Tame otherworldly biomes and set up outposts as you conquer the cosmos
Culver City, USA – August 26, 2026 – Snail Games USA have unveiled all new footage of their upcoming AAA space-themed “open universe” survival title, For The Stars. Playing as an intrepid explorer and scientist, For The Stars invites you to travel from world to world, uncovering the secrets of alien civilizations, seeking out rare and exotic creatures and harnessing resources to tame the treacherous biomes you encounter on a vast array of diverse planets waiting to be explored. Take a sneak peak at its alien exploration and outpost building in this latest trailer.
Playing as an intrepid explorer and scientist, For The Stars invites you to uncover the secrets of alien civilizations, seeking out rare and exotic creatures and harnessing resources to tame the deadly biomes you encounter across the cosmos.
In For The Stars‘ ambitious persistent multiplayer universe, you will establish and expand outposts. Balance the needs of your colonies with advanced construction options like laboratories, factories and living quarters. Upgrading these outposts, crafting powerful new tools and developing cutting-edge technology will be key to their success and your ability to meet the unique challenges presented by each region and their distinct ecosystems, creatures and resources.
Gathering resources won’t be easy, as you’ll need to make difficult decisions about what sorts of vehicles to take to survive the hazardous climates and creatures you’ll encounter, as well as haul a worthwhile amount of cargo back to your base. Ecosystems are fully organic in For The Stars, so wiping out a nest of alien insects will have a domino effect across the neighboring flora and fauna.
Key Features of For The Stars:
Diverse Worlds: Each planet you visit offers new challenges and rewards, with distinct ecosystems, creatures and resources. From lush, verdant worlds to barren, rocky landscapes, the variety ensures no two explorations are the same.
Strange Alien Ruins: Discover remnants of lost civilizations, ancient ruins, and hidden treasures that tell the stories of the cosmos.
Unique Resources: Collect and harness strange resources found on different planets. Build advanced outposts, craft powerful tools, and develop cutting-edge technology needed to overcome each world’s challenges.
Advanced Construction: Establish and expand outposts on various planets. Balance your needs with laboratories, factories, and living quarters. Your ingenuity and strategy will determine the success of your colonies and determine if they can withstand the trials of space.
Extensive Research: Start with advanced technologies that you can innovate on. Unlock new technologies by studying alien artifacts and natural phenomena. Research to help you overcome specific challenges, build more efficient outposts, create advanced equipment, and explore further into the unknown.
Customizable Spacecraft: Design and build your own spacecraft to travel between planets. Each ship can be tailored to your specific needs using resources and technology you have found, whether it’s for combat, exploration, or resource gathering.
Dynamic Combat: Engage in fast-paced combat using both futuristic weapons and special abilities with alien origins. Customize your arsenal for counterplay against hostile alien creatures, enemy players, and other threats.
Multiplayer Exploration: Team up with friends or make new allies as you explore the galaxy together in a persistent multiplayer universe. Collaborate on building projects, share discoveries, and tackle challenges as a united front. Choose to enter contested regions to fight other players for control of the galaxy.
Be sure to follow For The Stars on its Steam page to be notified of updates and new Dev Diaries as they are released.
About Snail Games USA Snail Games is a leading global developer and publisher, known for delivering innovative, immersive gaming experiences across a range of genres and platforms. With a legacy of technological innovation and a focus on community engagement, Snail Games is shaping the future of interactive entertainment. snail.com
Coyote House Games’ debut title, announced as part of the Xbox Gamescom showcase, invites players to live their best raccoon life – scavenging dumpsters, raiding snacks, and avoiding the clutches of the evil exterminator with their raccoon friends.
Cologne, Germany, 26th August, 2026 – Curve Games and Coyote House Games have today revealed 1-4 player chaotic co-op sandbox game Dumpster Gang, coming December 2026 to PC for Steam and Xbox on PC, and also available day one as part of Xbox PC Game Pass. Playing as a mischievous raccoon, players will team up with up to three of their friends (also raccoons, obviously) as they live their best raccoon life – scavenging dumpsters, stealing junk, raiding snacks, committing tiny -harmless – crimes, and avoiding the clutches of the evil exterminator.
Raccoon high-life isn’t all trash and snacks though, players will need to work together to haul loot, solve puzzles, and rescue captured teammates as they nimbly dodge traps set out by the Exterminator. After a full day of causing chaos, players can head back to their hideout to customise it with the junk treasure scavenged from their raids, and can even adorn a selection of adorable hats, each with unique abilities to assist in the next round of nefarious trash panda activities.
Time to become a furry little felon:
Jake Ellis, Co-Founder of Coyote House Games, said:“Dumpster Gang started with a pretty simple idea: we thought a bunch of raccoons robbing houses together was really funny. Above all, we wanted to fulfill the fantasy of roaming around as a gang of raccoons with your friends and being little menaces. We fit in as many raccoon-themed mechanics as we could – eating trash, stealing, climbing on everything, making big messes, we have it all!”
