Posted Thu Aug 14, 2014 at 09:39 AM PDT by Trevor Ruben
Remember Activision's attempt at a first-person shooter in 'The Walking Dead' universe? It was called 'The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct,' and it currently stands at a 32 on Metacitic. It was bad. Very bad. But things may be looking up. The people behind 'Payday: The Heist' and 'Payday 2,' OVERKILL Software, have been tasked with putting their own cooperative spin on 'The Walking Dead.'
"It is the co-op game that all 'The Walking Dead' fans have been waiting for," according to the comic series original creator, Robert Kirkman. His full statement can be found at the end of the game's reveal trailer, which shows so little gameplay it's disturbing.
Okay, so it shows absolutely no gameplay at all. The reason for that: it's not coming out until 2016. Starbreeze Studios is publishing the game while OVERKILL, owned by Starbreeze, develops. Here's their official description of the game so far:
"OVERKILL’s The Walking Dead is a co-op first person shooter with elements of action, role-playing, survival horror and stealth, that invites players to explore the hugely popular The Walking Dead universe, where they will play the role of survivors fending for themselves in a post-apocalyptic world dominated by flesh-eating walkers. In 2016 Washington will fall – what will you do?"
No platforms have been listed for release, though it's safe to say, given OVERKILL's pedigree, it will come to PC alongside whatever console releases are planned. For all we know, Starbreeze is eager to get the Crystal Dynamics 'Rise of the Tomb Raider' deal, though it's likely they need to put together some gameplay footage to make that happen. Right now, much of the marketing is focused directly on OVERKILL's success with the 'Payday' series, and the fact that they spell their name entirely in caps.
Also of note regarding the collaboration between Starbreeze and Skybound Studios (the company Robert Kirkman put together to handle 'The Walking Dead' stuff), is the seemingly long-term commitment between the two. Starbreeze released its own, investor-focused statement through its website, which throws around words like "decade" and long-term rights."
"Starbreeze AB, an independent creator, publisher and distributor of computer and video games has, through its subsidiary Starbreeze Studios AB, decided to proceed with a long-term collaboration with Skybound Interactive, committing to a game developer and publisher partnership for the IP The Walking Dead. The partners will collaborate on a AAA game to expand the franchise into the next decade.
This agreement is a first between Starbreeze Studios and Skybound Interactive where Starbreeze Studios will focus on development and publishing of the game OVERKILL’s The Walking Dead, also announced today.
The collaboration is based on standard market terms where Starbreeze as publisher has sufficient long-term rights to develop and commercialize one or more games based on The Walking Dead universe against customary royalties to Skybound. The likely impact on profits for Starbreeze will depend on how the future games will be received by the players in 2016 and onwards, and can thus not be projected today."
So Starbreeze, best known for the 'Payday' and 'Chronicles of Riddick' franchises, is in it for the long haul, granted this first game works out. Two years and counting.
You can find the latest info on 'OVERKILL's The Walking Dead' linked from our Video Game Release Schedule.
Source: Starbreeze Studios
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