Following the launch of Alan Wake 2, developer Remedy Entertainment has revealed that its free-to-play multiplayer project Vanguard is getting a creative overhaul into a “premium” co-op game.
According to Remedy, the studio and the project’s publishing partner Tencent have evaluated the final concept and determined that a conceptual shift is the best course. The studio cites “the rapidly changing free-to-play market and associated risks” as a leading reason. As a result, the game is returning to the concept phase, with the intention of becoming a “premium game with a strong cooperative multiplayer component.”
Remedy says that the new vision will build on the work already done with Vanguard, though transformed to align more closely with the studio’s existing expertise — suggesting the likelihood of a strong central narrative component. The strategic shift comes alongside a change in codename, with Remedy now referring to the project as Kestrel instead of Vanguard.
“After a lot of careful consideration, we believe that taking on a new direction where the game will be built more around Remedy’s core competences is the right way to go. We are creating another distinct Remedy game with Tencent’s continued support in making a great cooperative multiplayer experience”, said Tero Virtala, the CEO of Remedy Entertainment.
Meanwhile, the studio continues to push ahead with several other projects. Control 2 is likely the most anticipated by many thanks to its central role in the Remedy connected universe. Condor is a multiplayer spin-off set in the same universe. Meanwhile, the developer has also partnered with Rockstar Games to create a remake of Max Payne and its sequel, which only recently received an encouraging update of its own.