Samuel Malone, Co-Founder of Coyote House Games, said:“Curve Games really understood what we were trying to make with Dumpster Gang from the beginning. They have a great history with wacky, physics-driven games that are fun with friends, so it felt like a great home for the game. Curve Games gave us the support we needed to deliver on the premise of the game, and make the ultimate raccoon experience!”
Rich Keen, VP of Publishing, Curve Games, said: “Here at Curve we love raccoons… and we love Dumpster Gang! We’re so excited to be partnering with Coyote House Games on their debut title, and thrilled to announce that it’s going to be heading to PC later this year.”
Dumpster Gang Key Features
Become the Ultimate Trash Panda: Scavenge dumpsters, steal junk, raid snacks, commit tiny crimes, and unleash your inner menace
Chaotic Co-op for 1-4 Players: Work together to carry heavy loot, solve puzzles, and rescue captured teammates
Escape the Exterminator: Cause enough chaos and the Exterminator will hunt you down. Outsmart his traps, escape capture, and rescue your friends before your gang ends up behind bars.
Build Your Hideout: Return home after every mission to customize your raccoon, unlock hats with unique abilities, and decorate your hideout with every ridiculous item you’ve stolen.
Easy to Learn, Hard to Predict: Simple controls make Dumpster Gang easy to pick up, while dynamic sandbox systems create ridiculous chain reactions, unpredictable moments, and new stories every time you play.
About Coyote House Games
Coyote House is a new studio formed by two college friends united by a love of co-op gaming and raccoons. Sam has extensive experience in multiplayer games, shipped Midnight Ghost Hunt as game director, and worked in the VFX industry. Jake has entered the games industry after nearly a decade of working on animation projects for companies such as Marvel and Warner Music.
About Curve Games
Based in London, Curve Games (a Nazara Technologies group company) is an award-winning publisher across PC, Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, and mobile. Curve boasts a uniquely diverse games catalogue of over 50 titles that includes smash hits such as For The King I & II, Bomber Crew, Lawn Mowing Simulator, the 60 million unit-selling Human Fall Flat, and Nintendo Switch chart-topper Wobbly Life.
London, UK – August 26, 2026 – Continue your legacy as a legendary swordsmith in the hit Early Access fantasy RPG Bladesong, with the next major content update ‘Chapter 3: Fire and Thorns’ available today as a free update on Steam and Epic Games Store.
Bladesong – Chapter 3: Fire and Thorns Trailer:
In Chapter 3, players face new challenges to reclaim Astrid from her fate, while famine and riots follow in the wake of the warehouse fire. Continue Bladesong’s story and discover a brand new character joining your crew, Ezrae the Fighter, whose strength and experience enables swordsmiths to expand their knowledge with swords effective against specific kinds of foes.
Away from the fires of the forge, the new Forge Garden lets players grow plants, harvest ingredients and apply recipes to craft mythical blades, while the new Compendium introduces an encyclopedia of foes found in the world. Study the compendium to gather clues and experiment with sword types that exploit enemy weaknesses, helping to lead your fighter to victory and unique loot.
Two new sword part sets also provide new opportunities for swordsmithing. ‘A History of the World in Seven Swords, Vol. 2’ contains parts inspired by Bronze Age swords, while ‘Tribute to Effort’ is a new set based on the Crows’ survival in the wasteland, complete with a tasty grip wrap and a new cloth material.
Additional quality of life improvements, including additional performance optimisations and improved inventory filtering, also feature in today’s update.
Available now in Early Access, Bladesong is the ultimate swordmaking game. Use innovative blade shaping tools and an intricate modular building system to forge any sword you can imagine. Unlock new skills and abilities to master the art of swordsmithing in an RPG/sim that tasks players with perfecting their craft as a master bladesmith. Create swords for Eren Keep’s various factions in Story Mode and forge without limits in Creative Mode. With every detail customizable, and each piece meticulously crafted and adorned, no two creations are ever the same.
For more info on Bladesong, head over to Steam and Epic Games Store.
ABOUT SUN AND SERPENT CREATIONS SUN AND SERPENT creations are a rising indie studio based in Germany with talent from Moon Studios and Ninja Theory. Founded in 2023, Bladesong is the studio’s debut title with an Early Access release in January 2026.
ABOUT MYTHWRIGHT Mythwright is an independent publisher founded by industry veterans. Established in 2024, Mythwright has already signed a range of exciting titles including Thronefall, Kaiju Cleanup, TerraTech Legion, TerraTech Worlds, TerraTech, Going Medieval, Cleaner Company, Cozy Marbles, Galacticare, War for the Overworld, Bladesong, Innkeep, Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts, Deadstick – Bush Flight Simulator and Touch Type Tale – Strategic Typing.
