Electronic Arts and KOEI TECMO officially revealed their new hunting game Wild Hearts, coming out on February 17, 2023, priced at $69.99. It will be released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S and PC through Origin, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.
Wild Hearts is set in Azuma, a fantasy landscape inspired by feudal Japan. This land is now rampaged by the once peaceful Kemono, which changed the lives of the citizens. The Kemono range from plant-infused squirrels to massive Kingtusk wild boars. After a fight against the winter wolf Deathstalker, players become bearers of a life-sustaining technology and are now tasked with restoring balance across the region. Helping them in this journey are Karakuri, sophisticated mechanisms made from lost and ancient technology.
In the game, players have the choice to go as a lone wolf or do a pack-hunt with up to two friends. This is made possible with co-op and crossplay features across all platforms. Players can also expand their battle plans and go on special missions while pack hunting. The game is set to feature voice-overs in English, Japanese, French, Italian, German and Spanish.
It was around two weeks back when EA and KOEI, along with studio Omega Force, revealed that they were developing an original game. At that time, not much was revealed except for that it was going to be a hunting game based in fantasy feudal Japan.
In a statement, KOEI TECMO Executive Vice President Yosuke Hayashi shared that this upcoming game introduces players to a vibrant fantasy world - beautiful as it is untamed. He added that for this game, they didn’t just want to highlight evolution, infusion, and real threat posed by Kemono. Hayashi went on to say that they wanted a game where crafting was the core of the experience.
Electronic Arts Vice President for Global Brand Stuart Lang expressed that EA Originals is a label for those who are not afraid to explore. He added that they are excited to have been able to follow It Takes Two and offer the “first AAA hunting experience for a new generation.”
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