TRIAL // Bethesda and its recently founded Battlecry Studios have finally revealed what they've been working on all this time, announcing Battlecry, a free-to-play online action game in which up to 32 players can engage in massive conflicts using all sorts of crazy weapons, but no actual gunpowder-based ones.
Bethesda has teased the announcement of a surprise project for this year and, while many thought that it would be Fallout 4, the large publisher actually brought into the spotlight Battlecry, a multiplayer-only brawler coming from its recently established Battlecry Studios in Austin, Texas.
The new online title will be free-to-play and takes place in a steampunk-like historical setting in which the use of gunpowder-based weapons has been outlawed following a cataclysmic event.
Nations fight for glory by using specially trained soldiers that engage the enemies in special WarZones.
According to Executive Producer Rich Vogel, on the official website, his team wanted to blend together visceral animations and combat with competitive online experiences.
"From day one, we wanted the greatest elements of single-player action games like Devil May Cry and God of War – stunning animations and exciting, visceral combat – and planned to bring those features to the world of competitive multiplayer games," he said.
"We then combined those awesome elements with the rock-solid tenets of competitive design such as the combat loops and time-to-engagement of the best shooters in the world. This combination is ambitious but the challenge has paid off."
Besides the combat, the Battlecry team wanted to offer an original intellectual property in order to pique the interest of fans right from the get-go. As such, the world of the game doesn't have gunpowder and its whole artistic direction has been forged by Viktor Antonov, the lead artist of games like Dishonored or Half-Life 2.
"Another vital piece to Battlecry is our commitment to a supported community. Battlecry will be released as a living game, updated regularly with additions based on our design priorities and on the feedback of those who join the fight. Feedback will be a core component of how we build our game and our world – it is already a part of the BattleCry Studios culture."
The game will be free-to-play but Vogel has quickly explained just what microtransactions will be offered. According to the producer, cosmetic items are going to cost real-world money.
"You only purchase the items you want – things to change your appearance or to add something special. In our games, it’s skill and time spent in the game that determines success; there are no purchases you must make simply to remain competitive."
Besides these new details, an impressive video has also been shared, so check it out below.