Stockholm, Sweden — August 26, 2026 | Maximum Entertainment today announced Hollywood Hustle, a cozy loot-driven scavenger game developed by Woodpile Studios. The game lets players dig through the abandoned trash of Hollywood backlots and uncover iconic hidden treasures. Coming to PC via Steam, Hollywood Hustle puts a playful twist on the world of movie production, asking one simple question: what happens to movie sets after filming wraps?
Watch the Hollywood Hustle reveal trailer here here:
In Hollywood Hustle, players explore abandoned movie-set backlots and shovel through massive piles of trash in search of valuable and unusual props. Every dig is a gamble, with loot ranging from common finds to legendary treasures. Players can sell what they discover, break rarer items down into crafting resources, and fill their bags with matching loot for bonus rewards.
A demo of Hollywood Hustle will be available to play at Gamescom 2026.
Hollywood Hustlefeatures:
Dig & Discover: Explore abandoned Hollywood backlot sets and shovel through massive trash piles to uncover hidden treasures.
Six Studio Districts: Discover six distinct areas, each featuring different props, loot and vibes inspired by different film genres.
Meet Your Robot Sidekick: A clumsy, lovable helper who hauls your bags, celebrates your wins, and reacts with a personality of its own.
With its mix of exploration, scavenging, collection and crafting, Hollywood Hustle turns abandoned movie sets into playgrounds for discovery. From rummaging through backlot junk to finding a rare piece of movie-set treasure, every pile offers the chance to find something unexpected.
Hollywood Hustle will release on PC via Steam in 2027. For more information, visit maximument.com/games/hollywoodhustle or follow @MaximumEntmt on X.
About Maximum Entertainment
Maximum Entertainment is a global entertainment company dedicated to crafting indie to AA video game experiences through original content and licensed partnerships. A fully integrated group with a broad portfolio of content, the company emphasizes collaboration and inclusivity in its partnerships to produce the highest level of interactive entertainment. With more than 300 titles in its catalog, Maximum Entertainment has joined forces with talented creators and renowned franchises around the globe to deliver magic to the gamer in everyone. Maximum Entertainment employs experienced professionals across the entire value chain of video games including development, publishing, transmedia, sales, and operations. Visit Maximum Entertainment at www.maximument.com.
About Woodpile Studios
Woodpile is an independent, worldwide game studio founded in 2026. A small team scattered across the world, it makes games the way you’d stack a woodpile: piece by piece, by hand.
Customize your fighting style and encounter over a thousand NPCs in a dynamic ancient China!
Cologne, Germany – August 26th, 2026 – Snail Games USA are pleased to unveil their upcoming open-world martial arts RPG inspired by ancient Chinese legends, 9 Yin Sutra: Wuxia. Revealed at gamescom, 9 Yin Sutra: Wuxia combines skill-based combat, deep character progression, and the unparalleled freedom to pave a unique path through a world shaped by player choice.
Set in Ancient China, this expansive RPG lets players travel across a living world of remote wilderness, sprawling cities, towering mountain ranges, and hidden strongholds. Each region is full of hidden secrets, dynamic weather, and countless opportunities for discovery.
Become a true martial arts master as you uncover forgotten techniques from diverse martial arts schools. Engage in fast-paced skill-based combat powered by an evolved Feint, Overt, and Block system that rewards timing, precision, and strategic proficiency. Forge your own fighting style as you pursue your path to Grandmastery.
As you explore this dynamic world you’ll encounter thousands of unique NPCs with their own goals, routines, relationships, and stories. Every encounter has the potential to influence your legend. Through player choice you’ll shape your destiny as a wandering hero, merchant, craftsman, faction leader, or martial arts master for the ages.
Be sure to follow 9 Yin Sutra: Wuxia on its Steam page to be notified of updates as they are released.
About Snail Games USA Snail Games is a leading global developer and publisher, known for delivering innovative, immersive gaming experiences across a range of genres and platforms. With a legacy of technological innovation and a focus on community engagement, Snail Games is shaping the future of interactive entertainment. snail.com
Authentic modern weapons, gear and tactics will meet the unknown threats of the fractured multiverse
Gaijin Entertainment and Matter Team is pleased to announce that hardcore online shooter Active Matter will launch on September 15, 2026 on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. Players who previously purchased the early version of Active Matter through the Gaijin Store will get access to the similar edition of the game on their Steam account for free. They will also be able to link their progress between the Gaijin Store and Steam versions, allowing them to continue playing on a PC platform of their choice without losing their existing progression.
Active Matter is set in a hostile, unstable multiverse where realistic gunplay collides with twisted environments, gravity-defying anomalies, SCP-style strange objects and monsters. Enemies attack from unexpected angles, and locations like a Soviet closed island, a Central Africa quarantine zone and a dilapidated North American can feel familiar and alien at the same time. Players search for valuable active matter – a substance capable of bending time and space, fight aggressive quantum-unstable zone dwellers and fellow human operatives alike, complete objectives, secure loot, and get back to safety only to plan the next move.
