Video game developer Cold Iron Studios announced the exciting news today that it has been acquired by FoxNext - the video game division of 20th Century Fox - and will work on a new shooter set in the cinematic universe of the Alien franchise.
The game will be developed for PC and consoles (presumably Xbox One and PS4). While we don't have any real details, Cold Iron's history in massively multiplayer online games suggest there will be some sort of emphasis on multiplayer gameplay, perhaps lending itself more towards an Aliens action-y feel, and less of a survival-horror like the most recent game Alien: Isolation.
Comments made by FoxNext Games President of Studios Aaron Loeb indicate the game will exist in a "persistent world."
“Cold Iron Studios has amazing design, craftsmanship and development talent that we are excited to welcome at FoxNext Games as we pursue our goal to build a multi-platform, multi-genre portfolio of great games,” Loeb said. “I am a personal fan of Cold Iron’s previous work and all of us at FoxNext Games are thrilled to be working with them as they create an action-packed persistent world, steeped in the mysteries of this beloved Alien universe.”
Cold Iron Studios is led by CEO Craig Zinkievich, CTO Shannon Posniewski, and Creative Director Matt Highison. The team itself is comprised of industry veterans who have worked on various high-profile titles including Neverwinter, Metroid Prime 3, BioShock Infinite, and City of Heroes.
“We believe in FoxNext’s vision and we are thrilled about the opportunity to explore an amazing and rich universe,” Zinkievich said of the studio joining FoxNext. “Our background in building online worlds and taking established franchises to the next level in interactive entertainment is a precise fit with our product roadmap ahead; we can’t wait to share more information soon.”
Alien isn't the first major property that FoxNext is creating a game for. Last last year, the company announced MARVEL Strike Force, a free-to-play mobile title emphasizing squad-based roleplaying featuring the heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe. MARVEL Strike Force slated to launch in 2018.