E3 2008: Raven hatching trio

Ultimate Alliance developer charged with development on Activision's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Singularity, id Software's Wolfenstein.

Raven Software has in recent years made its bones handling established properties. The Wisconsin-based developer has been a significant player in Activision's annualized Marvel Comics games, creating X-Men Legends in 2004, X-Men Legends II: Rise of the Apocalypse in 2005, and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance in 2006. The studio also played in longtime Activision development partner id Software's sandbox with Quake 4 in 2005.

Though not technically a part of this year's E3 Media & Business Summit, Activision and id Software said today that they would again be shopping out a handful of jobs to Raven Software. Beginning first with Activision's Marvel line, the publisher said today that Raven has been tasked with development duties on X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The game will be a spin-off tie-in to the 20th Centry Fox/Marvel feature film starring Hugh Jackman, but the publisher did not reveal additional details about the game.

Having successfully developed Quake 4, Raven was also revealed as the developer of id's revival of its seminal first-person shooter franchise Wolfenstein. First teased by id CEO Todd Hollenshead way back in February 2006, the tentatively titled Return to Castle Wolfenstein once again drops players into the role of all-American hero BJ Blazkowicz as he wages a one-man war on the supernatural sect within Nazi Germany's Third Reich.

As for new details, Activision said today that Wolfenstein will be a story-driven shooter that will be presented over the course of interlinked missions. The publisher also noted Wolfenstein will offer "class-based team objective gameplay," and online gamers will be afforded both conventional and supernatural weaponry. It is currently slated to arrive on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

After its many years working in other people's sandboxes, Activision also said today that it would be tasking Raven with a new, original property. Titled Singularity, the game will be a sci-fi shooter that concerns itself with the dangers of ripping a hole in space-time. The game will reportedly feature an abundance of dank interiors. Activision revealed neither platforms nor a release window.

"We are extremely excited to be announcing a stellar line up of up our upcoming titles today," said Brain Raffel, studio head, Raven Software. "With high profile games like Wolfenstein and X-Men Origins: Wolverine in development, as well as an all new IP called Singularity, the team at Raven Software is committed to giving gamers intense and innovative entertainment experiences that they will want to play for years to come."

GameSpot will be on hand at Activision's non-E3 press conference to provide more details on these projects.

46 Comments

  • Redflash125

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 4:28 am PT

    I just hope this is a good game

  • dark_being

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 4:06 pm PT

    Reviving Wolfenstien? Didn't they do that a few years ago?

  • TehFuneral

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 1:53 pm PT

    Sounds intresting

  • lettuceman44

    Posted Jul 17, 2008 1:27 pm PT

    Interesting....

  • grambyte

    Posted Jul 17, 2008 5:52 am PT

    Hmm I wonder how this will turn out. Certainly curious about this now.

  • Nintendo_Ownes7

    Posted Jul 16, 2008 5:57 pm PT

    I can't wait for Wolfenstein and Singularity I love Raven Software's games. They made the first FPS I have ever played Heretic.

  • GodsBusy

    Posted Jul 16, 2008 2:46 pm PT

    Raven makes awesome FPS games. I can't wait for Wolfenstein. It's going to be the bees knees.

  • Hungry_bunny

    Posted Jul 16, 2008 2:07 pm PT

    That's a lot to put on the table, i hope that they have enough good people to make something awesome out of all titles.

  • Senor_Kami

    Posted Jul 16, 2008 12:00 pm PT

    Well then... who is working on the next Jedi Knight game?

  • epking

    Posted Jul 16, 2008 11:30 am PT

    I loved RTCW!!! I'm glad Raven's doing it as well. (i loved the Jedi Outcast game by them) I've long wanted a next gen Wolfenstien! I can't imagine how sweet this will be to find yourself walking through Castle Wolfenstien's crypts and chapels and have jaw dropping graphics and lighting. Imagine fighting those uber-hot Nazi dominatrixes in Wolfenstien's cathedral with stained glass windows lighting up the place in varied colors! Awesome!

  • olive67

    Posted Jul 16, 2008 8:13 am PT

    Why "supernatural weaponry" in the online game, isn't that a bit quake'sh or like cheating when your opponent has weapon from 1944?

  • weblynx

    Posted Jul 16, 2008 7:06 am PT

    My all time favorite FPS RTCW and I am waiting for the new game on PC, still have the old one installed and YES I still play it

  • Epic_Oatmeal

    Posted Jul 16, 2008 3:43 am PT

    If id Software wasn't developing the next Wolfenstein game, I wouldn't trust the franchise with anybody, other than Raven Software. I just read the newest Game Informer with the new Wolfenstein game as the cover story. It looks really promising, with open-world and non-linear gameplay. They're really going all-out with this paranormal theme, though, but at least they're still keeping good ol' B.J. Blazkowicz. I wouldn't have it any other way.