“Active Matter was built around the idea of entering a place on our own Earth where almost nothing behaves the way it should – except your weapon,” said Andrey Zhbannikov, Game Director of Active Matter.“We’re now ready to invite the gamers to the world we were building and polishing for the last few years”.
Early version of Active Matter was extensively tested at Gaijin.Net, with the latest major update featuring a decaying American city and new weapons coming in a few days. After the September launch, new updates will regularly bring even more new content and open doors to the new parts of the multiverse, full of anomalies and monsters that will bend your perception of reality.
Active Matter will be available for purchase in several editions, with the standard one priced at 29.99 USD/Euro in relevant regions.
About Gaijin Entertainment Gaijin Entertainment is the developer and publisher of the online games War Thunder, Crossout, Enlisted, CRSED: F.O.A.D. and Star Conflict as well as other PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, iOS and Android titles across several genres. The company’s diverse portfolio has received a range of mass media and game industry awards including such as Gamescom Award and many more. Official website: http://gaijinent.com/
More reasons to compete, more strategy to master and new cars from Audi and Mazda feature in this Competition-Focused Update
Milan, Italy – 26th August, 2026: Global Publisher 505 Games and world-renowned racing studio KUNOS Simulazioni are delighted to announce the launch of Update 0.9 for their Early Access PC driving simulation, Assetto Corsa EVO.
Update 0.9 is themed-around the spirit of competition, offering players new opportunities to showcase the variety and depth of their driving skills. The new Special Events game mode offers developer-curated racing scenarios with specific track and car combinations, enhanced by persistent worldwide online leaderboards. The long-requested Mandatory Pit Stops option also debuts in this update, and adds new strategic nuance to multiplayer races, related to fuel optimisation and tyre degradation.
These new features are bolstered by three new cars from two iconic manufacturers – Audi and Mazda. Namely the Audi R8 V10 performance quattro, Audi R8 LMS GT2 and Mazda RX-7 FD Spirit R (Type A).
See Update 0.9 in action in the latest Assetto Corsa EVO trailer here:
As well as implementing new force feedback and input improvements, KUNOS has also introduced a new Racing Slick Tyre model in Update 0.9 across GT racing cars, from Mazda MX5 Cup to Ferrari F40. This overhaul offers a clear step forward in the consistency and fidelity of Assetto Corsa EVO’s handling model.
For a detailed rundown of the standout additions in the 0.9 Update, please see below:
NEW – Special Events Special Events are accessible from the main menu and combine specific cars with specific tracks in order to challenge players to achieve clear objectives, with performance uploaded to persistent online leaderboards. This is a new asynchronous method to compete against other players in Assetto Corsa EVO and has been developed with replayability in mind.
NEW – Mandatory Pitstops for Multiplayer Racing Long requested by the community, players can now add mandatory pit stops to multiplayer races. Pace alone will not be the only determining factor for success. Tyre condition, fuel consumption and optimising pit stop timing for maximum undercut/overcut potential adds new strategic nuance. Players can automatically set and adjust their strategy during the race via the on-screen MFD including selecting what tyres to fit, at what pressures and how much fuel to add.
NEW – Three New Cars from Two Iconic Manufacturers Update 0.9 also sees the addition of three highly sought after cars to Assetto Corsa EVO’s growing stable. These are the Audi R8 V10 performance quattro, Audi R8 LMS GT2 and Mazda RX-7 FD Spirit R (Type A). All these new vehicles have been meticulously recreated in-game utilising real world data.
These are just some of the highlights launching with Update 0.9. For the full list of quality-of-life improvements, performance optimisations and fixes, read the official release notes here.
KUNOS Simulazioni continues to deliver meaningful and impactful updates to Assetto Corsa EVO in pursuit of creating the ultimate driving simulation experience that upholds the legacy of the Assetto Corsa franchise.
For more information about Assetto Corsa EVO and to stay up to date on future plans, please visit the official Assetto Corsa series’ website, www.assettocorsa.gg, follow the hashtag #wearesimracing, and stay tuned across Assetto Corsa social channels. To learn about publisher 505 Games and its products, visit www.505games.com
About 505 Games 505 Games, a subsidiary of Digital Bros, is a global publisher of video games across all major platforms. With a diverse portfolio of critically acclaimed titles, 505 Games is dedicated to delivering unique, high-quality gaming experiences.
Standard and Deluxe Editions Celebrate the Developers and Games that Helped Define Video Games
NEW YORK – August 26, 2026 – Atari today announced the Atari x Activision Collection, a landmark physical collaboration rereleasing 39 Atari 2600 titles on physical cartridges, including fan favorites Pitfall!, River Raid and Kaboom! The project reunites Atari and Activision after nearly 50 years. Beginning today, fans can preorder the collection on atari.com.
The Atari x Activision Collection consists of three physical offerings:
Standard Edition cartridges of a dozen popular titles will begin shipping in November for $34.99 each.
