Piranha arming new MechWarrior?

By TomM_GScom, GameSpotPosted Jul 7, 2009 9:45 am PT

Source: Gaming news site Voodoo Extreme.What we heard: Microsoft may still be chafing diehard PC gamers with the recent closure of Age of Empires studio Ensemble Studios, but that wasn't the only outfit near and dear to PC gamers that the developer has put down. In September 2007, Microsoft...

Source: Gaming news site Voodoo Extreme.

What we heard: Microsoft may still be chafing diehard PC gamers with the recent closure of Age of Empires studio Ensemble Studios, but that wasn't the only outfit near and dear to PC gamers that the developer has put down. In September 2007, Microsoft shuttered FASA Studio, better known as the interactive gaming arm of acclaimed pen-and-paper role-playing game company FASA Corporation, creators of the MechWarrior, Crimson Skies, and Shadowrun IPs.

With both FASA Studio and FASA Corp. shot down--the latter of which went under in 2001--founder Jordan Weisman purchased the rights to his old company's catalog from Microsoft when he formed Smith & Tinker in 2007. "We're not quite ready to announce our plans for each property, but please be assured that our goal is to surprise and delight old fans while welcoming new fans to these fantastic worlds," Weisman commented at the time.

Nearly two years on, and the fate of one of those IPs may soon be revealed. Along with a coyly worded teaser, Voodoo Extreme today posted what appears to be a trailer for a new installment in the MechWarrior franchise. The nine-second clip merely shows a slick sports car parked in the middle of a deserted street in a futuristic city. As if disturbed by a walking earthquake, the car is jostled about by the approach of what appears to be a massive mechsuit, though only the leg of the exoskeleton is shown.

According to Voodoo Extreme's teaser, Piranha Games will be developing the MechWarrior title, though no platforms were specified. Based in Vancouver, Canada, Piranha was formed in 2000 and has contributed to a number of high-profile titles, including Medal of Honor Heroes 2, Need for Speed Undercover, and the recently released Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Pirahna's Web site also notes that it is currently working on "a AAA licensed franchise on the Xbox 360, Wii, and PS3."

The official story: Neither Smith & Tinker nor Piranha Games had responded to requests for comment as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: It's hard to argue with video evidence, but if anything is official, neither Smith & Tinker nor Piranha are ready to talk about it.

[UPDATE] A reboot of the Mechwarrior franchise has now been confirmed.

124 Comments

  • Habast

    Posted Aug 19, 2009 12:05 pm PT

    AMEN john_doe2! I used to play Mechwarrior2 all the time, but now can't because it only runs on '95/'98. Mechassault pales in comparison.

  • Red-Beard18

    Posted Jul 21, 2009 11:20 am PT

    Sim style mech game= failed launch on 360

  • john_doe2

    Posted Jul 18, 2009 8:00 pm PT

    This MechWarrior better be like the old simulator ones and not like the recent crappy MechAssault games. Seriously, I want a game that takes just a tad bit of strategy and thinking to win. MW3 was a blast back in the day. I loved strategically outfitting my mech and blowing other mechs apart piece by piece.

  • Red-Beard18

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 5:11 pm PT

    Praying for this game to follow more of the arcade action style than the simulation style....We'll see...

  • aura_enchanted

    Posted Jul 10, 2009 3:52 am PT

    protip for the guy giving a protip down the list.. ive taken an atlas in a lightweight its not THAT difficult but is by no means easy. focus fire torso to cripple gyro then focus fire head for the takedown.

  • andreicucuiet

    Posted Jul 9, 2009 10:57 pm PT

    Now we just need 1 more thing(4 the pc of course)......new tribes anybody???(sry for the broken english)

  • CyberMew

    Posted Jul 9, 2009 10:19 pm PT

    anyone knows whats the link to the new game? i did a search and couldnt find it

  • CyberMew

    Posted Jul 9, 2009 10:19 pm PT

    http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/18954/mech-warrior-project/videos/mechwarrior_trl_phoenix_70709.html very nice trailer!

  • JesseG88

    Posted Jul 9, 2009 7:13 pm PT

    For those of worried about it being console-only, don't worry. There will be a PC version, along with an Xbox 360 version.

  • cool1929

    Posted Jul 9, 2009 3:48 pm PT

    fapfapfapfap

    And protip for that mech in video: You are facing an Atlas, run now and don't stop.

  • EYE0NE

    Posted Jul 9, 2009 10:58 am PT

    They have confirmed it over at IGN. With a 2 minute trailer and everything. It's not gonna be MechAssault. It'll be for PC and 360.

  • _NocturN_

    Posted Jul 9, 2009 1:42 am PT

    About time they made a new one. The mechwarrior genre has captivated a large audience for a long time. The inner sphere will be revisited once again. Lets rumble, lets shake the ground, dust off the saitek, upload a slick logo for my mech, pay cable, electricity, stock up on rockstar and pork rinds, lock the door, fire up the dropship and other stuff, I love the smell of LBX20's and coolant in the morning.

  • Dylanius

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 6:53 pm PT

    The last thing I want is another Mech Assault, as cool as it was. It was far too arcade-sy.. what we need is a cross between steel battalion and mechwarrior.

  • DieselCat18

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 5:04 pm PT

    Reviving the Mechwarrior genre would be one of the best things to happen for PC gaming over the last several years. I believe there are just to many PC gamer that are starved for this kind of gaming action that's been far to long absent and would have a tremendous reception if brought back to life. With today's PC hardware the graphics would be sick and On-Line multi-player action would be over the top !!! .....I can see Clans forming now !!..... I'm really rooting for you guy's at Piranha to pull this together and bring back something that many PC gamers have been craving for a long while.......NO CONSOLE PORTS PLEASE !

  • john_doe2

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 4:39 pm PT

    Oh, and true MechWarriors fight from cockpit view, not third person mode!

  • john_doe2

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 4:35 pm PT

    If this a console exclusive I will be so pissed!!!!! I have been waiting for a TRUE MechWarrior sequel for a long time. I played MW3 and MW2:MERC way back in the day. MW3 was my favorite because it was so immersive and it captured the feeling of the Mechs perfectly. They just felt big and heavy like massive walking death machines. MW4 didn't capture that feeling at all and I am not going to even talk about the disgrace that is MA. My hope is that they will go back to the roots of MechWarrior and make it a true combat sim. I know that they want to appeal to the brain dead teenagers who just want to run around and shoot things, but if has big robots, big guns, big explosions, and great graphics then it should appeal to the brain dead teens just fine. Please make this a true MechWarrior game and not some arcadey POS like MechAssault.

  • Murrdox

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 9:41 am PT

    Mechwarrior 3 was my personal choice for the best in series. The Mobile Field Base could make the game a bit too easy, but the way MW3 did Autocannons and Lasers were perfect. MW4 ruined it by making it too much like an arcade shoot 'em up.

    I hope we're getting more MechWARRIOR and this won't be another game like Mech Assault.

  • huskerman34

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 8:39 am PT

    yipeee mechwarrior coming back to life? I really hope so.

  • forhekset

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 8:23 am PT

    MW2 Mercs is still awesome.

  • NuKkU

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 8:22 am PT

    ive never been a big fan in the MechWarrior games

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