After much uncertainty and radio silence regarding the fate of Cold Iron Studios and their in-development persistent online Aliens shooter after the studio was sold to Scopely as part of a huge deal following Disney’s purchase of 20th Century Fox, we now know that Cold Iron has found a new home at Daybreak Games!
Daybreak Games, global publisher and developer of large-scale multiplayer online games, today announced it acquired Cold Iron Studios, the San Jose based studio of veteran MMO, action and shooter developers currently working on a PC and console game set in the iconic Alien universe.
Cold Iron Studios co-founder Craig Zinkievich will continue to lead the studio and the development of the Alien game, reporting to Ji Ham, CEO of Daybreak Games. The game promises to deliver an action-packed, sci-fi shooter experience unlike any other game on the market.
“We’re incredibly proud and excited to be part of the Daybreak family,” said Zinkievich. “Daybreak and Cold Iron share the same passion and long history for delivering action-packed multiplayer games for audiences worldwide. In combining our decades of experience developing and launching globally successful multiplayer titles, we’re destined to make great games together.”
Sharing the news of sale on Twitter, Cold Iron’s founder and chief creative officer tweeted that “yes, Cold Iron is still going strong. Yes, our Aliens shooter is still kicking MUCH ass.“
Ignacio Bazan Lazcano’s concept art for Aliens: Colonial Marines
It was reported at the start of the year that while Cold Iron was sold to Scopley as part of the sale of 20th Century Fox’s entire gaming arm, Cold Iron didn’t exactly fit into Scopley’s portfolio as they were known primarily for mobile games. From what we know of Cold Iron’s Alien game – “action-packed persistent world” and a “massively multiplayer online shooter,” Cold Iron seems more at home with Daybreak Games who are known for publishing online focused games such as H1Z1 and DC Universe Online.
Details about the game are still sparse. Aliens: Infiltrator, a prequel to the game, is currently slated for release on October 20th this year. Possible details on the game “leaked” on 4chan back in May, where the user claimed to have insider information regarding plot and game play mechanic details.
The timeline is set several years after Aliens, and immediately follows Alien: Infiltrator. You play as one of several Colonial Marines aboard the USS Henley-in-Arden (acting as the main hub world) with Destiny/Borderlands-style character presets. You’re tasked with making regular trips onto a backwater planet after Pala Station crashes into the surface, unleashing Aliens which wreak havoc on the local Colonies and crossbreed with wildlife.
Monetisation for cosmetics, such as skins, armour decals, weapons, allow for plenty customisation options. Plenty of Easter eggs from the franchise too.
Hopefully now that Cold Iron has found a new home at Daybreak, we’ll start to see some press regarding the upcoming game!
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i will take that as a victory! for some reason, when i think about (the little we know about) this game, no man's sky always comes to mind; i'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing
Gaming platforms
Since it isn't going to be a 2020 release, I'd imagine it will have to be a next-gen title. PS5, XBox Series X, PC, and I guess maybe Switch and Stadia?
Then again, I also spend time on an internet forum, so I probably don't.
Hell no! Need to stand as far away from ACM as possible! Btw multiplayer in ACM was also poor. I also don't like the comparison with Destiny or BL - they are a looter-shooters for no-life people. It will be better if game will be more like Left 4 Dead or Killing Floor or Rainbow Six: Siege/Payday 2, but with aliens.
If the game is made right then it could make other games redundant .
Considering how many hours I spent with Destiny , then this would be a dream come true .
This is a second chance . I hope the don't screw this up
I imagine that's what we'll be seeing in this one. Seems like the best option to give them some more variety and also remain constant to the lore. Unless they do just go full Kenner.
Well, I guess technically that game was only really in development for like a year of those 6 years.
That's my hope. But I'm trying not to expect anything.
Which is why I feel like this particular style of game isn't the right fit for this universe. I don't have anything at all against games like this. I adore Destiny 2. But that is such a far cry from the sort of experience that I want out of a game with "Alien(s)" in the title.
Any experience that I've ever had in an Alien(s) game that's ever really felt true to the series for me has played up the horror angle and has forced me into tight, enclosed spaces rather than an expansive, open world.
I would love to be wrong and would be so happy if this works, because I do enjoy games like this and I obviously love Alien. I'm just keeping myself reserved for now.
We already knew this was going to be a thing two years ago and there's not going to be much of a game without variation repetition.
A great many, I'd imagine.
-Windebieste.
But the one thing I won't say is that it was "Rushed." We've known about it for, what, almost three years now? And still don't even have a name?
once bitten, twice shy.
Your optimism is refreshing.
Betting that WY and Androids will play a big part in this, Alien wise we'll probably see 3 variations per host, Drone, Warrior and Praetorian, that also not mentioning how they'll go with probable Alien experiments such as K-Series like stuff
Sorry, but...
#TurkHappens
I'd be more interested in visiting a lab that was experimenting on Aliens and yielding all kinds of weird mutations a la the Newborn or the Neomorphs or the various Prometheus creatures than I would be in seeing dozens of Aliens that just have these radically different builds and "attack modes" solely for the sake of gameplay. But then, the random Aliens in Colonial Marines are just one symptom of a much larger problem that all trickled down from someone deciding that it would be a good idea for Hadley's Hope to still be standing.
Utilizing the pathogen from the prequels in the game would be a good way to get some weird genetic offshoots in there and up the enemy variety, I think.
The bad news is CI better have their shit together in terms of long term monetization.= now, not later.
Nice article Hicks!