Four Deluxe Box sets – Treasure, Speed, Secrets and Victory – expand the collection to 39 total games, with the first set shipping in late November and the rest to follow in Spring, Summer and Fall 2027. Each set will be sold via pre-order for $249.99.
A Complete Collection, which includes all four Deluxe Sets and a to-be-announced collectible item, will be sold via pre-order for $999.96.
Pre-orders for the standard edition cartridges, the Treasure Deluxe Set, and the Atari x Activision Ultimate Deluxe Set are available today at atari.com
The Atari x Activision Collection brings together games that pushed the Atari 2600 in new directions – from the sprawling jungle exploration of Pitfall! and aerial combat of River Raid to the fast-paced action of Kaboom! and H.E.R.O. The collection gives players a chance to revisit the games and design ideas that made these titles stand out on the Atari 2600.
“In 1979, a group of Atari programmers set out to prove that great games could come from independent creators and ended up changing the industry forever,” said Matt Burnett, VP of Hardware at Atari. “The Atari x Activision Collection brings that legacy to life through the games themselves, giving fans an opportunity to experience, collect and preserve the work of the developers who helped establish a new model for the video game industry.”
Individual Cartridges Atari is offering individual Standard Edition cartridges for 12 popular legacy Activision titles, including Pitfall!, River Raid, Megamania, Enduro, Kaboom!, H.E.R.O., Pressure Cooker, Private Eye, River Raid II, Keystone Kapers, The Activision Decathlon and Pitfall II: Lost Caverns. The Activision Decathlon and Pitfall II: Lost Caverns will ship at a later date than the other titles.
Each Standard Edition features packaging and a printed color manual inspired by the original releases and is designed for compatibility with Atari 2600+ and Atari 7800+ consoles, as well as original Atari 2600 and 7800 hardware.
Four Sets, One Library Each Deluxe Set is built around a distinct theme and includes a curated selection of Activision Atari 2600 cartridges, premium packaging and exclusive collectibles, including custom achievement patches and collectible pins.
Treasure Collection (November 2026): A 10-game collection featuring Pitfall!, River Raid, Megamania, Chopper Command and Grand Prix.
Speed Collection (Spring 2027): 10 high-octane titles, including Enduro, H.E.R.O., The Activision Decathlon and Laser Blast.
Secrets Collection (Summer 2027): Nine classics featuring Kaboom!, Keystone Kapers, PrivateEye and Starmaster.
Victory Collection (Fall 2027): Ten 2600 titles, including Pitfall II: Lost Caverns, River Raid II, Pressure Cooker and Beamrider.
The Complete Collection For collectors who want all 39 games, the Atari x Activision Ultimate Deluxe Set encompasses all four Deluxe Editions and will include a to-be-announced collectible item.
All game cartridges in the Atari x Activision Collection are compatible with Atari 2600+ and Atari 7800+ consoles, as well as original Atari 2600 and 7800 hardware. Pre-orders for Standard Edition cartridges, the Treasure Collection and the Ultimate Deluxe Set begin today on atari.com.
About Atari Atari is an interactive entertainment company and an iconic gaming industry brand that transcends generations and audiences. The company is globally recognized for its multi-platform, interactive entertainment, and licensed products. Atari owns and/or manages a portfolio of more than 400 unique games and franchises, including world-renowned brands like Asteroids®, Centipede®, PONG®, and RollerCoaster Tycoon®. The Atari family of brands includes game developers Coatsink, Digital Eclipse, Early Morning Studios, Implicit Conversions, Infogrames, Nightdive Studios, Stormteller Games, and the community-based sites AtariAge and MobyGames. Visit us online at www.Atari.com.
Atari shares are listed in France on Euronext Growth Paris (ISIN Code FR0010478248, Ticker ALATA) and OTC Pink Current (Ticker PONGF).
Publisher GIANTS Software and developer Straight4 Studios today revealed the V8 Power Pack for Project Motor Racing, launching on 15th September. The pack delivers nine legendary V8 race cars spanning modern Australian touring-car muscle, current American USV8 machinery, and the raw roots of Historic US road racing, plus Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
A reveal trailer showcases both USV8-class cars in full-noise action at Road Atlanta.
The V8 Power Pack
The pack brings three new classes, nine new cars, and one scanned US circuit.
V8 Evo brings the 2023 Ford Mustang AU and 2023 Chevrolet Camaro AU.
USV8 adds the 2022 Dodge Challenger TA/2, 2022 Ford Mustang TA/2, and 2022 Camaro TA/2.
Historic USV8 turns the clock back to America’s golden age of road racing with the 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 TA, 1970 Plymouth Barracuda TA, 1970 AMC Javelin TA, and the iconic 1968 Camaro TA Z28.
The scanned Road Atlanta track – the heart and soul of American road racing – ties the pack together with fast esses, blind crests, and heavy braking.
