Syndicate revamp coming in early 2012
Electronic Arts bringing classic PC action-strategy series back as a shooter for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC; Darkness studio Starbreeze developing.
The rumors were true. Electronic Arts today confirmed that it is bringing back the Syndicate franchise with The Darkness and Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay developer Starbreeze Studios at the helm.
Set for release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC early next year, EA's newest Syndicate will not be the same top-down action-strategy blend that gamers may remember from the two original PC games, Syndicate and Syndicate Wars. Instead, Starbreeze is working on an action-shooter installment in the series.
"It's been a great experience working with EA and an amazing opportunity for us to use our expertise in the first-person shooter and action genres to bring back, and reignite, the signature action/espionage gameplay of Syndicate," Starbreeze CEO Mikael Nermark said in a statement accompanying the announcement.
However, the new Syndicate will keep the grim corporation-run future setting of its predecessors. In 2069, three syndicates (series staple Eurocorp, Cayman Global, and Aspari) wage war for control of the United States. The way they wage that battle is through small groups of technologically augmented humans whose modifications allow them to slow time, hack into rival augmented humans, and perform other activities that can benefit their controllers. Players will control Eurocorp prototype agent Miles Kilo.
EA is attempting to provide a new take on the Syndicate formula with weapons and setting from the original game pulled into the structure of a shooter. The game will also feature four-player cooperative missions, meaning players should be able to re-create the original game's four-man commando units, albeit from a new perspective.
For more on Syndicate, check out GameSpot's review of the series' first sequel, 1996's Syndicate Wars.
I'm disappointed. The new game looks good and I hope the gameplay is also good... BUT, for someone like me who have played Syndicate 1 intensively back in the old days, I have wished they made the same gameplay with improved graphics, weapons and perhaps new tactics. I certainly would have been excited for this one if I haven't played Syndicate 1 back in the old days, as I'm a FPS lover. However, having played the 1st Syndicate and turning this into an FPS is just plain wrong. Seriously, turning this classic into a fps is just plain wrong. Like I said, I had wished they revamped this game for many years, but NEVER in a million years thought they would have turn the formula that gave this game such success into ........ @*(#&!@(#(!&@( game. FPS ??? No, just a no go. The new young generation might think awful about the first Syndicate and question how did we enjoyed playing it with such awful graphic details.............. Well back in the days........... it was the best we could get, besides Wing Commander. It wasn't the graphics, but the gameplay itself that was a success! http://youtu.be/iatSWM6q7rc Another perspective, is like turning HOMEWORLD strategic space flight game (ONE OF THE BEST SPACE STRATEGIC GAMES EVER IN MY OPINION) into Flight Simulator............ What was one has to do with the other??? Nothing. SIgh........... they just ruined completely the classic game with new eye candies when the main point of the game was the strategic gameplay. .......... it didn't stop us from playing it insanely day and night, over and over and over............ hidding in the cars.... sneaking around....... getting into the building and blasting it out...... etc etc etc... Another Classic ruined................. they forgot the old formula on how to create fun games... another shooter, another day... Sigh...... P.S. Funny, I wrote my comment without reading other posts. Then reading other people comments, glad I'm not the only one with the same opinion. I give another example. Why does Deuxs HR was such a big hit?? Because it followed the same formula as back in the days when the 1st one came out. It stood with the success formula and it didn't try to turn it into something completely new. The new Deuxs HR got a new story, with improved graphics, but the overall formula was there and RECOGNIZABLE!!! Now........... turning a CLASSIC strategic game into an FPS with some eye candy and call it a day???????? What are you guys thinking?................... I remember playing Wing Commander 1 in my 386 Olivetti back in the days with 4 MB of memory rams and it was a blast... yes, I'm that YOUNG STILL! EA or whatever company out there build games, YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND ONCE AND FOR ALL, YOU JUST CANNOT RUINED A CLASSIC GAME BY CHANGING THE FORMULA! Remember this: RECOGNIZATION (if this word even exists) on successful classic games is the key in REVIVING the old franchise! THE ONLY WAY TO BRING BACK THOSE GAMES is to STICK TO THE FORMULA!!! Now go back to the drawing board and come back when you have something similar to S1! Damn...
@Rottenwood agreed problem is there isnt really much else to buy that isnt a shooter in some way......
just to point something out to those arguing about syndicate not working with consoles.......the original syndicate was on megadrive era consoles
this is fking terrible, and a disgrace to what made the syndicate games an absolute classic. Talk about making a game for money and not for the pure pashion and ambition to what makes a GREAT game. Typical of ea, take a great franchise and then totally destroy it with their buisness making bullsh!t models. YOU CANT MAKE EVERY NEW GAME into a shooter, especially when its originally a fking strategy. Bullfrog really sold out and should step up and say something wherever that original team is, bloody disgrace.
making syndicate a shooter, this is awful. whats with these people turning classic stragedy games like xcom, fallout, and now syndicate into a shooter. Turning syndicate into a shooter is basically giving yourself a reason to make another version of Deus Ex.
