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Sci-fi RTS sequel Homeworld 3 will arrive on March 8
Sci-fi strategy sequel Homeworld 3 at last has a firm release date. It’s now slated to arrive on March 8.
‘Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak’ will be free on the Epic Games Store this month
Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak will be free on the Epic Games Store later this month. The well-received 2016 prequel to 1999 real-time strategy classic Homeworld arrives ahead of Homeworld 3, due early next year after multiple delays. The (usually $50) Deserts of Kharak will be available to claim on Epic’s storefront from August 24th to 31st.
Sci-fi strategy game 'Homeworld 3' has been delayed to February 2024
Homeworld 3's developers said they need more time to refine and polish the game.
Long-awaited RTS 'Homeworld 3' is delayed until 2023
Gearbox and Blackbird Interactive plan to offer 'the deepest look yet' at Gamescom.
'Homeworld 3' continues the classic sci-fi RTS series in 2022
More than two years after its initial announcement, Homeworld 3 has a release date.
'Homeworld: Remastered' is beautiful, but it's not the sequel you want
Homeworld: Remastered Collection, the revival of the much-loved strategy games from 1999 and 2003, launches tomorrow. Texas-based Borderlands studio Gearbox Software rescued the titles from obscurity after a decade of legal red-tape and spent the last two years remastering the games for modern machines. Gearbox made a similar play with the long-in-development Duke Nukem Forever. This is no Duke Nukem Forever. Thankfully.
Inside Gearbox's plan to resurrect 'Homeworld' with 12-year-old tools
Homeworld Remastered is arriving as a Steam download on February 25th, 16 years after it originally launched. The game and its 2003 sequel spent the last 12 years languishing in THQ's vaults before being rescued by Gearbox Software. Doesn't ring a bell? Gearbox is the studio behind the highly lauded Borderlands series, the universally derided Duke Nukem Forever and the largely panned Aliens: Colonial Marines. Rather than just push the titles out for a quick nostalgia hit, however, the company spent the last two years giving Homeworld a high-definition remaster so that it looks as good as we remember. In the run up to the launch, I spoke with Gearbox's Brian Martel and Chris Faylor to talk about reviving the game.
Gearbox's beautiful 'Homeworld' remake reaches PCs February 25th
If you're a long-time PC gamer, you probably have a soft spot for the Homeworld series. Relic's epic saga was both eye-catching and proof that real-time strategy could work in the void of space. However, time hasn't been kind to the games -- the first came out when 3D graphics cards were relatively new, and THQ's acquisition of Relic (plus its eventual bankruptcy) made follow-ups difficult. At last, though, you'll have a way to relive the Mothership's journey while doing justice to your modern gaming rig. Gearbox, which bought the rights to the series, has revealed that its previously teased Homeworld Remastered Collection will reach Windows PCs on February 25th. The remake spruces up just about every aspect of the two Homeworld games, ranging from much better-looking ship models and effects to reworked cutscenes. You also get a beta multiplayer experience that merges the online modes of both titles.
Homeworld Remastered Collector's Edition pre-orders now live
Amazon is now taking pre-orders for the upcoming Homeworld Remastered Collector's Edition for the low, low price of $99.99. Well, it's low compared to the cost of real-life space flight, anyway. The Collector's Edition, as revealed by Gearbox at PAX East earlier this year, includes a Mothership replica statue roughly one foot tall. Along with the statue, Amazon notes the Collector's Edition includes "a revised Historical Briefings and Artwork book includes the backstory of the Homeworld universe, some newly uncovered details from the game's creators plus a dazzling collection of original concept art by Rob Cunningham and Aaron Kambeitz," as well as a die-cast Angel Moon Homeworld keychain. Unfortunately, Amazon's release date is a placeholder, so we're still unsure exactly when Homeworld Remastered will blast off. [Image: Sierra Entertainment]
Gearbox reveals Homeworld Collector's Edition Mothership statue
A Homeworld Remastered Collector's Edition is prepping for landing, developer Gearbox announced at its PAX East 2014 panel today. The special edition will include, among other things, a replica statue based on the game's Mothership, pictured above. The figure stands at more than 12 inches tall, is USB-powered, and lights up. Gearbox polled fans last month asking what they'd like to see in a Collector's Edition, and it looks like people chose "big spaceship." Can't say we blame them. [Image: Sierra Entertainment]
Gearbox polling Homeworld fans for Remastered Collection contents
