XCOM re-imagined by 2K Marin for Xbox 360 and PC

by Andrew Yoon on Apr 14th 2010 12:19AM

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In a surprise late night announcement, 2K Games has revealed that 2K Marin (responsible for BioShock 2) is working on a re-imagined version of XCOM. Like the first BioShock game, this "strategic" and "suspense-filled" first-person shooter will debut exclusively on Xbox 360 and PC.

Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K, addressed the switch to a first-person perspective in a press release: "Players will explore the world of XCOM from an immersive new perspective and experience firsthand the fear and tension of this gripping narrative ride."

According to the release, players will assume the role of an FBI agent "tasked with identifying and eliminating the growing threat" from an "unknown enemy." If the story stays true to the original franchise, expect aliens, global conflict, and lots and lots of dead, incinerated humans.

Source

Tags: 2k-games, 2k-marin, Microsoft, take-two, Xbox-360, xcom

Reader Comments (89)

At first I was excited. But now not so much if it's an FPS. Area 51 Blacksite is coming to mind.

Yeah, I was also excited until I read "...this 'strategic' and 'suspense-filled' first-person shooter...".

Isn't a strategic first-person shooter an oxymoron?

Yea, I about shit myself until I got to the part about FPS. I'd need some serious convincing to be on board with this. The last Xcom FPS was... disappointing.

At first I was like : O

Then I was like : |

At first I was like WOW.. XCOM.. reimagined..
Then, I started to wonder.. What is 2K Boston (Irrational) developing then? The great project that Kenny L and the boys r makin.. Better be sumthin as exciting as the original Bioshock..

I'm right there with you. I love the original X-Com UFO Defense game, but if they've turned this into a FPS then I don't see how there can be any of the same Microprose magic.

I was Christmas morning giddy too, until I fell across the "first-person shooter" part... *sigh*

I was also very excited to hear about a new XCom game, and then very disappointed that it was going to be turned into yet another FPS.

The turn based action was part of the charm of the original game (although XCOM: Apoc had real time as well), and I really did enjoy the "pseudo-turn-real-time" system that Laser Squad Nemesis brought into play. Too bad LSN requires a subscription to play multiplayer, I would have bought it otherwise... In any case, XCOM is not an FPS style game.

Anyway, I predict a game that may have its moments, but will be at best mediocre for the general population and extremely disappointing for old time XCom fans. Just an attempt by a company to capitalize on the name of a title and nothing else.

Sad.

Now wait a minute guys. As much as I'm upset that this new XCOM game is going to be a FPS, I remember having the same feeling about Fallout 3...

And Fallout 3 kicked ASS. Let's all step away from our jump to conclusion mats until E3 mmmmmmkay?

It's not quite the same situation as Fallout 3, though. Fallout 3 went from a turn-based RPG to an FPS-RPG.

X-Com is going from a real time strategy game with turn-based skirmishes and no real narrative beyond "aliens are attacking, kill them" to a story-driven FPS.

Actually Captain Planet, you're right, this could be a similar situation to Fallout3. Unfortunately, not everyone LIKED Fallout3. Some of us considered it a slap in the face.

Here's hoping the people responsible for Bioshock's magic can make XCOM work. I doubt it though, since this description already shows that they don't get it. It was turn based, it wasn't an FPS, and it had nothing to do with the FBI.

It doesn't have to be, D dogg. Think about the older games in the Rainbow Six series. If you didn't make a plan and think on your feet, you were screwed. I suppose that's more tactics than strategy, but it's a far cry from SHOOT EVERYTHING THAT MOVES.

Who's the current owner if the X-COM IP anyway? I thought the old strategy games were made by someone else?

Take 2 is, the property has passed through a few hands on it's way there though, started with Microprose.

Can't wait for Freedom Force: Modern Warfare: Bro Edition

Rated E for Everyone!

that image makes me want a Terminator FPS that takes place the same time as Terminator 2 and doesn't suck like the last Terminator game.

FPS from TBS, WTF? ACRONYMS!!!

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/20/sonys-jack-tretton-i-can-promise-you-a-killzone-3/comments/26401200/

God I hate this reply system.

Sorry, clicked the wrong reply link. :(

All is good, that's good news.

Oh, you are fucking kidding me. Another shitty "in the universe" X-Com game like Interceptor or... the other one? Featuring a guy who's not even IN the X-Com organization!?

If this were an April Fool's joke, I wouldn't have believed it.