@edinko -- I disagree (re:mouse only). This would adapt well in the original overhead view. Combine a variant of dual-stick control scheme for movement and targeting with trigger/bumper selection wheels, context-sensitive clickables, and perhaps user-assignable D-pad and it would adapt extremely well.
@Landsharkk of course i played it many times. No it wouldnt be. its a point and click game. would need sime serious dumbing down so it wouldnt be terrbile clunky. get over it pal. gamepad is terrible for this type of game. of course its just 1 reason for this abomination. the second is what the publishers think about the intelligence of the console masses.and i suspect they may be right in many cases when i read some comments. did you actually think about why they dont want to produce a game that would require actually to think and do more than mash 1 button?
@edinko Did you every actually play Syndicate? Bad for console controls? The original Syndicate would be a great game for a console. Regardless, some games are best on PC, some are best on console, some work for both. At the very least EA needs to re-title this rehash so that it doesn't continue to piss off the majority of Syndicate fans, then people might actually buy this new game.
First off, I don't know why everyone is calling Syndicate a strategy game, it was a top-down shooter with RPG elements. Second, taking Syndicate and turning it into an FPS is like taking Shadowrun and turning it into a FPS...oh wait... Sorry EA, never will I purchase this 'new' version of Syndicate that you are creating. At the very least call it something else, because you aren't recreating Syndicate, you are creating something new using old ideas.
Noooooo! I read the heading, get very excited only to find they have ruined another great series.
X-com, age of empires and now syndicate. Developers are on a mission to destroy old IPs. FFS man is nothing sacred!! Why cant they just for once do an updated version of these much loved games instead of ruining them completely.
Yo, dawg, we heard you like first person shooters, so we put a first person shooter in your RTS, so you can play a first person shooter instead.
@DrKill09 You would think. Escape From Butcher Bay was awesome, one of the best games ever and it was challenging too, Assault On Dark Athena wasn't as interesting and Scarface: The World Is Yours wasn't bad but it could have been better. I don't think Dark Athena or Scarface did that well in sales either.....
Yay!! Let's have Crusader: No Remorse (FPS EDITION)
Another FPS? Let's think outside the box people.
So, ANOTHER revamp inf form of FPS... X-Com was not enough? It's beginning to be boring, really...
...as a shooter?!? Ugh. Dead on arrival, EA -- the last thing we need is another pseudo-cyberpunk shooter right now. Update the original RTS squad-based action, stretch out the upgrades to RPG-like scale, and it's a guaranteed breath of fresh air (and fresh sales / "new" category on consoles).
Here comes EA again trying to provide a "twist" to a classic game... high chances of failure.
@IceJester45 Yes! The Persuadatron. That thing was awesome. I also fondly remember the music. *Deep voice.* SYNDICATE! Regardless, I don't blame the developer for going the shooter route - it's what people buy. No point in going after the small lake of old-school PC gaming fans when there's a shot at the mainstream ocean. If we want more interesting games, we gotta start buying 'em.
@stevenguttenberg When I genuinely hate something, I bring up facts showing why I hate it. Here, the article nowhere says "first person shooter", just shooter; yet, everyone labels it as a first person shooter, and goes on to spill their hate. So, yes, I think those people do it out of need to follow the trend. They keep on talking crap about EA bringing out an FPS, even though nowhere does it say it's an FPS. I don't even believe they read the article.
This is new and exciting ......
I miss those tactical games like Syndicate, Crusader, Fallout tactics, Commandos... Today if a game isn't a mmo, it's a shooter... Now EA, if you really wanna throw the s*** in the fan, make it co-op to make the SP experience as shallow as a slop... Hey wait!!
And another ting we got such a great lack of good strategy titles on pc and the whole world dont need 40 shooters a year ... better start programming unique games again or make "old" genres new but not this crap
i really was a fan of the syndicate series loved to play all parts so im definately wont get this one!!! Same fail as on XCOM! Fascinating how producers can destroy a great title while porting it to an totally other genre just to make some ppl buy it cause of the title all thumbs down for this one
BOOOOO!!! I was excited about Syndicate coming back but now... Wow! Another shooter!! A sci-fi shooter!!! As if there aren't enough of them. Add another to the pile I suppose. In a world of first-person shooters, we desperately need a strategy game with some brains. Why do companies insist on ruining classic franchises by turning them into something they're not? In the past few months, I've seen a new direction in my favourite franchises and I don't like it. Devil May Cry. Final Fantasy. Hitman. Resident Evil. And now Syndicate. Is anyone happy with the new direction these franchises are taking?Why not make a brand new franchise instead of trying to reinvent an old one.
