Back in the cockpit
The studio behindShadowrun Returns, Harebrained Schemes, is planning to resurrect another classic PC series in the near future, trading in net-running cyberpunks for the towering mechs of theBattleTechuniverse. The studiohas announcedthat it will be running a Kickstarter in the fall to drum up the funding to remake the venerable game of armored combat for a new generation.
BattleTechwas co-created by Harebrained Schemes founder Jordan Weisman, so this is something of a homecoming for the studio. Fittingly enough, Harebrained Schemes seems to have a decidedly traditional take on the series, promoting a game that is “Steeped in the feudal political intrigue of theBattleTechuniverse” and will “feature an open-endedMercenaries-style campaign that blends RPG ‘Mech andMechWarriormanagement with modern turn-based tactics.” Great news for fans of the original tabletop who enjoy the lore of the series and the management-sim like logistical concerns of oldschoolBattleTech.
Given the failure ofMechWarrior Tactics,a previous crowd-funded effort at a turn-basedMercenaries-style game that folded before full release, and the mixed reception ofMechWarrior Onlinewhich also asked for fans to help fund development, it’s difficult to say ifBattleTechfans will be willing to risk their money and hopes on another attempt at rejuvenating the series. But Harebrained Schemes has earned a lot of credibility with its work onShadowrun, and the return of Weisman to the series has to be worth something. Maybe this willfinallybe theBattleTechremake fans have been craving for decades.
