Sega has confirmed to CVG that Total War studio Creative Assembly IS making a new Alien game - and that it hopes the title will be a "peer to Dead Space 2".
Neither the studio or publisher would be drawn on confirming a genre for the game, and wouldn't say if it was a strategy title - the category Creative Assembly is best known for.
Creative director Mike Simpson said that he'd been given the directive to win awards by Sega, but wasn't overly pressured because "we like winning awards". Class in a glass.
"This is very much a triple-A project," Sega West boss Mike Hayes added. "We want this to be a peer to the likes of Dead Space 2."
CA is now hiring to ramp up production on the title, and wants to take its staff from 160 people to 200 in a matter of months. The studio is famed for its multi-award winning Total War series on PC.
Meanwhile, Sega is thought to be readying another Alien title in Alien: Colonial Marines, which is being developed by Duke Nukem Forever studio Gearbox in the US. We expect to see more on that one at E3 next month.
Government Minister Ed Vaizey let slip that CA was working on an Alien game earlier today on his Twitter account.
Comments
33 comments so far...
Drusus on 12 May '11 said:
That's my second pair of boxers gone today CVG, curse you. Interesting news indeed.
meh2allfanboys on 12 May '11 said:
An fps with multiplayer ? a 3rd person shooter with multiplayer oh w8 aliens dont have guns normally but as its only a game ................................................... the possibilities are endless
MrRage on 12 May '11 said:
I hope its better than the last AvP game that came out, that was terrible. I kinda think this particular franchise has run its course.
boskersrevenge on 12 May '11 said:
Yes! Finally an Alien game where there is little in the way of guns and more in the way of suspense.
They're meant to be hard to kill, silent hunters with only one goal - to use you as food.
All we've had is fodder for guns that evaporate where you might get a bit splashed with acid.
*high hopes*
corkscru74 on 12 May '11 said:
Interesting. Although they don't state what genre I'm hoping for a survival-horror set in the Alien universe, which would make sense if it's based on the first movie and they're going after Dead Space.
TimHotston on 12 May '11 said:
Sweet Jesus!!! Praise the lord! An Alien game actually coming out!
Creative Assembly are an awesome team, so I believe the game will be awesome!!!
But I still want Aliens Colonial Marines from Gearbox.
A few months ago they were advertising jobs to work on a 3D person game.
There are a variety of job listings for CA, these state that they need people with experience for 360, PS3 and PC and experience developing online multi-player!
Guys brace yourselfs for a AWESOME game!
Nick75 on 12 May '11 said:
A peer to Dead Space, shouldn't be hard, Dead Space was so average I didn't even bother with the sequel
boskersrevenge on 12 May '11 said:
Four posts in and you're a happy camper, eh?
clayf1ghter on 12 May '11 said:
Your loss Dead Space 2 is one of my favourite games this gen, in my opinion filled the void that resident evil left after the fourth installment.
As for a Alien/s game in the same vein sign me up now and don't give me to much ammo to make it all the scarier
snips10 on 12 May '11 said:
AvP has certainly run out of steam and the latest one was crap! But there is so much scope for a decent Alien(s) based game. Would need to feel pretty claustrophibic so would be largely corridor based (ala Dead Space).
There hasn't been a good Alien based game since Alien 3 on the Mega Drive!
laslowoodbine on 12 May '11 said:
I wish some other company rather than Sega had the rights for the Alien franchise, it seems like such a waste as they just don't have the right backing any more to make these games what they should be.
HeavenlyGamer on 12 May '11 said:
Why can't Sega just release Colonial Marines??!!
ginsin on 12 May '11 said:
I've always thought an Aliens game would work well if it was similar to the Dead Space series. Whether Creative Assembly can pull it off, we'll have to wait and see.
sonic_uk on 12 May '11 said:
Sounds interesting, but to clarify this isn't Colonial Marines is it? If it is indeed a new game then I really hope it is a 3rd/Fps shooter, with co-op and not a strategy game, but we will see. I'm an Aliens fan so it will be interesting to see what this game is about in the future. As a side note I'm probably the only person in the world that enjoyed Avp, but so be it. I thought the game was ace, especially in Swarm mode with other players!
monty_79 on 12 May '11 said:
This is going to be very interesting indeed. Correct me if I'm wrong, but CA have only done the strategy games of the Total War series, so a 1st/3dr person horror/action game will be quite a massive departure indeed. Creative Assembly are a class outfit though, and I get the feeling that they wouldn't have taken the project on if they didn't have the belief that they can do justice to it.
FFS, the Alien universe should be the most perfect franchise to work as a game, but out of all the Alien games, only 3 have been good. Alien 3 on the megadrive, the original Aliens vs Predator on PC and Alien Trillogy on the Saturn/PS1
sonic_uk on 12 May '11 said:
@ monty_79
Yes I enjoyed Alien 3 on the Megadrive, a very underated game. The Master System/Game Gear version was a great port (I own the Gamegear version but have played the Master System version some years ago). Alien Triology was good as well. I'm debating buying it either on the Saturn or Ps1. I also own the original Avp on PC - great game, but ridiculously hard.