Sooo...this is basically EA doing Deus Ex except no sneaking and with bigger guns? *long drawn-out sigh of annoyance*
Please give me a Day of the Tentacle Shooter!there are so many deep strategys and rpgs not dumbed down for consoles! i cant stand it anymore! i want a nice 1 button mashing game!i dont want to be smart! or at least a Civilization kinect rhytm game
What kind of retard ruins every possible franchise to a stupid shooter? i guess it just because syndicate as is was would be unplayable on bad console controls so thank you again consoles for dumbing down everything and ruining gaming quality
I guess it's safe to say that a lot of developers are just too lazy to invent a new engine nowadays. In fact, maybe we need a new term for developers, how about "over-glorified modders"? Make some new texture, new skins for the models, add a few cut-scenes here and there... Bam! 1 fresh new game! I like FPS, but doesn't mean I want to see EVERY single game made to FPS. Next up, Populous FPS, The Sims: Gang Life, Monkey Island Commando Pirates .... I think I might actually try that last one if it comes out :)
disappointed in they didn't go with the same tried and true formula, I've been waiting for another game forever so I hope they don't screw it up trying to transform the IP
@veeks LOL! Still, if Starbreeze developed it, it would have to be good.
WTH? a SHOOTER?!?!?!?!?! there are more shooter games that you can shake a stick at... we need more strategy/tactical games...
finally a shooter , man it been so long since anyone made one of those gee thank you EA.......
To me, more than the strategic gameplay, the wide-open environments of the original Syndicate were the big draw. If they can replicate that in a nice sandbox/open world FPS, it could be very good. However, I'd be disappointed if it turns into another scripted squad shooter.
@Rottenwood It was the Persuadatron. I loved it, too. It's good to see another once-great strategy franchise turned into a first-person shooter. You know, we don't have enough stupid shooters already. At least Starbreeze is a talented developer. Starbreeze sure have a better recent track record than Molyneux, whose dev team made the old Syndicate games, does.
Crimmeny crap can we not get a decent top down strategy game with some really deep depth unit creating and ect ect ect... I mean yes sure you COULD make it first person shooter with whats that? the ability to slow down time? Woah slow down there EA your blowing my mind... . But I'll bet alot of people would have enjoyed a top down style and you know what would have been a really cool take on the formula EA? Making that + having the ablity to go FPS mode but I guess that be crazy... so keep butchering the classics from my past you've allready turned X-COM into some mutant version of itself why not this one too.
@DrKill09, I bet if they remade Road Rash, it would be a first person shooter aswell.
To quote The Spoony One -- "BETRAYAL!!" How far is EA's head up their backside to not have heard the hate and venom from the fans over the Xcom remake. These licenses have a built in fan base that would buy these games at the drop of a hat. Yet, the companies in question, proceed to crap all over us with what amounts to cheap cash ins. A previous poster brought up Shadow Run. I love Shadow Run. I played the pen and paper game for years, and I own both the SNES and Genesis video games. But when I found out that the Microsoft Shadow Run was a FPS, I CANCELED MY PRE-ORDER! And, from what I've heard, you could take the Shadow Run references out of the game and you would never know the difference. I will not reward these companies by buying these games. They're just using a popular IP to try to sell a game that has very little to do with the games they're supposedly based on. Syndicate, X-Com, and Shadow Run were brilliant games and deserve better. BTW: X-Com had a FPS called Enforcer. It failed miserably. Those who fail to learn from the past...
--I publicly stated that I would cut myself if they turned Syndicate Wars into a shooter...
My only other question will they allow system-link and split-screen play or will it be online only
@drswank First Person Shooters can have strategy in them too. Just look at Shadowrun. Sure you could play it as just another shooter but unless you embrace the some of the strategy behind using tech and magic in tandem with guns people could tear you apart.There is some actual thinking involved. Not every FPS is a mindless one.
If new Syndicate game is FPS? = FAIL.
I'm not toughing it.....X-Com......maybe but this is going to far, I'm kinda getting sick of shooters, that's all that ever comes out any more. I really don't mind the hybrid shooters like Fallout, Borderlands and Mass Effect because they are more RPG than anything, I would have welcomed a strategy game or ANOTHER RPG, I'm just sick of seeing the same crap and doing the same pointless grinds through more gray corridors just to kill another group of hostiles......
EA should focus on Dead Space 3 =3
Gah. First X-Com and now this. Y'know, some people actually do like strategy games when they're not playing shooters!
@Suikogaiden You obviously never played Riddick EFBB or The Darkness. Starbreeze make some of the best shooters.
Then make a NEW ROAD RASH! :D
EA is a great studio and starbreeze is an excellent one. I have very fond memories of playing the syndicate game itself. Probably their best opportunity for innovation is to put large numbers of non combatant units into the gameplay w/ the same consequence system for splash damage. Something along the line of assassins creed with guns. Add good mission design and a solid multiplayer and you'd really have something. GOOD LUCK folks. I might be tired of tribes ascension by the time you get it ready.)
I smell another mediocre FPS in the work.
Oh for %&^$ sake! Really? Why the %^&*$ do we need this to be a &*$#ing shooter?!?!
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Syndicate
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- Publisher(s): Electronic Arts
- Developer(s): Starbreeze
- Genre: Action
- Release: Feb 21, 2012 (US)
- ESRB: M







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