Wasteland Developer Working on First-Person RPG At Microsoft

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Job listings posted on Inxile Entertainment's website suggest that the acclaimed Wasteland developer has teamed up with Microsoft to produce a first person RPG. Even without an official announcement, the job postings reveal details about this title's world and gameplay. Furthermore, Microsoft's hand in the project almost ensures an unprecedented budget for Inxile.

Inxile Entertainment was founded in 2002 by Interplay co-founder Brian Fargo. After working on titles such as Baldur's Gate, Fallout, and the original Wasteland, Fargo released a slew of successful RPGs with his new studio. However, it would take a successful Kickstarter campaign for Inxile to produce one of its most anticipated games: Wasteland 2. Between the success of Wasteland 2 and 3, the developer continued to prove its talent for producing post-apocalyptic RPGs.

As an industry titan that has influenced RPGs for decades, it's no wonder why Microsoft conscripted Inxile for this project. PCGamesN outlines that developer's job listings and plans for its collaboration. Art directors, animators, and gameplay designers will be expected to produce "tactile first person weapons," and a combat system that "draws the player into the action." Moreover, newly hired artists will team up with studio veterans to "bring an extraordinary new world to life.” The studio's job postings prove that Inxile isn't afraid to navigate uncharted territory in developing this new title. Chief among these departures is the developer's step away from Wasteland's strategic, isometric combat in favor of a fast-paced, first-person experience. Both the second-to-second gameplay style and new setting sum up Inxile's bold approach to development.

 

Some players may criticize the switch to first person, arguing it doesn't play to the studio's strengths. However, this kind of change actually echoes industry-wide trends that have occurred before. In a similar vein to this forthcoming title, Fallout also transitioned from an isometric RPG to a first-person series. Since Fallout 3 demonstrated the formula's success, it was only a matter of time before other RPG developers threw their hats in the ring. And even though Inxile's new project may not fall under the Wasteland umbrella, this trend toward immersive, action-oriented experiences may produce unexpected acclaim.

This collaboration between Microsoft and Inxile poses an additional question. With the next generation of consoles upon players, Sony and Microsoft will assuredly continue to battle for exclusives. Inxile is just one of many developers who have made incredible games without a AAA budget. But by collaborating with a tech giants like Microsoft, who knows what they're capable of? Going forward, talented developers used to working with small budgets may produce some of this generation's best games. And if so, players should hope this is the first of many similar collaborations to come.