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Kingdom Under Fire II took seven years and $50M to complete
After spending over seven years in development, Kingdom Under Fire II may be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. It's currently in beta testing in southeast Asia and has plans for US and EU tests before the end of 2014. Game Director Sang Youn Lee said that the title's lengthy development was compounded by a format switch from a single-player Xbox title to an MMO for the PC and PlayStation 4. The cost for the game also spiraled upward over the years. "The scale of the game has expanded to three or four times what it was at first," Sang Youn Lee told Kotaku. "$15,000,000 was the first budget for the game. Now it is $50,000,000." Kingdom Under Fire II blends RPG and RTS elements to allow players to lead up to 500 soldiers in battles against each other rather than against the computer. Reportedly, the game can handle displaying 10,000 troops in combat at the same time.
How Kingdom Under Fire 2 survived a shifting game market for 7 years
Kingdom Under Fire 2 is a survivor. Many games die on the vine as production passes the three-year mark, but Blue Side's MMO sequel to the oddball action-strategy hybrid is now well into its seventh year of development. Enduring false starts, major changes to the fundamental design of the game, the rise and fall of consoles, and the wild transformation of the MMO market worldwide, Kingdom Under Fire 2 remains and its coming to PlayStation 4 and PC in the near future. Barring any sudden changes of course. Sang Youn Lee, the producer and Blue Side CEO who's stuck with the game over the years, doesn't need any more sudden changes. The game is, finally, right where he wants it. Guiding a demo of the game E3, Lee demonstrated how Kingdom Under Fire 2 plays in 2014, so long after it was first conceived. In large missions, it looks very much like Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders, Blue Side's original Xbox game. You control a big, flashy hero wielding a sword and command legions of troops on a field, a more intentional and less wantonly chaotic spin on Dynasty Warriors' massive conflicts. It's been modernized of course. The troop customization and commands relegated to text-heavy menus back in 2004 is now done on the fly through simple button or keyboard commands. Surrounding that formula are the trappings of an MMO. Cities like Accolade where you can pick up quests, an open field for wandering and getting in small skirmishes, and big mission areas. It's all very pretty,generically high fantasy but also lovingly detailed. Nothing about it looks like a game that's been struggling to release for nearly a decade. What happened?
Kingdom Under Fire II interview highlights development
Kingdom Under Fire II, which is finally releasing this summer, has undergone a number of changes during its six-years-plus of development. And in a recent interview, Executive Producer Sang Youn Lee sat down with Worlds Factory to discuss the evolution of the game and highlight its upcoming features. Players can look forward to guild-owned territories, a persistent world, territory disputes and sieges, PvE dynamic events, and much more. Sang Youn Lee also noted that while the game will be available on multiple platforms, it will not have cross-platform play. Check out the full interview for all the details. [Thanks to David for the tip!]
MMORTS Kingdom Under Fire 2 picks a platform, will release this summer
If Kingdom Under Fire 2 sounds vaguely familiar but you just can't quite place it, that could be because the MMORTS was announced six years ago this month then went underground, popping its head up only a couple times in 2010 and resurfacing once in 2013. And over the coarse of those years, the game switched platforms, from the Xbox 360 to the PlayStation 3. Now, Kingdom Under Fire 2 has returned, and it will launch this summer on the PlayStation 4 (which will feature content exclusive to the platform) and the PC after a period of open beta testing.
MMORTS Kingdom Under Fire 2 coming to PS4, PC this summer
Korean MMORPG/RTS Kingdom Under Fire 2 will launch for the PlayStation 4 this summer after wrapping up an open beta test on PC platforms in the first half of 2014, 2P reports. Developer Blueside additionally revealed that the PlayStation 4 version of the game will feature platform-exclusive content. The last time we heard from the Kingdom Under Fire series was in 2008, when the action-RPG Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom premiered for the Xbox 360. Circle of Doom followed up on a pair of real-time strategy games released for the original Xbox in the early 2000s; Kingdom Under Fire 2 is the first game in the series to incorporate traditional RTS elements since 2005's Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes. Kingdom Under Fire 2 shifted platforms a number of times during its multi-year development. Originally announced for the Xbox 360, the game later moved to the PlayStation 3 before settling on a final release on the PC and PS4.
Kingdom Under Fire II gets 2013 launch window in SE Asia
It's been a couple of years since we last heard about Kingdom Under Fire II, so it's good to check in with one of our neighborly MMOs to see... oh hey! You're launching! What are the odds that this would happen during a completely random house call? OK, so the good news is that Kingdom Under Fire II has been scheduled for a 2013 launch. Unfortunately, the bad news is that so far this release will be limited to Southeast Asia at first. Apparently developer BlueSide wants to see the game in action in that region first before rolling it out elsewhere. The title is a combination of action-RPG and real-time strategy, promises battlefields with "thousands" of soldiers fighting at once, and will be launching on the PC and PlayStation 3. [Thanks to Steparu for the tip!]