  • Factor-Zer0

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 11:30 pm PT

    "Hopefully Raven Software can do Soldier of Fortune 3."
    And JK3

  • agturboninja

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 9:21 pm PT

    Hopefully Raven Software can do Soldier of Fortune 3.

  • combatsoldier

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 9:04 pm PT

    Yes Yes Yes. I love it love it love it. I cant wait and am so excited. This is great news. Thankyou. I will definitely be getting this.

  • jakeboudville

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 8:22 pm PT

    Sweet..glad they are reviving it again

  • Death_Masta187

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 8:10 pm PT

    Yippy Raven Software is pimp

  • godzillavskong

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 7:37 pm PT

    Activison looks to be one of the busiest publishers out there. They seem like on of the only publishers besides Ubisoft that can compete directly with EA, in terms of pocket power. I never played Wolfenstein on the PC, but I did enjoy it on the original xbox. Sounds good.

  • Cube_of_MooN

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 7:07 pm PT

    Oooh.. cool.

  • BurningChrome

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 7:02 pm PT

    Wow,I hope they include another "Normandy" map. That's the only map I want to play THE REST OF MY LIFE! Cause I'm a hive minded drone who only enjoys mind numbing, one map grinding repetition like the rest of the gaming populace! LOL!

  • Warchief_Zuljin

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 5:29 pm PT

    RtCW was THE best FPS ever made, and still is today. I look forwards to a sequel.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 5:27 pm PT

    I'm glad this one is going to the consoles!! I'm not actually sure if the last one did 'cause at the time I had it for the PC... but I no longer have a gaming PC, that's why I'm glad it'll be on consoles

  • Vincent9mm

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 4:33 pm PT

    WW2 Concept = lame WW2 Occult Concept = awesome

  • Rumben

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 4:28 pm PT

    I always prefered RtcW over CoD1 or MoH. Both single and multiplayer were exceptional.

  • Hokkie

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 3:50 pm PT

    I don't get it, people are in tears of joy about a new Wolfenstien....a fictional WW2 shooter.

    But CoD Just went back to WW2 and are crying about another WW2 game. Fictional or not, its still WW2 with the same Nazi premise.

    I hope this'll be better than the xbox/ps2 versions

  • Stalker700

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 3:44 pm PT

    The question is....when?

  • RonTorque

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 3:22 pm PT

    PC...I am in!

  • thesaxmaniac

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 2:56 pm PT

    YES WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

  • ctburesch

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 2:53 pm PT

    bkz, that was a GOOD game. Counter Strrike. maybe not the best in graphics but it was a fun game to play. but back to the id software stuff, I am very excited to see both the Wolfenstein and RAGE games closer to their releases.

  • Rekunta

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 2:51 pm PT

    "outsourced"...*sigh*.....I hate that dreaded word.

  • playstation_wii

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 2:49 pm PT

    I would play it

  • bkz

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 2:11 pm PT

    my friend from my counter-strike days when he was going to school as a programmer later got hired at id and started work with RAGE.. but the other week he sent me a screen shot of the new wolfy.. AMAZing.. now i just need to find that email

  • cooldude03

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 1:53 pm PT

    Carmack is the god of FPS games. I'm positive he'll do what's right for his IP's in order to keep their value up. By only contracting on single game projects id Software keeps control of their IPs.

  • Florisjuh

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 1:52 pm PT

    The Wolfenstein sequel was originally revealed at the X05 event back in 2005 already, and around the same time we heard it was being made by Raven.

    Anyway, looking really forward to it

  • TwiztedMetal

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 1:44 pm PT

    I'll check this game out

  • willripyouanew1

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 1:37 pm PT

    Awesome looking forward to it.

  • ctg867

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 1:29 pm PT

    I'm disappointed that id decided to outsource this to Raven, who is comparably the Treyarch to id's Infinity Ward. Sure, they bring out good stuff, but far from great. This also means that id is no longer working with Activision, since this is a Raven project, and not an id project. So I guess id is pretty much sticking with EA now. It's also good to see that the PS3 version is coming along, since it was only announced in a low key blog post.

  • AwakenedMaster

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 12:48 pm PT

    Love this series. Really excited!

  • Warlypwnage

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 12:11 pm PT

    yes, finally some info! Cant wait for the multiplayer. too bad no release date

  • FremenSquid

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 12:11 pm PT

    Yes, can't wait

  • WizengamotX

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 11:45 am PT

    Word, that is what I am looking for.

  • lego863

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 11:44 am PT

    looking foward to this

  • km1498

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 11:44 am PT

    sounds good.

  • mkeelahi

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 11:38 am PT

    Great!!! New WOLF.

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