MechWarrior 5


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MechWarrior 5 in the Making?

Teaser trailer hints at potential addition to franchise.

by Jeff Haynes

July 7, 2009 - Could a new MechWarrior game be in development? Signs seem to point to yes, with a recent teaser trailer being released on the Internets. Voodoo Extreme posted a short nine second trailer that shows off a city street and a number of slick looking sports cars. The street starts to vibrate as a stomping sound can be overheard, and shortly thereafter, what looks like a mech leg crunches into view. The video then ends as debris is propelled from the ground due to the impact.

If this is indeed a new MechWarrior game, it would be huge for fans of the franchise, who have been waiting for a true sequel to MechWarrior 4: Vengeance. While the last expansion pack for that game was released in 2002, fans were hoping for more from the FASA Interactive/Microsoft partnership, which unfortunately fell apart. With FASA Interactive officially dead, the rights to the MechWarrior franchise were acquired by Smith and Tinker, which was founded by FASA founder Jordan Weisman. This acquisition, along with the teaser trailer, indicates that the series could potentially be gearing up once again. Also, considering that the article mentions Piranha games, it indicates that Smith and Tinker have formed a partnership to work on the game, which should be promising for mech fans. Piranha has some experience with gigantic robots, having just finished work on the recently released Transformer games.

*UPDATE* A second teaser trailer has just been released on the web, and we've got that trailer below as well. Taken from inside a parking garage, it shows a large bipedal mech stomping down a street with the wreckage of buildings burning in the background. Two cannons are visible on the body of the mech, and as it swivels, the trailer ends.

*UPDATE #2* Earlier today, boards around the Web caught on fire with the reveal of a teaser trailer that implied a new MechWarrior game was in the making. While the speculation about the next chapter in the franchise has been flying around, we actually know what this mystery game is, what the footage entails, and how it will rock your computer.

This Thursday at 12:01 AM PDT, we'll have an interview with Jordan Weisman of Smith and Tinker and Russ Bullock, president of Piranha Games, to address the rumors and explain just what the future holds. We'll even have a few extras to keep you talking for months to come.

*UPDATE #3* A third teaser trailer has been released, and it shows the clearest view of a mech so far. As the video zooms up the front of a building and approaches the roof, the camera shifts to capture a mech leaping atop the building with the assistance of jets. As it lands, the trailer ends.

IGN

Videos

This could be great news for fans of the MechWarrior gaming franchise, or especially those who have a history with BattleTech and its miniatures, novels, and role-playing games. The BattleTech forum is abuzz with the news, and they have pointed out not only that the banners present in the videos are representative of a faction in the BattleTech universe, but also identified the 'Mechs that are shown. So, at the very least, it is indicative of something BattleTech-related, although what exactly is not clear.

However, as the article indicates, IGN will have interviews with the likely parties involved at 12:01 am PDT, in roughly eight hours. We'll find out more then.

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Wow! I had so much fun with MechWarrior 3. It'd be so nice if they could make another MechWarrior game. The last one was MechWarrior 4 and that was released in 2000.

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MechWarrior Confirmed

Stay tuned to IGN; we'll have full details at 12:01 AM PDT.

by IGN PC Team

US, July 8, 2009 - It's one of the worst kept gaming secrets of the week, but IGN can confirm that Piranha Games and Smith and Tinker are indeed working on a brand new MechWarrior game. While the game was supposed to be revealed midnight tonight, Pacific time, Piranha's PR agency Union Entertainment got ahead of the news by sending out an email congratulating the two companies on MechWarrior and, ironically, telling recipients to visit IGN at 12:01 AM PDT on Thursday to get the details and see the full trailer.

So make sure to check back later tonight for the very first details about the game, as well as an in-depth discussion with the key developers, and the trailer.

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Confirmed! I will be waiting at 12:01 am for the details.

