Back in the cockpit
The studio behind Shadowrun 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 the BattleTech universe. The studio has announced that 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.
BattleTech was 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 the BattleTech universe” and will “feature an open-ended Mercenaries-style campaign that blends RPG ‘Mech and MechWarrior management 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 oldschool BattleTech.
Given the failure of MechWarrior Tactics, a previous crowd-funded effort at a turn-based Mercenaries-style game that folded before full release, and the mixed reception of MechWarrior Online which also asked for fans to help fund development, it’s difficult to say if BattleTech fans 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 on Shadowrun, and the return of Weisman to the series has to be worth something. Maybe this will finally be the BattleTech remake fans have been craving for decades.
