Gothic devs raising Risen

German development house Piranha Bytes appears to be getting over its Gothic phase. Established in 1997, the studio has created Gothic, Gothic II, Gothic II: Night of the Raven, and Gothic 3. However, today it announced that it would be trading in the setting of its familiar open-world role-playing game series for a new world in the upcoming Risen.

Produced in conjunction with Deep Silver, Risen takes place on an island where the player is shipwrecked. But don't expect a gaming successor to Cast Away; this particular island should have plenty to do with a wealth of unusual creatures, ancient ruins springing forth from the earth, and a conspicuously active volcano to keep in mind.

Previously in development under the code name "Project RPB," Risen will receive a more proper unveiling at this year's Games Convention in Leipzig. Until then, gamers can look for clues on the game's official Web site.