Hi-Rez Studios, the creators of MOBA game Smite and team based shooter Paladins: Champions of the Realm, has just announced Rogue Company: a third person team-based shooter. Developed in cooperation with First Watch Games, the title is expected to get a multiplatform release in 2020.
On their website, Hi-Rez states that Rogue Company is “a top-secret syndicate of elite mercenaries around the globe. To most of the world, the elusive mercenaries are a rumor at best. However, to those in the know, rogue company operatives are indispensable to solving the world’s deadliest and most challenging missions. As a rogue company mercenary, players will grab their weapon of choice and dive into iconic locations to compete online in various PVP game modes.”
Rogue Company’s announcement came accompanied with a one minute action packed trailer. The clip starts off with a group of characters outfitted with winged jetpacks jumping out of a plane onto a container-filled dock. It then fills the remainder of the video with action shots of gun combat between these unnamed characters. It is too early to judge Rogue Company but it’s hard not to compare this brief trailer to another well-known team-based shooter (hint: its Apex Legends). Throughout the clip, we have seen that the gameplay will revolve around groups of three and these player characters are outfitted with special skills, such as shields, drones, homing missiles, and katanas.
Hi-Rez Studios’ main attraction for the game is its decision to feature cross-play and cross-progression across the multiplatform release. This is welcome news for those who enjoy these multiplayer games with their friends, and to be quite honest, unsurprising for Hi-Rez since their efforts to include crossplay in their games has already been seen in Smite and Paladins. It is kind of interesting how Hi-Rez plans to separate itself from other multiplayer shooters with Rogue Company, and if the game will revolve around a free-to-play model like most of their other titles.
For those whose interests are piqued by Rogue Company, expect more updates in the following months. Sign-ups for their Alpha Testing can also be found on the game’s website. Rogue Company is expected to launch in 2020 for the Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