Presenting the Lamborghini Temerario at gamescom 2026
The Lamborghini Temerario in Project Motor Racing debuts at gamescom, the biggest games event in the world, starting today in Cologne (Germany). The Temerario will be playable on the showfloor, while the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport will headline numerous hot-lap competitions on stage with multiple winners taking home prizes including a Spark Audi R8 LMP diecast.
Players can experience the Temerario first at gamescom in hall 6 before it launches for free in September for Project Motor Racing. Racing rigs at the stand B61 will also feature rebuilt GT3, GT4 and LMDh.
Project Motor Racing is available for PC, PlayStation® 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Pre-orders for the V8 Power Pack are available on selected digital channels. A Year 1 Season Pass is obtainable separately and includes the V8 Power Pack and more content – fans save up to 30% compared to buying all content separately. Free mods are released as user-generated content on the official UGC Portal. Visit giants-software.com,Straight4.com,ProjectMotorRacing.com.
About GIANTS Software GIANTS Software is a globally operating game developer and publisher headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland. Established in 2004, the company is known for creating the popular Farming Simulator franchise. With international teams, including offices in Erlangen (Germany) and Brno (Czech Republic), GIANTS Software develops and publishes simulation experiences worldwide. Beyond Farming Simulator, it is strengthening its position in the genre with Project Motor Racing and a global network of partners and industry ties.
About Straight4 Studios Straight4 Studios features many of the key talents that have shaped SimRacing’s heritage for over two decades. With over 20 years’ worth of remote work experience and working from three continents, Straight4 Studios’ veteran staff have earned dozens of industry awards. Merging the passion for motorsport and values derived from the SimRacing community with the precision of a new, AI-driven physics engine and cutting-edge graphics, Straight4 Studios is hard at work developing the next generation of AAA-racing simulation.
Sometimes certain ideas manage to click into place that make one wonder why no one ever thought of it before. Especially when certain companies were bleeding talent after some under-appreciated gems were released and picked up by a larger company. Such is the case with Star Wars Zero Company, developed by Bit Reactor and headed by many former members of Firaxis Games best known for their work on XCOM and Midnight Suns. Bringing this type of talent aboard it only seemed like a perfect fit to do something that, somehow, no Star Warsgame has done before. Make a tactical shooting RPG set in the very galaxy that fans have come to know and love and what better place to have it set than right in the crux of the Clone Wars. Bringing together all of these ingredients to create a potentially great tactical game seems like a recipe for success, but is this one of those shots with a 90% chance of success that manages to still miss the mark?
Story
As the Clone Wars rage on throughout the Republic, a new threat of Separatists have appeared calling themselves the Infinite Coil. While not an obvious threat at the moment to the grander Jedi Council, a small faction of the Republic is concerned that the cult that is targeting various planets and converting more people to its cause with every conquest is not only a growing threat, but one that might tip the scales in the wrong direction especially since the cult seems to be capable of using a supernatural force beyond the Force itself, infected with the Shadow Plague and growing stronger as the plague infects them more, even as their fellows die, the threat of the Coil is one that a small faction of the Republic refuses to ignore.
Unable to directly send forces against the Coil, the Republic uses some back-roads to contact a disgraced ex-Republic commander known as Hawks who has since formed their own crew of pros from all walks of life, be it a “deserted” clone trooper, a technological wizard that speaks as literally as slowly and literal as possible, and more. That’s if they can get out from the debt they owe to the Hutts first. Players join Zero Company mid-mission as they are tracking down an unknown artifact that they were hired to acquire by a mysterious commissioner and despite the unusual circumstances, their lack of paying customers and ever growing debt means they’ll take on any mission, even if it involves taking on some droids and a very odd looking soldier leading them, resulting in the death of one of their own at his hands.
Upon learning more about the situation, Hawks finds out that it was a lone Republic officer and a former baroness turned soldier whose planet was taken down by the Coil that has hired Zero Company, freeing them from the Hutts’ grip but pointing them down a path that is far darker than anything they could have expected as they find out just how cruel the Infinite Coil cult is, the deranged way they grow their numbers, and the new and unique allies that will join their cause if it means putting a stop to this threat that no one saw coming as the greater war rages on in the background.
Star Wars Zero Company makes a great deal of effort to feel like it is taking place right in the middle of a greater storyline happening in the background and it is all the more perfect for it. As players take on missions here and there, they will return back to “The Den” and hear radio broadcasts from the frontlines of the war, name-dropping famous Star Wars heroes and villains as they maneuver throughout the Clone Wars all while working to make sure that the actual actions of Hawks and the gang never feel like they are breaking out of the canon. First and foremost, players will be able to create Hawks however they want, while they can start as a default male human, players can make Hawks into a Zabrak, a Togruta, or even everyone’s favorite, a Twi’lek, and more as well as making them either male or female, with a voice to match. Each race of alien has a slew of hair and skin choices that vary depending on race as well giving players plenty of ways to customize their own main character.