Gearbox Software is polling fans of the classic real-time strategy game Homeworld to determine the Collector's Edition contents of its upcoming compilation Homeworld Remastered Edition. Announced last year, Homeworld Remastered Edition updates Homeworld and Homeworld 2 with high-res textures and support for HD resolutions, among other improvements suggested by fans and modders. The collection will also feature the original versions of both Homeworld games, and proposed Collector's Editions will include a replica Mothership and other memorabilia. Gearbox notes that further details will be revealed soon. Gearbox purchased Homeworld's intellectual property rights following publisher THQ's bankruptcy in 2012. Gearbox later leveraged its purchase to fund Homeworld: Shipbreakers, an intended series successor that now carries the official Homeworld license. [Image: Gearbox Software]
Hardware: Shipbreakers secures Homeworld license, Gearbox funding
Gearbox Software announced at PAX that it has granted Hardware: Shipbreakers developer Blackbird Interactive the official Homeworld license, allowing its creators to release the game under the new title Homeworld: Shipbreakers. Announced in May, Hardware Shipbreakers was to be a spiritual successor to the Homeworld series. Developed by several key Homeworld franchise developers, Shipbreakers promised a similar brand of real-time strategy gameplay bolstered by online competitive multiplayer modes. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford additionally revealed that Gearbox will fund the project, supporting Blackbird's development process and investing "a pretty non-trivial amount of money -- the millions of dollars necessary for them to realize their vision." Pitchford's announcement begins at 5:27:05 in this archived stream. Gearbox acquired the rights to the Homeworld name in April, following the liquidation of former trademark owner THQ. The company previously announced plans to release HD-optimized versions of Homeworld and Homeworld 2 later this year.
Gearbox remaking Homeworld 1 and 2 for Windows
Gearbox announced plans at PAX Australia to warp drive HD remakes of Homeworld 1 and 2 to Windows this year, following their recent acquisition of the franchise from THQ for $1.35 million. Direct ports of the original games will also be made available on unspecified digital distribution platforms for Windows. Gearbox Software CCO Brian Martel expressed his fondness for the series in April after the purchase, stating his intent to make them "accessible on today's leading digital platforms" in a statement released by Gearbox. Relic Games, creator of the Homeworld franchise, was sold to SEGA during the liquidation of THQ's assets and is currently working on Company of Heroes 2. Part of the Homeworld development team has since left the mother ship to begin work on a more grounded RTS, Hardware: Shipbreakers.
Homeworld creators dive into new 3D RTS, Hardware: Shipbreakers
The original team behind the Homeworld series has a new, 3D RTS game called Hardware: Shipbreakers, launching in closed beta in Q4 2013. Shipbreakers comes from Blackbird Interactive, founded by developers who created Homeworld and the executive producer of Homeworld 2, Dan Irish. The first gameplay trailer for Shipbreakers has a squad of air- and land-based vehicles search the remains of a downed spaceship, with a glimpse of the overhead RTS command scheme. All gameplay footage in the trailer is in-game and real-time, Blackbird says. Those interested in getting down with that closed beta can sign up for a potential spot on Blackbird's site.
THQ auction results: Nordic Games takes Darksiders, Red Faction; 505 Games is Drawn to Life
The THQ back catalog auction results are in, with Nordic Games riding away with the intellectual property (IP) rights to Darksiders, Red Faction and MX vs. ATV for $4.9 million. The company picked up nearly all the assets in the auction, including Titan Quest, Supreme Commander, Frontlines, Stuntman, Juiced, Full Spectrum Warrior, Destroy All Humans and much more. "First and foremost we are very happy about this deal which also turns over a new leaf for the entire Nordic Games Group. In the long term, we either want to cooperate with the original creators or best possible developers in order to work on sequels or additional content for these titles," said Nordic Games CEO Lars Wingefors. "A very important point for us is not to dash into several self-financed multi-million dollar projects right away, but rather to continue our in-depth analysis of all titles and carefully selecting different financing models for developing new instalments of acquired IPs." The other reveal is 505 Games grabbed the rights to Drawn to Life and Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter for $300K. The news follows this afternoon's unexpected acquisition of the Homeworld franchise by Gearbox Software. We now know the price tag for Gearbox to re-release the original games on digital distribution networks and take a swing at its own spin on the real-time strategy franchise was $1.35 million. We've listed the winning bids in greater detail after the break.