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Sweet! Oh my god, I am excited. I really hope they can capture the feel of MechWarrior. :woot:

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Sweet! Oh my god, I am excited. I really hope they can capture the feel of MechWarrior. :woot:

I think I might have to dust off the Steel Battalion controller(s) :D

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MechWarrior Revealed

Smith and Tinker and Piranha Games are working on a full reboot of the acclaimed franchise.

by IGN PC Team

July 8, 2009 - MechWarrior fans have been hoping, praying and anticipating a new game in the famed franchise ever since the last expansion pack for MechWarrior 4 was released in 2002. Now, seven years later, their prayers have been answered. IGN has the very first details about MechWarrior reboot that is currently in production at Smith and Tinker and Piranha games. Yes, that's right, reboot. Instead of this game becoming MechWarrior 5, the developers have decided to completely re-launch the entire franchise, calling this new title MechWarrior.

We spoke to the two main players involved with MechWarrior. First there's Jordan Weisman, co-founder of Smith and Tinker and co-founder of FASA, the company that created the BattleTech universe that MechWarrior is based upon. Second is Russ Bullock, president of Piranha Games. (For an in-depth discussion of the reboot and how it fits in the franchise, check out our exclusive interview.)

You may remember the MechWarrior games published by Activision, MicroProse, and Microsoft. The latter actually acquired FASA Interactive in the 1990s only to shutter the studio in 2007. However, the software giant retained the rights to the MechWarrior franchise. After leaving Microsoft, Weisman engaged in various pursuits before founding Smith and Tinker in 2007. That same year, Smith and Tinker acquired the rights to many FASA properties from Microsoft, including MechWarrior.

This new MechWarrior is set on the planet Deshler in the year 3015, and places players in the role of Adrian Khol, a wayward nobleman who prefers partying and shirking responsibility over his training and studies. However, when House Kurita launches a massive invasion to conquer Deshler, resulting in the death of his entire family, Khol discovers a purpose to fight for.

There are ambitious plans for this new MechWarrior. The original MechWarrior games were limited by technology; now with modern computing power, the developers are hoping to really capture the sense that you're piloting a giant, walking war machine in the middle of an incredibly dynamic battlefield. While the two companies are still talking to potential publishers that could determine the final production budget, Weisman and Bullock explained that they plan to have a full single-player campaign, as well as support for a four-player co-op campaign, and a full multiplayer suite.

One of the key features is a sense of information warfare, using everything from unmanned drones surveying the battlefield from above to light scout mechs relaying information to teammates. Weisman and Bullock both explained how they want every class of mech to really matter in this game; it's not just a race to the heaviest, most powerful mechs. The designers want to reward you for picking a mech and sticking with it -- you will gain experience and become better at piloting your chosen mech, and that will translate into better accuracy and damage with weapon systems. This way, a player could specialize in a light mech throughout the entire game if they choose. It also means there are multiple playthroughs with different mechs. The developers also said the game will change based on your chosen mech class.

While the developers didn't go into how many mechs will make the game, based on the video trailer and the discussions, we know of at least four. There's the Jenner (light class), both the Warhammer and the Rifleman(heavy class), and an Atlas Prime, a feared assault-class mech.

The game is being developed for the PC and the Xbox 360, though there isn't any idea of a release date yet, since the game is still in the middle of development and the companies are still talking to publishers. For more information, read the interview with Weisman and Bullock. We also dissect the trailer in a Rewind Theater. Check out the gallery for the very first screens of the game anywhere. Finally, keep checking back with us as we keep a very close eye on this exciting new project.

Source

In addition, we have twenty Screenshots and a Trailer, which is very pretty. Lastly, there is a full Interview to peruse.

It appears to be awesome in every way except for the time period being too early for the Clans. Not all of us are barbarian Spheroids, quiaff?

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That name brought back memories. I remember reading about a new MechWarrior years ago and it needed 16MB RAM. I thought holy hell how could something need that much power!?

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I think I might have to dust off the Steel Battalion controller(s) :D

aye ive still got mine as well

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holy crap i'm excited for this game, shame its not based more like 3060+ but I'll deal with no clans or omnimechs.

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im going to pass on the console version more then likely

had a whole HOTAS system for the previous MW games

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is it based on MS' old license they got with Fasa digital, or WizKid's(or whatever they're called now after the incident) boardgame license.

Hoestly I don't really care since nothign good was done with Battletech since WizKids took it over.

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I think it'd be silly for MS to not use their license. Only time will tell when we find out who the publisher is.

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read about it this morning on IGN

loved the Mechwarrior series when i was a kid. i remember spending countless hours playing Mechwarrior 2 :laugh:

can't wait to see how the reboot goes

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