Kingdom Under Fire 2 still exists, has new trailer
Announced nearly three years ago, Kingdom Under Fire 2 has surfaced once again, bringing with it new trailers and gameplay footage. The footage was apparently shown at Korea's G-Star convention, and Siliconera reports that the game is supposedly still on track for a PC release this year. Presumably, the 2012 PS3 release is still in the works as well. Check out the footage for plenty of drama and some of the most ridiculous female outfits this side of Soulcalibur.
Kingdom Under Fire 2 marches toward PS3 in 2012
The original Kingdom Under Fire games were two of the most under-appreciated gems of the original Xbox and, after a few missteps, Blueside Studios is back to its roots with Kingdom Under Fire 2, due on the Xbox 360 next year -- and now the PS3, too. The news came during a press conference in South Korea, where CEO Sejung Kim confirmed a 2012 launch for the PS3 version of the game, as well as console exclusives including extra characters and missions. According to Kim, the PS3 is suited to "the aspects of an MMORPG that requires continuous updates" -- in layman's terms, the architecture of the system is more appealing to them because Blueside can freely update the game on a more frequent basis. Eurogamer also points out that said press release omitted mention of the Xbox 360 version of the game, yet it mentions the impending PC installment. "We're still under discussion with Microsoft, and nothing has been confirmed," Kim said. We're currently following up with Blueside for more info and will let you know what we hear.
G-Star 2010: PS3 version confirmed for Kingdom Under Fire II
Rumors of a Playstation 3 version of Blueside's upcoming Kingdom Under Fire II MMORTS were confirmed at G-Star 2010 today. The game is a sequel to the Xbox-exclusive Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders, and gameplay for the new title will be similar to Blueside's previous RTS efforts (albeit with a fleshed-out MMO component that includes online castle sieges and huge battles). Players will control characters and combat from a third-person perspective and can also draw on many different unit types in order to adapt to various situations and multiplayer tactics. Blueside says that Kingdom Under Fire II "will not only inherit all the merits of the previous action RTS [games]... but will also feature an enhanced game system that will allow players to experience immense tactical game play and intense action on an unprecedented [battlefield scale]."
G-Star 2010: From the show floor
With the booming popularity of Korean games in western culture, the G-Star convention in Busan, South Korea is quickly turning into an international event. We had an opportunity to attend the four-day convention to see the latest and greatest from Korean online gaming. Follow along after the jump as I describe my experiences on the first day of the convention, as well as take a look at what else you can expect as we go into days two, three and four.
Kingdom Under Fire II releases multiplayer PvE trailer
The last time we heard from Kingdom Under Fire II, it was two years ago and we knew virtually nothing beyond the game's mission statement. Promising a fusion of real-time strategy, action, and MMO gameplay, it seemed like a promising entry, but it seems to have languished in development for quite some time. The developers at Blueside have been working behind the scenes, however, and they've put forth a trailer and a collection of screenshots showcasing the online multiplayer component. Aside from featuring the time-honored tradition of elven women wearing virtually nothing as armor, there's very little to fault in the trailer -- combat seems dynamic, responsive, and undeniably gorgeous. Although there's no mention of a release date, the beta test is planned for late this year. Take a look at the trailer beneath the cut, and keep your eyes peeled for more news from Kingdom Under Fire II -- hopefully not with a two-year turnaround this time. %Gallery-99567%
Blueside's 'Project T' MMO also in development for Xbox 360
We'd heard before that Korean developer Blueside (of Ninety-Nine Nights and Kingdom Under Fire) was working on a sekrit massively multiplayer game called Project T for the PC, but now we've learned that it's also planning to release the game on the Xbox 360. A Korean job listing for the company says that the MMORPG is in development for both platforms, and asks for game programming skills of all kinds, including experience working on commercial MMOs. The game is supposed to be an "action RPG," so it actually sounds like a pretty good fit to try for the more action-friendly console world. The job listing specifies a contract time of one year (though that seems pretty boilerplate in these situations), and the MMO was last scheduled for a release sometime in 2011. The company's also working on some MMO-style gameplay for its upcoming Kingdom Under Fire II.
