New MechWarrior confirmed

The new MechWarrior game will essentially reboot the series and feature a tonne of new features and robots.

Yesterday's rumours that an announcement for a new MechWarrior game was on the way have been confirmed, with developer Piranha Games confirming that it is definitely working on a new game in the series.

Dubbed simply as MechWarrior, the game will be essentially be a reboot for the robot-piloting franchise and will boast a number of new features, most notably a new dynamic battlefield.

Piranha has also claimed that it'll be eschewing the idea of players switching to new mechwarrior robots as they progress through the game, instead encouraging gamers to choose a style of mech early on and then focus on upgrading it over the course of the game by tinkering with new weapons and abilities.

The new MechWarrior game was confirmed yesterday via IGN, with Piranha Games claiming that only now has console technology progressed to a point where it'll actually feel like commanding a giant robot killing machine - a claim we're a bit dubious about.

No details have yet been announced about a publisher or release data apparently, though it's rumoured that Electronic Arts is attached to the title. The game has been confirmed for both Xbox 360 and PC though, with no word of a PlayStation 3 release.

Of slight concern though is the fact that Piranha Games' last release was the movie tie-in game, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - which wasn't met with a hugely positive reaction, scoring a metacritic score of 64 for the Xbox 360 version. Still, there are plenty of studios that make awful movie tie-ins and who go on to make other better games when given free reign - so let us know what your hopes for MechWarrior are in the forums.
Quote RotoSequence 9th July 2009, 11:19
I blame Batman Begins for the franchise reboot trend. ;)
Quote Xen0phobiak 9th July 2009, 11:27
Atlas wins!! :D

I can't wait.
Quote Jenny_Y8S 9th July 2009, 11:29
Quote:
Originally Posted by RotoSequence
I blame Batman Begins for the franchise reboot trend. ;)

Why not the earlier Michael Leaton reboot? Or mission impossible?
Lost in space?
Or star trek the next gen?
Or a hundred other reboots?

It's not a new concept, far from it the media industries have been milking their cash cows for ever!
Quote p3n 9th July 2009, 11:30
"Piranha has also claimed that it'll be eschewing the idea of players switching to new mechwarrior robots as they progress through the game"

Or they could not totally screw up the only thing that makes different setups have advantages/disadvantages? There goes any chance of a good MP, SP with any replayability. Yes mr. Dev your wrong. 'leveling' up your RPG stats in different mechs in 4 runs through SP may seem like more 'gameplay' but anyone with more than 3 braincells wants to 'enjoy' the game their way not get locked into playing your story x times. *waves fist at meta gaming &!*$'s*
Quote Sifter3000 9th July 2009, 11:35
Awesome. Fave mechs? Timberwolf and the Nova :D
Quote Denis_iii 9th July 2009, 11:53
can't wait!
Quote Tyrmot 9th July 2009, 11:54
This is great news! This is one series I have been waiting for the next instalment for a long time now... Hope this one's not too far away!
Quote Phil Rhodes 9th July 2009, 12:31
Quote:
instead encouraging gamers to choose a style of mech early on and then focus on upgrading it over the course of the game by tinkering with new weapons and abilities.

According to the background, you can only really do that with Clan mechs. And the one in the picture is unmistakably an Atlas, which isn't one of those.

Sigh.
Quote yakyb 9th July 2009, 12:40
i said this on another forum but i'll repeat here

cant wait to break out my x45's again
Quote DXR_13KE 9th July 2009, 12:53
i just jizzed in my pants...
Quote UrbanMarine 9th July 2009, 12:53
I wish they bought the rights to the Marauder! Triple PPCs knockin at your armor.
Quote Skiddywinks 9th July 2009, 13:33
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sifter3000
Awesome. Fave mechs? Timberwolf and the Nova :D

Nova and Loki are mine!
Quote Paradigm Shifter 9th July 2009, 13:41
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Still want.

Timberwolf/Mad Cat is probably my favourite mech. It just personifies the whole experience because it's such a recognisable shape. :D
Quote Seraphim2150 9th July 2009, 13:44
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skiddywinks
Nova and Loki are mine!

