- Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, has expressed interest in reviving the MechAssault/MechWarrior IP during the Tokyo Game Show.
- Although not an official announcement, Spencer’s comments indicate a potential return for the franchise that has been dormant since 2006.
- Russ Bullock, president of Piranha Games, revealed earlier this year that a new MechWarrior title is in development, focusing on single-player and co-op gameplay.
Since 2019, the Xbox BattleTech universe has become relatively obscure. Nevertheless, Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, claims that a positive change is imminent.
MechAssault/MechWarrior IP. Phil Spencer, the brains behind Xbox’s success, stated at the Tokyo Game Show that he “always wanted us to go back and revisit MechAssault/MechWarrior space.” There are a lot of things throughout the entire franchise that were innovative for their day.”
But in a typical Spencer move, he quickly clarified that this isn’t an announcement or leak. Thus, although it’s not Spencer’s top priority, it’s undoubtedly on Xbox’s wish list.
The BattleTech universe, where the MechAssault franchise is located, is centered around piloting massive combat robots known as BattleMechs, or simply Mechs. These machines are fierce adversaries on the battlefield because of their extensive armor and armament.
MechAssault, which debuted in 2002, follows a squad of mercenaries known as the Wolf’s Dragoons MechWarriors as they set out to free the planet Helios from the grip of the Word of Blake, a radical religious sect.
Assuming the character of a MechWarrior, players fight against enemy mechs, tanks, and other ground troops in fierce combat scenarios. MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf, the sequel, picks up where the previous game left off, placing players on the planet Dante and forcing them to deal with a brand-new threat brought on by the Word of Blake.
The game added additional gameplay elements, such as the capacity to break free from the Mech and engage in foot combat or take control of enemy vehicles. Destructible landscapes and fast-paced gameplay are hallmarks of MechAssault games. A multitude of Mechs are available for players to select from, each with special weapons and skills.
Multiplayer options in MechAssault 2 enable players to engage in team-based or free-for-all fights against one another. Players can upgrade their Mechs’ armor and weapons to fit their playstyle as the series progresses. A variety of mission types are available in MechAssault games, ranging from objective-based tasks that need strategy and cooperation to simple combat situations.
Spencer makes some insightful remarks at a fascinating moment. The president of Piranha Games, Russ Bullock, said earlier this year that a new MechWarrior game is in development and that it will be a standalone, single-player adventure. That being said, Bullock made it clear that this would not be an online project but rather a “single-player co-op type of pathway.”
Though the MechAssault series is a subset of the larger BattleTech universe-spanning MechWarrior franchise, the last MechAssault game was released back in 2006. The IP has lain idle ever since, for want of a better word.
All the same, many gamers still have a soft spot for BattleTech games, and with the recent wave of popular games like Resident Evil 4 and Silent Hill being remade, a return to MechAssault doesn’t seem all that unlikely.