Crowdfunders fail to win Homeworld IP in THQ auction, issue refunds
When THQ went bankrupt and saw several of its IPs heading to the auction block, indie developer teamPixel began crowdfunding bidding money to win the Homeworld property for use in its upcoming space RTS game. Even after garnering $58,644 through a successful Kickstarter campaign and $13,675 on Indiegogo, teamPixel recently announced that it failed to win the Homeworld IP during the auction process."We hope you will join us in supporting Homeworld's new owners in building a future for the franchise," the developer said in a Kickstarter update. "We anticipate an announcement of the new owner to be made within a couple weeks and for the sale to be finalized around mid-May."Well into development on its own Homeworld-inspired strategy game, teamPixel will refund all money earned during its crowdfunding efforts while also offering donors a "special credit" in the game. The developer's "Save Homeworld" site has since transformed to a landing page for tracking donor refunds.The final THQ auction is expected to earn $6 million to $7 million. First details of the bidding results are expected to be revealed Monday.
Darksiders, Homeworld, Red Faction and other IPs next on THQ auction
THQ has announced that it will be auctioning off the intellectual property rights for a large portion of its back catalogue, including Darksiders, Red Faction and Homeworld. The full list of properties up for sale, broken into six lots and posted in full after the break, also includes games like Destroy All Humans! and numerous licensed products.Once interested bidders have gone through the proper channels, initial bids must be submitted by April 1, 2013, with final bids due on April 15. Once all bids have been submitted, THQ will talk the situation over with the various entities it owes money to and will then designate a primary and back-up bid for each lot. Once all that has been completed, the sales will be presented to the court for final approval, expected to take place in May.
Indie company teamPixel crowdfunds to buy THQ's Homeworld IP
With a separate process slated to happen in the coming weeks that would see THQ's back catalog landing in the hands of bidders, indie studio teamPixel took to Indiegogo to crowdsource the funds to bid on one of the forlorn properties: Homeworld. The team's goal is to bring Homeworld to GoG and Steam, launch a mobile version of the spacefaring RTS called Homeworld Touch and develop Homeworld 3. To be clear, teamPixel already began work on its own space RTS that is inspired by the Homeworld brand, so Homeworld Touch would become an "official version" of sorts, should the company manage to buy the IP.The studio's lofty aspirations start with a significant crowd-funding goal: teamPixel hopes to raise $50,000 by Thursday, February 7 in order to acquire the property. Former Homeworld developer Relic were purchased by Sega during THQ's auction process. Relic teased the development of Homeworld 3 in November 2008, though nothing came to fruition.
Star Wars: The Old Republic releases server details
On top of the exciting news this morning that Star Wars: The Old Republic has launched into its third guild phase, CM David Bass posted a healthy wall of text on the forums listing the server types and details associated with each. It will probably not come as a shock that SWTOR is sticking with the four core server rulesets: PvE, PvP, RP-PvE, and RP-PvP. In PvE, players have to toggle an option to engage in PvP outside of specifically designated combat areas, while on PvP servers everyone is automatically flagged outside of safe areas, such as the starting zones. The RP variants are similar, except that BioWare encourages players to roleplay in character on those servers. There's no word as to whether or not GMs will be enforcing such actions. Because RP-PvP was a very recent addition to the server ruleset list, guilds participating in the pre-launch deployment program will not be able to choose those servers for launch. Instead, BioWare says that players interested in this ruleset will need to manually form a guild on their faction's homeworld after the game releases.
Captain's Log: Resistance might actually be futile
Captain's Log, Stardate 65112.3... Hello, computer (and players)! They're mean, they're green(ish), and they are of a collective mind... they are the Borg, and resistance is futile. As most of you know, the Federation's most feared enemy plays a major part in Star Trek Online, and while the Borg are the current endgame "baddie," players find themselves on a daily basis in situations that force them to avoid assimilation. Be they in Deep Space Encounters (DSEs), Special Task Forces (STFs), or random explore missions, the Borg are out there and planning an invasion into the Alpha Quadrant. Bad news, Captains -- their plans are about to come to realization. Later this month, the Borg Fleet Intercepts are scheduled to commence, and as the Borg take up their offensive stance, players of all ranks are going to be called to the front lines. Since this is the first "global combat event" the game has ever had (not including one during beta), players are excited to see what is in store and what they're up against. Luckily, being a member of Section 31, I was able to gain access to some secret intelligence that contains the Borg's plans, and Captain's Log is about to let you in on them so you know how to organize your counterattack. Ensign, warp 10! Let's prepare our readers for the impending invasion...
