The wraps have finally come off the title, and…you may well not be happy with what lies beneath. The game is called MechWarrior Online, and while it’s a PC exclusive, it’s also a free-to-play game.
Yeah.
The developers, Piranha Games, are saying all the right things to try and lessen the sting of that fact, like outlining the game’s hardcore simulation controls and team-based play, as well as the fact it’ll stick to the MechWarrior universe story/canon like glue and features the involvement of the franchise’s creator, Jordan Weisman.
Still, many will be a little disappointed this isn’t a more “premium” title. Turns out that was never going to happen; once legal battles fired up in 2009 involving Robotech’s rights holders, it was clear the game could never be published in the traditional sense on the 360 or PS3.
So PC it was, and thus we’ve got a free-to-play MechWarrior game, which is due out late next year. You can read more on the creator’s vision for the title at its official site below.
MechWarrior Online [Official Site]
Chazz
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 3:54 PMSigh, I got all excited and for nothing…
Neo-Kaiser
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 3:57 PMThats cause the consoles get the MechAssault series!
Matthew K
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 4:02 PMWhich hasn’t existed ever since Microsoft ditched FASA. Mechassault 2 on the XBox was the last we saw of Mechassault.
Anthony
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 3:59 PMBah! I want my epic story lines!
Bran
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 3:59 PMscrew you harmony gold Robotech is not Mechwarrior! bloody corporate parasites
Bryce
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 4:04 PMSo… is this the game from the footage we saw earlier this year?
Because, weak. God dammit, gaming industry.
It’ll just be like world of tanks. Oh sure, you don’t have to spend the money, and it only suggests it (Quite tactfully)
…but its always there… staring at you.
Everytime you get taken out by a better tank, everytime you are forced to decide between this upgrade or that upgrade.
James Mac
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 4:18 PMI know I should be disappointed… but it’s more Mechwarrior dammit!
modraeF
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 4:46 PMMan I’m keen to get my Atlas on! :D
Zeruel
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 4:57 PMSome folks remember Harmony Gold. They’re the reason why Macross and Mechwarrior fans can’t have nice things.
James Mac
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 9:43 PMThat’s not quite accurate.
Harmony Gold own the copyright on several of the designs, however… new artwork was created for those designs. If they wanted to use the new artwork, then they’d have been fine… but because they’re after ‘classic’ art, which is more popular with the hardcore fans, then they got issued a c&d notice/
Aliasalpha
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 4:58 PMAm I the only person who doesn’t care if its mechwarrior or not as long as I get some full scale giant robot-tank simulator where I can blow stuff up & not even notice that I’m squishing infantry like sachets of mustard?
Lolwut
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 5:10 PM+1
Oh and its free!
Digtrio
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 5:13 PMThere we go. Thought something was going to go wrong. Oh well, I can still play the older ones.
Dmoli
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 5:38 PMIs it being suggested we should be aggrieved because it is coming out on PC only? Or for the fact that it is a free-to-play semi game.
Oomlot
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 9:04 PMDmoli, the latter. Playing this with anything less than a flight stick/keyboard combo would be a crime against nature anyway. But I did want something as chilling as the opening of Mechwarrior 2′s campaigns. “we are clan wolf…”
Dmoli
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 10:05 AMGood, that is what I was hoping. Agreed.
lichbane
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 9:05 PMWOOT! We’re bothering a crappy console port!
Sylver
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 9:33 PMLoki.
A Loki with 4 PPCs, and the rest in heatsinks.
FLUSH COOLANT FASTER, DAMNIT!
Ty
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 4:10 AMDamnit, Luke, you tricked me. *shakes fist*