Madcat was my favourite
Quote cowtc 9th July 2009, 13:47
This reminds me of one of my most enjoyable features of Planetside was being in control of the huge mech machines in the big battles. Wonder if this will be similar
Quote Nikumba 9th July 2009, 14:08
Hmm I will reserve judgment, but I dont hold out much hope
Quote wuyanxu 9th July 2009, 14:18
hope it won't be consolified, we want original PC experience with all the keys.
Quote Malketh 9th July 2009, 14:22
Singing: I've got a lovely bunch of Uziels... There they are standing in a row...
Quote Phil Rhodes 9th July 2009, 14:43
Errr that's a loki in the trailer.

Which is a clan mech.

Which were not around at the beginning of battletech history.

Reboot?
Quote PQuiff 9th July 2009, 14:58
Oh i just watched the full trailer on IGN...SHRREEIIIK!!!!

Thanatos and Nova ftw!!!
Quote DarkLord7854 9th July 2009, 15:06
Quote:
Originally Posted by DXR_13KE
i just jizzed in my pants...

+1
Quote Bob1234 9th July 2009, 15:06
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil Rhodes
Errr that's a loki in the trailer.

Where? I see an Atlas, a Jenner and a Warhammer.
Quote Phil Rhodes 9th July 2009, 15:44
What? No, it isn... oh, yeah, so it is.

And a warhammer isn't a clanner, which helps.

Still, X360 port. Not holding my breath.
Quote Lizard 9th July 2009, 15:51
It would be good to see some old school Mechs, rather than the silly customisable Clan Mechs. My old favs were the Warhammer, Archer and Atlas, although IIRC Warhammer got sued for the design of the Warhammer by a Japanese anime company and were forced to withdraw it after 10+ years of Battletech.
Quote impar 9th July 2009, 16:28
Greetings!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil Rhodes
Errr that's a loki in the trailer.
Meet the Warhammer:
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Warhammer
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lizard
My old favs were the Warhammer, Archer and Atlas, although IIRC Warhammer got sued for the design of the Warhammer by a Japanese anime company and were forced to withdraw it after 10+ years of Battletech.
Of those, only the Atlas is from the current battleTech universe:
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Unseen
Quote FeRaL 9th July 2009, 16:34
Like I said in this other thread... http://www.bit-tech.net/news/gaming/2009/07/08/mechwarrior-5-announcement-soon/1

Want to see the ****? Check this out!

www.mechlivinglegends.net

I hate developers that want to do "their own take" on a intellectual property/franchise. Just give me a game that will let me freely do real world decisions in a Sci-Fi world. If I want to pilot a different mech, make me qualify or something in order to do it if you must, but don't lock me into some linear path.
Quote KayDat 9th July 2009, 16:40
Ah yes, the copy right issue with Macross. Mechs that could transform into fighter jets. Well, seeing as Battletech originally did copy Macross, there wasn't really anyway around it, I guess the creators didn't think it would grow to such a large scale.

But yes, I have a sad, sinking feeling this will be a very console mainstream game. How else would they make money? 13 yo kids aren't gonna bother figuring out how to play a Mech Sim, they want to go around blowing stuff up indiscriminately.
Quote Lizard 9th July 2009, 16:43
If it's not a proper Mech sim with for example, heat management then it's not going to be worth playing.
Quote DarkLord7854 9th July 2009, 16:44
My excitement for the game, after reading the interview that they wanna make it PC & XBOX360 with some heavy emphasis on the 360, has officially completely dropped and I've lost interest in the game.

It's just going to be another lame console port. No thanks. I'd rather remember MechWarrior for what it used to be.
Quote Skiddywinks 9th July 2009, 16:48
I am almost positive they confirmed heat sink management is in during the IGN interview.
Quote DarkLord7854 9th July 2009, 16:54
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skiddywinks
I am almost positive they confirmed heat sink management is in during the IGN interview.

They did
Quote Sifter3000 9th July 2009, 17:13
Without heat management and in-depth damage, it's just going to be a reaaaallly slooowwwwww FPS.
Quote steveo_mcg 9th July 2009, 17:31
Assuming they don't go over the shoulder to suit the console crowd....

What was the game for the PS2 that came with a stupidly large control console, that was a mech type game though it was bloody hard.
Quote FeRaL 9th July 2009, 17:36
In the game they are working on at www.mechlivinglegends.net you can pilot Mechs, Elementals, tanks, as well as Aerospace fighters.
Quote Gunsmith 9th July 2009, 18:29
a 360 port?! bah ive lost interest.
Quote flapjackboy 9th July 2009, 20:05
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skiddywinks
Nova and Loki are mine!

