Revealed at the Penny Arcade Expo this week, Tribes: Ascend markst he return of the online multi-player shooter franchise Tribes, which last made an appearance in 2004 on PC.
Tribes: Ascend, developed using the Unreal 3 engine, is being positioned as the multi-player successor to the much lauded Tribes 2 and a re-introduction of the franchise to the gaming world.
Hi-Rez Studios acquired Tribes in October, 2010 and revealed plans to develop a massive scale, persistent world shooter called Tribes Universe. Today's announcement confirms that long-term franchise strategy, but Hi-Rez has chosen to first deliver the single-purchase, digital download Tribes: Ascend this calendar year.
"Before Halo, before Modern Warfare, and before Battlefield, there was Tribes.", says Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios COO. "Tribes fans appreciate the game's essence - athletic FPS combat combined with teamwork and strategy. As we began development of Tribes Universe, we focused first on capturing that essence - refining and modernizing iconic elements like jetpacks, skiing, and vehicles. We’ve had tremendous fun play-testing and realized the potential of a multiplayer focused title ahead of Tribes Universe. The community has been waiting for a multi-player shooter that is the modern successor to T2. Tribes: Ascend is that game."
Tribes: Ascend is targeted for release in late 2011 as a digital download on Windows PC and the Xbox 360.