Yah me either.

I actually enjoyed interceptor...now I will leave very quickly...

Hell yes! This is awesome news. Even if it turns out to be an FPS, it's being made by an awesome developer and should be of great quality. I won't be disappointed if it's an FPS and not a true X-COM sequel in terms of Turn Based Strategy because the great news is that it should renew interest in the franchise and add new fans to one of the best games ever made.
I'm only 18 and I've tried to get friends into X-COM but graphics are hard to look past for a lot of my peers. Hopefully with the success of this game they can resurrect the franchise and make a more modern(graphically speaking) sequel to a franchise that was ahead of its time.

FPS? C'monnnnnnnnnn.

How is it kicking ass exactly? Having games that can potentially go multi is not "kicking ass".

I just had the same feeling as when I read "a new Shadowrun game!" a few years ago. Hopefully this is at least a sign we'll be seeing another legit X-Com? Maybe? No?

What's funny/sad is with Mass Effect, Fallout 3, Alpha Protocol and Borderlands type gameplay all the rage, Shadowrun if done right could have made a comeback.

Are FPS's the only thing 2K is capable of? I'm curious cause everyone is crazy red hot about this right now.

2K's next 3 games are Red Dead Redemption, Mafia II and Civilization 5

Mafia II looks really good and it's by 2K. If Max Payne 3 gets delayed to 2011, then I'll be getting Mafia II.

This title doesn't interest me. I'm happy more games are coming but I'm getting kinda worn out of the big alien invasion thing. Maybe it's just me....

Pfft, Duh! I don't how I could have missed Civilization!

It's just that there are soooo many FPS now! It's really hard if you weren't an action game fan these last two generations.

is red dead not a rockstar san diego project?

R* = Owned by Take Two.
I don't care if the only think Take Two produces is shooters, as long as they keep being awesome. I'm seriously biting my lip in anticipation for Red Dead Redemption.

All the rumors had irrational working on this. I guess they're doing something new?

Why would they do this? This is like making a new Mario game that is a sim.

Or a Mario game that's a JRPG for that matter!

Bluebreaker has not played Super Mario RPG.

That was sarcasm as Super Mario RPG was my favorite SNES game.

This isn't like making a Mario game that's a sim, it's like making a Gran Turismo game that's a platformer. The entire appeal of the X-com franchise is the gameplay. The setting is generic and fairly incidental.

I'd rather have something that played like X-com, with a fantasy setting or a gang warfare setting; than a generic first person shooter with the X-com name clumsily stapled on.

The only reason I can think they're making this game is trademark renewal.

Ah, gotta love the hate spreading around. This will be another critically acclaimed hit that the small niche of hardcore elitists will cry about.

Anyways, sounds great. 2K Marin is awesome (and so is 2K in general), so bring it on!

It's not that hard when you can pay off reviewers and offer them special free press kits, to boot!

In fairness, I'll admit I was hoping it was a turn-based game. Especially coming from the same publisher of the well-received Civ Revolution.

"small niche of hardcore elitists will cry about."

If the game is great, I might buy it, but I'm kind of picky with my FPS games. I like them fun and quirky usually (Halo, L4D, etc.).

If the game had stayed true to it's original roots, then there is no doubt in my mind that I would've bought it day one.

I hope it does well either way though. If it does, maybe they will give the series a "proper" sequel that's more true to the originals.

You do realize that the 'niche of hardcore elitists' gave a LOT of these series and studios their start. That they wouldn't be here today without them.

@Bluebreaker: Don't you know they don't count once their usefulness have gone?

Yes, because no one deserves the right to voice their opposition to a company slapping the name of their favorite series on a game that has nothing to do with the original, so long as Anton Ego and his lackeys are happy.

They're doing this because Turn Based Squad Tactics games are dead. What's the last one that sold decently? Silent Storm? It's my favorite genre, but it's dead. It always blows my mind that people don't realize this. If you want your properties to survive they need to evolve like Fallout 3 did. X-COM had a solid universe and can handle a new perspective just fine. The big names will do this, the small indie devs that only need a few thousand sales to break even will give us the TBS games.

What I don't get is 2K Marin. What's Ken Levine working on, then?

Unless they're on DS or Ipod. I would cry but I actually played some decent to really good TBS games on those.

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XCOM re-imagined by 2K Marin for Xbox 360 and PC

Reader Comments (89)

Posted: Apr 14th 2010 12:20AM JCarpio said

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