Punisher shows PSN No Mercy

Marvel Comics' The Punisher has starred in games made by Capcom, THQ, and LJN, but the gun-toting vigilante surprisingly has yet to find himself in a console first-person shooter. Hungarian developer Zen Studios is going to change that, as the company revealed today that it is developing an all-new title based on the ruthless vigilante, Punisher: War Zone. In an announcement on the official PlayStation blog, the developer confirmed the PlayStation 3 game would be distributed exclusively via the PlayStation Network.

The game will be built on Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3, the same technology behind a wide array of current-generation titles, from Gears of War to Hour of Victory. Calling it "the ultimate FPS engine," Zen managing director Zsolt Kigyossy said the game would consist of arena-based multiplayer action. In addition to the Punisher, the game will feature a roster of supporting characters from the comics, including Jigsaw, Silver Sable, Bushwhacker, and Barracuda.

Kigyossy's post did not mention a release window for the game. However, there is a marketing tie-in opportunity coming up with the December release of Punisher: War Zone. As the character's third feature-film treatment, War Zone stars Ray Stevenson (Rome, King Arthur) as the newest Punisher, and Dominic West (The Wire, 300) as Jigsaw.

While Punisher: No Mercy will be Zen Studio's first foray into the first-person shooter genre, the developer has some previous experience with licensed titles. Zen developed the Xbox Live Arcade Rocky & Bullwinkle game, as well as a downloadable Rocky & Bullwinkle-themed table for its other XBLA effort, Pinball FX.