The core storyline for Star Wars Zero Company is an incredibly interesting one since it is all about seeing new and undiscovered parts of a war that many knew about through other media but are only now seeing other sides of. Combine this with the dangerous new threat of the Coil, some shocking revelations that we won’t spoil here, and of course a handful of twists that the game throws the player’s way, including some involving their own allies, and the fact that the game features a time-based “Cycle” mechanic and there is a whole lot going on that players will be eager to see continue even if it means pushing their squad to the edge. As mentioned, every Cycle works as a day and while players can use intel to take on minor missions that generally reward credits or uncover actual fighting missions on the ground, the missions themselves will advance the Cycle forward and it is impossible to do everything at once. This may mean that players who mismanage their time will simply miss out on random side-missions or an activity to gain a bonus here or there, while it could be as costly as losing a valuable team member.
You see, one thing that Star Wars Zero Company features is a “bond” system of sorts. Fighting alongside allies or taking actions during commissions that they agree with, or even talking with them back at The Den and selecting the right dialogue options will increase their bond with Hawks and even other team members. In fact, players will make all dialogue choices for Hawks when there are any, though some don’t result in any bonuses one way or the other. While generally the reward for this is simply various cross-training boosts or extra skill points, it can also unlock special story missions for these characters. It is worth noting that if permadeath is enabled and one of these main characters die, their storyline is cut off entirely.
These pre-written team members and Den members are a perfect fit for a rogue backwater group of soldiers that are willing to do nearly anything for credits, but still err on the side of good when it comes to saving the galaxy. This will make players want to stop by each character’s set-up at the Den to hear what they have to say about the latest mission or even a passing comment, especially since they will chat with random characters as well. Characters, or astromechs, that the player hires will have randomly generated personalities or ones that players can set and don’t have storylines of their own and only small comments between missions or talking to proper Zero Company members.
The only problem is, if players happen to ignore these story missions for the real members of Zero Company, not the random ones players can hire, they may leave temporarily, return injured, or flat out die if the game decides to truly punish the player. Of course, permadeath is an optional choice, but it is one that players will need to be worried about. Though it is worth noting that a teammate will never defect or leave simply because they are unhappy with the way Hawks is running things which is a little disappointing from a narrative standpoint, or if they can then players really have to anger them to the point of no return as we never saw an instance of that throughout our time with the game.
Gameplay
At the core, Star Wars Zero Company is a turn-based tactical RPG where players will need to command their team of up to four dispatched operators (occasionally more in rescue instances) and face off against various members of the Infinite Coil, the Droid Army, and other thugs or smugglers depending on the mission. It is worth noting right off the bat that EA has given players a wide-array of customization options to tailor the game to their experience level, this includes keeping permadeath off, which is the default, or activating it so characters who suffer three injuries without being healed die in combat rather than being able to be revived, to modifying other elements of the game’s tactical combat will be. This includes reducing incoming enemy damage and increasing player damage, accuracy levels, and other things. This is useful since this may be many player’s first brush with the genre, drawn in by the Star Wars brand, and can be adjusted at any time when players are at The Den if things are too easy or suddenly players find themselves losing teammates.
The Den, conveniently located on the familiar Ring of Kafrene, is the place where players will spend all of their time between missions as it serves as Zero Company’s home base. Here players will get news updates from the frontline, interact and talk with their story and hired teammates, heal teammates that may have gotten injured (downed) in combat, purchase items from the black market, hire new team members, train their squad, and all manner of things. Progressing through the story will unlock additional upgrade points for The Den and construction elements, such as expanding the roster size of Zero Company, giving players more room to hire randomly generated soldiers (that can be entirely customized later just like Hawks), giving team wide boosts or weapon upgrades across blaster types, and more. Though players will want to make sure they have finished everything they want to in The Den before going to the Holotable because doing so will generally trigger players to start taking on operations and missions, and every departure from The Den will involve one Cycle passing.
At the Holotable players will initially be shown a handful of operations that they can take on at the cost of intel with each mission having a certain intel price. These are simple missions that are usually text only and may have choice based results and rewards, such as rewarding extra credits, weapon mods, or even improving the bond with some of the team. Sometimes though players will have operations from their own team members that include extra storyline bits for that character and ignoring it will make them angry or unavailable for a short time. Sometimes these operations also then uncover new tactical missions but more on that in a moment.
As players progress through the Cycles, they’ll notice that every operation has an expiration date and this means that it is impossible to do everything. There is an exception to this rule and that is when Crisis Operations are triggered. Crisis Operations involve Zero Company learning something about The Coil and needing to intervene to prevent one of two options from happening, but no matter what, one will. This usually means players will need to select which buff they do not want Coil members to have going forward in the game, as the operation chosen will remove that from the Coil but as a result they will receive the other one, growing stronger in power the next time players face them.