Bah! Behemoth II pwns all. Dropship class gauss rifle mounted on a mech? Yes please.
Quote Gazbarber 9th July 2009, 20:56
Quote:
Originally Posted by UrbanMarine
I wish they bought the rights to the Marauder! Triple PPCs knockin at your armor.

I thought it was 2 PPC's and a really big "small" LASER.

Although I appear to be wrong http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Marauder
Quote Gazbarber 9th July 2009, 21:01
Quote:
Originally Posted by flapjackboy
Bah! Annihilator II pwns all. Dropship class gauss rifle mounted on a mech? Yes please.

Pah! Give me a Kodiak OmniMech and I'll stick in 6 PPC's and enough heatsinks to sink a battleship (from MechWarriror 2 Mercenaries).

Although I do remember an Annihilator with lots of AC/2's chewing through a lot of armour on mercs too, it did cheat slightly as the auto cannons didn't have any reload time at all (and promptly ran out of ammo).
Quote Gunsmith 9th July 2009, 21:34
i remember fondly the fun we used to play on net-mech

the under 35 tonnes frag fest, oh the hilarity of people running about at 140kph and jump jetting off buildings onto one another.

damn mechwarrior 5 should be a pc exclusive.
Quote D3s3rt_F0x 9th July 2009, 21:35
This looks good but I was always terrible at the Mech games, but I'll give it a crack.

Did anyone else here play and like Mechcommander? God I used to love that game lol.
Quote Gunsmith 9th July 2009, 21:49
mech commander was awesome, difficult but awesome.
Quote dylAndroid 9th July 2009, 22:13
I read the interview and have high hopes! There were a few times when I read something that suggested that really boosted my confidence in the game, overcoming the few doubts I had. For example, in being concerned about making the game accessible and allowing it to be played on the xbox, I thought that they might end up making a game with less of a sim like quality than favorites of the past, such as MW2. But I was happy to be quite wrong!
Quote:
Jordan Weisman: Yeah, I think that MechWarrior was kind of the PC's first big action title, and even if you go back to MechWarrior 2, it certainly had sim aspects, but the sim component wasn't so overwhelming that it became inaccessible.
http://pc.ign.com/articles/100/1002164p5.html

Overall, I'm really psyched about this. And as to what some people were saying earlier, no, it really doesn't seem like you're locked into a set class of mechs.

I think the idea of emphasizing the advantages of different mechs is great, and makes more sense now than ever before. E.g. jump jet capable light mechs being able to tactically stand atop many buildings without destroying them, whereas the buildings would collapse under the load of heavier mechs. On that note, of the things you can get better at as a pilot, it would be nice if you could specialize to take less damage from deliberate collisions, particularly death from above jump jet attacks. This makes more sense than any other upgrade I can think of, as it's about your core ability to pilot.

It looks like information control will make lighter, more agile mechs far more interesting to play. As they were saying, targeting doesn't just stay locked all the time -- escaping and disappearing is now very feasible. This allows you to around in an urban map and take down much heavier, slower, far better armed mechs by using superior tactics, particularly if you're working with a team. This is fantastic.
Quote Skill3d 9th July 2009, 23:10
hope they bring out that special controller for mechs again like steel battalion :P ! want to get my hands on one of those

http://www.georgehernandez.com/h/aaBlog/2004/media/03-05_SteelBattalionController.jpg
Quote impar 9th July 2009, 23:58
Greetings!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunsmith
mech commander was awesome, difficult but awesome.
Indeed. Had the luck of finding a second hand version of the Gold Edition with the original and the expansion. For 3€! :D
The game was much easier if you managed to salvage the MadCat from the 3rd mission.

MechCommander 2 was weird, though.
Quote Gavo 10th July 2009, 01:55
One of my favorite games. Maybe that's just nostalgia. NOVA!
Quote ledbythereaper 10th July 2009, 07:54
Quote:
Originally Posted by steveo_mcg
Assuming they don't go over the shoulder to suit the console crowd....

What was the game for the PS2 that came with a stupidly large control console, that was a mech type game though it was bloody hard.

You're thinking of Steel Battalion on the Xbox
Quote Gunsmith 10th July 2009, 09:39
Quote:
Originally Posted by impar
Greetings!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunsmith
mech commander was awesome, difficult but awesome.
Indeed. Had the luck of finding a second hand version of the Gold Edition with the original and the expansion. For 3€! :D
The game was much easier if you managed to salvage the MadCat from the 3rd mission.

