RISK: Factions Conquers XBLA in Spring

EA Play, a division of Electronic Arts, which focuses on delivering smaller games that can be played on consoles and on social platforms, has announced that it plans to release a version of the popular RISK game on Xbox Live Arcade. The Hasbro title is well known as a board game and the EA Play port will have an new and unique art style, some outlandish factions and modifications to gameplay. RISK: Factions is set to arrive in early 2010.

The fresh game is being developed by Stainless Games, which has also created Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers, and will be offering players a chance to engage in either classic world domination games or in more limited objective-based experiences. There will be five playable factions, each with their own strengths and unique philosophy. Combat missions will be introduced where players have a chance to trigger so-called Overkill moments, where Avatar rewards can be gained by those engaged in the game.

Chip Lange, who is the senior vice president and general manager at the Hasbro Division, stated that “For the past half-century, millions of RISK fans have been consumed with ruling the world, underscoring the board game’s enduring appeal. We’re now going to bring that masterpiece experience to life and add other amazing layers of XBLA-style gameplay that will take conquests to a new level, including the ability to battle players from around the globe for the first time, truly giving new meaning to the phrase ‘world domination’.”

Electronic Arts needs to translate the rules of the RISK board game faithfully enough to attract long time fans of the game while also introducing some optional gameplay changes that should make it more attractive to new comers. Magic: the Gathering created by Stainless was a good introduction to the universe and with RISK: Factions, they have a chance to reinvent a classic.