After players have finished using what intel they have they will then select a tactical mission to set out on. These missions can be story related, be tied to a teammate, or just be a standard skirmish mission as players are occasionally given free time to work with between story events and are allowed some wriggle room. The rewards for these missions vary but almost always reward intel, credits, and various degrees of zone influence, which can provide its own reward when reaching certain levels. They are also the ones players will be departing The Den for and taking their team down into the field and fighting for.
As mentioned earlier, combat in Star Wars Zero Company is an entirely turn-based affair with percentages to hit varying on range, height-advantage, flanking, and cover. At the start of a round every character on the player’s team starts with 3 AP which can be used in a number of ways. Moving around the field costs at least 1 AP with further movement taking extra AP, though using it to properly find at least half-cover to reduce the chance of incoming fire is better than nothing. Attacking an enemy with a blaster depends on the weapon. Rifles are the most balanced and will initially cost 1 AP to fire but then 2 AP for a follow-up attack, pistols deal the least damage but only cost 1 AP per shot, longarm blasters take 2 AP but make up for it in accuracy and damage, while repeaters can burn through a unit’s entire AP but deal more damage the more the unit has and is capable of destroying cover.
Alongside moving and blasting, every character can use AP in a variety of other ways as well. This includes using equipment that is often only available once per battle such as a grenade or healing item, triggering a special skill unique to their class, or even a special unique ability that story based characters possess, such as Kabb’s powerful uppercut melee attack that can restore all of his AP if he slays an enemy with it. There are also certain skills that make use of “Advantage Points” that players gain through combat and dealing damage to enemies and can be used to pull off other special abilities such as class-based sweeping fire-for-effect damage, long range explosives, and more. Finally, there is an important Overwatch ability that takes only 1 AP to activate but not only moves the unit out of cover but ends their turn. Placing a unit on Overwatch means they will fire upon any enemy that moves through that area or attacks in that area and, if they hit, will interrupt their turn which can be a vital tactical play, especially if players can position their team into laying down overwatch on where enemy reinforcements will be arriving.
Not every battle in Star Wars Zero Company is simply a fight to the death and that helps make it feel a bit more unique as different mission types are often popping up here and there. Some may require the player to place a hacking device on a chest and defend it for a set number of turns before retreating to an evacuation place. Others may require placing a bomb and then evacuating, or reaching and rescuing an injured survivor and keeping them alive while enemy reinforcements try to finish them off.
It is also interesting to note that while many enemies players face are lore accurate, including various Droids being inept or stronger than others depending on model and various thugs being stronger than the average droid, The Coil themselves are different beasts entirely. Not only do they gain buffs as players advance through the game as mentioned before, but they will absorb the Shadow Plague from fallen Coil members and receive buffs in return. This may mean that an injured and near-dead standard Coil soldier might receive two essences from fallen allies and suddenly fully heal and gain the ability to turn invisible, making them a new and deadly threat to watch out for and something that players will need to factor in when it comes to taking on Coil forces directly.
Audio & Visuals
Star Wars Zero Company is a rather impressive looking game and manages to replicate the various races that the franchise is known for quite well, especially since it gives players the chance to play as races never playable before in a game such as this. The character models are all highly detailed, with players being able to customize most elements of their character and even selecting how the tendrils of a Twi’lek will lay and the pattern they will have on them. Similarly players can eventually heavily customize astromechs and even change the outfits of various team members slightly if they are a story character or completely if they are a random hire. This means a male human can be converted to a female Togruta without anyone blinking an eye. As for the planet and level designs they are rather impressive and varied for the different biomes with the enemies fitting perfectly with what fans will remember of the Clone Wars. As for The Coil, their unique skin and eerie skin pattern fits their cult-like status perfectly. It is worth noting that in our pre-release build we did see a few instances of clothing glitching here and there as well as some slowdown when traveling back to The Den from a mission, though that will hopefully be fixed for launch.
The voice work throughout the game is handled well enough with players having one male and female voice to choose from for Hawks while all of the storyline characters are portrayed in a fitting manner, including dialect that is auto-translated such as Hutt language with subtitles. It is a bit disappointing that custom characters only have a list of personality types and voices to go along with them, since some personalities only are available to certain genders. The background music for the game is quite exceptional and while it may not feature some of the best music that Star Wars has had, it is fitting for the series.
Overall
Over the decades there have been many different Star Wars games covering nearly every genre, but somehow the most obvious one has never been tried until now with Star Wars Zero Company. Now, not only has Bit Reactor proven that their carried over talent from past works is as successful as ever, it works perfectly when mixed in with the Star Wars lore and setting. Featuring a strong storyline that mixes just enough canon elements that fans know and love with its own unique flare and some great characters alongside strong gameplay mechanics that anyone familiar with the tactical turn-based shooter genre will instantly recognize, Star Wars Zero Company is a successful experiment that proves sometimes thinking outside the box is the best way to move approach a long lived franchise.
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