MechCommander 2 was weird, though.

i didnt like mech commander 2, it felt as tho you had no real control over the battlefield, nor was there any satisfaction for taking down something 3 times the size of your entire team.

there was a patch to GIVE you the madcat from mission 3 after microprose got so mny complaints of it being too hard, amusing thing was you had no pilots that could use it effectivly that early on :D

i have several copies of mech commander kicking about in my collection :D
Quote impar 10th July 2009, 10:32
Greetings!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunsmith
there was a patch to GIVE you the madcat from mission 3 after microprose got so mny complaints of it being too hard, ...
A patch?
I had the luck of geting the MadCat on my first run through the game (back in 98/99).
Finding that Gold Edition for 3€ was probably my best game purchase ever.
Have to see if it is playable in Vista/7 x64... ;)
Quote DXR_13KE 10th July 2009, 10:37
i sure loved to run around with a raven or a catapult full of long ranged missiles.... or lots of short range ones.

i also loved to remove all electric weapons from a knight and put projectile ones, the LBX IIRC, one omega strike and that atlas would be without a leg.

talking about an atlas, i remember killing one with one of those light mechs that was geared for insane speed :p.

the shadowcat was also fun to use, played more than half the game with it.
Quote impar 10th July 2009, 10:59
Greetings!

I was a fan of the Large Lasers. Any kind, Clan, IS, ER, IS...
Four of those in a 70-80ton chassis, full armour, jump jets, enough heatsinks to be able to shoot all four at the same time twice without overheating and I was ready to battle.
The Nova Cat was a great chassis for that.

I didnt like ammo dependent weapons.
Quote impar 10th July 2009, 11:33
Greetings!

Double post, I know, but...

MechWarrior 4 and expansions will be released free to play:
- Pay Nothing, Get Mechwarrior 4
- Free MechWarrior 4 Release Imminent

Quote DXR_13KE 10th July 2009, 12:14
Quote:
Originally Posted by impar
Greetings!

Double post, I know, but...

MechWarrior 4 and expansions will be released free to play:
- Pay Nothing, Get Mechwarrior 4
- Free MechWarrior 4 Release Imminent

DAMN! that is the second pair of pants that i jizzed in due to this thread!
Quote Skiddywinks 10th July 2009, 13:03
**** yeh! Thanks for the info!
Quote Paradigm Shifter 10th July 2009, 13:17
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunsmith
i have several copies of mech commander kicking about in my collection :D
I keep trying to find the IS and Clan mechpacks... and never succeed. :(

Maybe I just don't hunt enough. :)
Quote rOBvAN 10th July 2009, 13:21
Gees, here I was thinking I was part of a minority of Battletech Universe fans. Really starting to rate the bit tech community!

Also...
Quote:
Originally Posted by DXR_13KE
i just jizzed in my pants...

+1
Quote dyzophoria 10th July 2009, 19:06
i honestly missed the series :), hope they dont break it in anyway..
Quote knownballer 11th July 2009, 08:50
FINALLY!!
I've been waiting so long for the next pc release for MechWarrior. Didn't think it was going to happen with Microsoft's move to console games, though I did enjoy the console versions. It's gonna be interesting to see if they keep with the simulation roots on the pc and xbox 360 or make a different version for the console. Hopefully the pc version at least will keep to it's roots.
Quote impar 11th July 2009, 13:05
Greetings!

Well, found my MW4 CDs, installed without any problems on Vista x64. :)
Quote Zurechial 11th July 2009, 22:21
Quote:
Originally Posted by impar
Greetings!

Double post, I know, but...

MechWarrior 4 and expansions will be released free to play:
- Pay Nothing, Get Mechwarrior 4
- Free MechWarrior 4 Release Imminent

Thanks for notifying, hadn't noticed this!

I never got to play MW4 or its expansions because I didn't want to infect my system with C-Dilla.
Mech4: Mercs, thankfully didn't use C-Dilla so I wasn't totally bereft of Mechwarrior joy, but it'll be nice to finally get to play MW4.
As long as they strip C-Dilla out of it, that is.
Quote impar 11th July 2009, 23:33
Greetings!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zurechial
I never got to play MW4 or its expansions because I didn't want to infect my system with C-Dilla.
Hmmm... interesting.
Yet, it works without internet access, so has no way to send info or limit the game activations.
Lets see if it doesnt causes problems on DVDs.