TimHotston on 12 May '11 said:
For two reasons it hasn't been released yet: 1) Gearbox picked up Dukem Nuken Forever instead of finishing Aliens: Colonial Marines. 2) SEGA are far more likely to get this released first as it is a multi-player/3rd person shooter to gain a market for it; I read before that they were going to see the sales of AVP before A:CM release.
No it is not Aliens: Colonial Marines, that's being made by Gearbox.
They made one 3rd person slasher called Viking: Battle for Asgard on 360 and PS3 it has got 68 on MetaCritic.
monty_79 on 12 May '11 said:
From what I recall, the Saturn version was slightly better and I ended up buying it on that (I had both back then). Can't remember why though, but I think it ran a tad smoother. Also, yeah, AVP PC version was rock hard. Bloody scary too! Great game.
monty_79 on 12 May '11 said:
@TimHotston
I had no idea. Cheers.
sonic_uk on 12 May '11 said:
Thanks Monty_79. I will try and pick Triology up on the Saturn when I have some spare cash!
Imaduck on 12 May '11 said:
Hell yeah
Don't suppose this is Colonial Marines?
MrPirtniw on 12 May '11 said:
As much as I liked the Dead Space games I don't think they're all that amazing- so I kind of hope this new Aliens game will surpass it in terms of scares. As cool as the marines are perhaps they could take it in a different direction where you play someone living in one of the Colonies and and the xenomorphs begin creeping in. Although Alien 3 (the film) was a little bit pap, the fact they had no weaponry made things a little more tense.
I don't think walking forward a few feet/alien popping out/gunning it down/repeat ala Dead Space would do the Alien justice.
Enough rambling- now make it, dammit!
ffcoppolla on 12 May '11 said:
What about Alien Resurrectionon the PS? Was compatible with the mouse too.
Plus Alien 3 on the SNES> Megadrive version.
HeavenlyGamer on 12 May '11 said:
Thanks bro. I thought Duke was being done by another team.. I sucks though, as I was really looking forward to Colonial Marines. I bet they were also afraid of people thinking those 2 games would be very similar as they both have "Alien" in the title. The screenshots Gearbox released months ago looked pretty amazing, so I bet it will be an amazing game when released. And I'm pretty sure it will be released around spring '12 as most shooters get released in Autumn.
clayf1ghter on 12 May '11 said:
It's more the atmosphere of deadspace than the gameplay mechanics that they should take the lead from. Lights off, big ass tv, surround sound turned up some of the best s**t scared moments I've had with a game. The sound in particular in dead space 2 is amazing and more games really should put more effort into sound as more and more of us have surround sound these days.
Anyway yeah just get it made then well judge
MrPirtniw on 12 May '11 said:
Agreed- the sound effects are awesome in the Dead Space games. Still not been scared by a game since Project Zero 2 though... so I really hope this turns out to be a corker.
clayf1ghter on 12 May '11 said:
You've got tougher skin then me I scare easy the monkey's in The Wizard of OZ gave me nightmares for years.
Is project zero the one where you go around taking pictures? think I may of played it if thats the one, probably got to scared and turned it off.
Or what about Siren blood curse was thinking of picking that up soon on the cheap looks pretty freaky
MrPirtniw on 12 May '11 said:
Yeah, that's the one. Photo shooting ghosts. Sounds stupid but it's got atmosphere so thick it couldn't even spell the word. I did play one of the Siren games on the PS2- it was kinda creepy but I found some of the noises, the dialogue and some of the character faces pretty hilarious. Haven't played Blood Curse yet though.
And if you REALLY want to be freaked out try playing Amnesia or Penumbra on the PC. Oh. My. Giddy. Aunt.
clayf1ghter on 12 May '11 said:
Just grabbed this off one of the reviews for Amnesia on metacritic
"It was without a doubt one of the most difficult, draining, and stressful gaming experiences I have ever had, but it's also an absolute masterpiece."
It makes me want to play it and not want to play it in equal measure lol
KK-Headcharge78 on 12 May '11 said:
Not a huge fan of Sci Fi except for Gears, Aliens and Star Wars so this could be sweet, it's a long time since I played a game that made me distribute small poo droplets.
DoomGuy84 on 12 May '11 said:
Make a 1st person/3rd person squad based shooter similar to Brothers in Arms based on Aliens and thats it. Make it as scary as possible and its a winner.
MANYOO4EVA on 13 May '11 said:
Awesome news and now hopefully, if Gearbox pull their fingers out of somewhere, we might get Aliens: Colonial Marines this year, now that they have finished Duke Nukem.
I'm going for an RPG-come-strategy type game from Creative Assembly on their game, as they are strategy kings, so doing a different genre entirely would be somewhat risky on their part.
Hey, whatever it is, I'm happy that us gamers have TWO Alien games coming. Cannot wait!!!!!
Bezly on 13 May '11 said:
so up for this, but will it EVER arrive? sega and gearbox made such a fuss over colonial marines...is this supposed to be the same title?