New Kingdom Under Fire II gameplay footage, screens
New Kingdom Under Fire II media has been released, showing off some of the first footage of actual gameplay. The game looks to play similarly to its predecessors, offering hack-and-slash gameplay mixed with some strategic elements. The first trailer, embedded above, deals mostly with the simple fighting mechanics. You know the drill: Hammer on the light attack button and occasionally tap the heavy attack button. The second video, embedded after the break, shows off the ability to call in strategic strikes from different units. Specifically, the hero of the game -- whom we affectionately refer to as Captain Cornrows -- calls archers to send a volley of arrows into the enemy ranks. Somewhat more interesting is calling for a mage to summon a giant fireball from the sky. Seriously, what would you pick: Tiny arrows or a giant fireball? Check out both trailers and be sure to look at the new screens in the gallery below. [Via Gaming Bits] %Gallery-71142%
Kingdom Under Fire II shows off first in-game footage
Though we're wary of its attempt to squeeze yet another barely pronounceable acronym into our gaming vocabulary -- the Multiplayer Online Action Real-Time Strategy, or MOARTS -- Kingdom Under Fire II looks to be the sword-swinging, troop-commanding sequel that fans of the franchise have been waiting for. That is, assuming the fans want a ludicrous number of warriors, dragons and cornrows viciously duking it out on fantasy battlefields. Never heard of it? Click this KUF-link. After that, check out the new screenshots in the gallery or head past the break for the first offical trailer. Kingdom Under Fire II is scheduled to arrive on multiple (albeit undisclosed) platforms sometime in 2009. %Gallery-14771%
Kingdom Under Fire II trailer has the goods
We know you're asking the same question: weren't there two Kingdom Under Fire games on the original Xbox, and wasn't there another spin-off on the Xbox 360 already? The answer to both of those questions is yes but, as Unreal Tournament and Resident Evil and Silent Hill have shown us, the traditional numbering conventions just don't apply to video games anymore. It's best just to let the confusion go. One thing that's certain though, Kingdom Under Fire II looks fantastic. We have no idea how it actually plays, but a new in-game debut trailer proves that KUFII is packing some serious graphical muscle. Thousands of soldiers on screen, trolls, winged beasts, and even one positively giant creature at the end really deliver the feeling of a truly epic battle.Will it be any fun to play? We don't know, but given the success of the series on Xbox (let's not count Circle of Doom, mkay?), we're cautiously optimistic. Check out the trailer after the break.
Kingdom Under Fire MMO in the works
The massively-multiplayer real-time-strategy genre has never had a breakthrough title. There have been obscure, niche MMORTSes, but we'll bet most of you haven't even played one! Well, Korean companies Blueside and Phantagram intend to bring the genre into the mainstream with their sequel to the 2001 XBox title Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders. This new game, like the original title, will feature a mesh of action and RTS gameplay elements. There will be a complete single-player campaign in addition to the MMO mode; that's starting to look like a trend now. Oh, and if you didn't notice ... it's beautiful. CVG has a few more screenshots for your pleasure, as well.Expect Kingdom Under Fire II on PC and "consoles" -- presumably XBox 360 and PlayStation 3 -- next year.
Kingdom Under Fire II combines RTS, MMO, cornrows
Korean studios Blueside and Phantagram have revealed Kingdom Under Fire II, a game described as the "true sequel" to 2001's tactical action game, Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders. Scheduled to arrive on PC and "console" platforms in 2009, the game promises to take its predecessor's combination of real-time strategy and action to the massively online realm and create a terrifying new genre: The Massively Multiplayer Online Action Real-Time Strategy game, or MMOARTS (LOI) for short. Apart from sounding like a skin disease caused by washing your hands with a dirty eel, the MMOARTS demarcation points to all things epic, with thousands of (possibly cornrowed) players being able to clash on the battlefields, lay siege to enemy fortresses and otherwise "write their own epic poetry of war." Take care not to spend all your time smelling the red roses and blue violets, however, as the press release warns that the game's castle siege mode will deliver "realistic mediaeval [sic] battle onto your nose." Though it certainly sounds ambitious, Kingdom Under Fire II's return to roots may be what wins back those fans and critics who expressed disappointment in the most recent Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom (off-the-KUF remarks, if you will). Well, that and the claim that it "will truly be an unheralded gift in a pleasant way to both gamers and gaming industry." Find the full press release after the break... in a pleasant way. %Gallery-14771%
Blueside reveals a stunning Kingdom Under Fire II
Today, Korean MMO developer Blueside announced that Kingdom Under Fire II, a true sequel in the KUF franchise, is currently in development and is penciled in for a rough 2009 release. And even more surprising than a new KUF game announcement and news that there will be another faction introduced, is the fact that the game looks graphically stunning. Blueside released a handful of screenshots (including the one above) and if the final build looks anything like these screenshots then we just may end up drooling all over our television sets come KUFII launch day. Just look at those dreads and that armor. Oh, and is that a scar we see? Yummy. %Gallery-14787%