My version of MW4 also has SafeDisc. Clokspl.exe appears when running the game.
Quote Zurechial 12th July 2009, 06:47
http://www.mektek.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=138700

Q&A From MekTek themselves.

They're releasing EVERYTHING from the MW4 era, repackaged without copy protection (no C-Dilla, rejoice!) for free.
That's an epic win. :)

Hell of a smart marketing move on Smith & Tinker's part, it'll surely build a nice buffer of fan loyalty for MW5, whichever way it goes.


Part of me wonders if releasing MW4 can be taken as a sign that MW5 won't be a horrible, dumbed-down departure for the MW series, since it'd hardly make sense for them to highlight the potential shortcomings of a new title by releasing it's predecessor for free.

Only time will tell, so for now we wait for MekTek to prepare the MW4 free release and then wait for MW5. :)
Quote Paradigm Shifter 12th July 2009, 13:42
Quote:
Originally Posted by
I found my MW4, MW4BK and MW4Mercs discs. :D Been replaying.:D

I never realised that they had copy protection on that was that dodgy. :(
Quote impar 12th July 2009, 15:19
Greetings!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paradigm Shifter
I found my MW4, MW4BK and MW4Mercs discs. :D Been replaying.:D
Me too. ;)
Finished the "Rescue the Sister" mission of MW4.
Dont forget to patch it.
Quote Zurechial 13th July 2009, 01:38
Maybe this was obvious to everyone else, but until I watched that trailer again in HD I didn't notice the "In-game Footage" text in the bottom-right.



...In-game....footage?

I thought it was an FMV..

http://img.moronail.net/img/1/0/1410.jpg
Quote Gunsmith 13th July 2009, 10:16
time for some nostalgia

-X3GD0UnBCk

KPlXXUhtVqc


at9hxU864Fg

YR_ym3Gj2vE

we'll have no MW4 rubbish on here :)
Quote impar 13th July 2009, 11:01
Greetings!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunsmith
we'll have no MW4 rubbish on here :)
MW4 is still quite enjoyable.
Ended the game yesterday with an Atlas. The rest of the lance was a MadCat II and two Maulers.
Atlas was equipped with 4 ER-Lar Lasers and a Heavy Gauss. Fun destroying Cougars with one salvo. :D

Started Black Knight Legion expansion and was surprised by the speed of the Cougar, after spending some time with Maulers and Atlas.
Quote Zurechial 20th July 2009, 01:10
While I'd like to think I'm immune to the marketing/PR-talk of devs and publishers by now, the following interview with the devs behind the new Mechwarrior game has really inspired confidence in me about this release.

http://pc.ign.com/articles/100/1002164p1.html

My misgivings are gone at this stage, and I'm really, really looking forward to this game more than any other on the horizon now, maybe even moreso than Dragon Age.
Quote impar 4th August 2009, 09:49
Greetings!

Some info on the MekPak, for the upcoming free MW4:
http://battletech.catalystgamelabs.com/2009/07/31/mektek-net-contributions-to-mechwarrior-4/

I installed it last week. Recognize this bad boy?
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/5971/46149082.jpg
Quote PQuiff 4th August 2009, 10:42
Git!! not fair.. ive tried many times to install the mekpacks, it always ends in fail...

Oh i cant wait for this game..i hope its more of the same, but with better gfx. If it is it will be pure winsauce!

Oh hell ill go install MW4 again and try the latest mekpack..even though i said i wouldnt....3 or 4 times.
Quote impar 4th August 2009, 10:57
Greetings!
Quote:
Originally Posted by PQuiff
Git!! not fair.. ive tried many times to install the mekpacks, it always ends in fail...
I have had no issues installing the MekPak in Vista x64.
Install as Administrator MW4:Mercenaries, install the official patch, install MekPak 3.xxx.a and then the patch 3.xxx.b.
Quote DraigUK 4th August 2009, 11:02
It's been far too long since the last MW game. I must admit Mercenaries was my fave.


I also will admit to having misgivings about it coming over as a dreaded 360 port as to how good it will be.

ESPECIALLY after reading the latest issue of CPC about ports. Seems to me the underlying message in that entire article was that we as PC gamers had better suck it up and get used to these ports, because that is the way ahead for gaming in general.

Which...sucks.
Quote impar 4th August 2009, 11:21
Greetings!
Quote:
Originally Posted by DraigUK
Seems to me the underlying message in that entire article was that we as PC gamers had better suck it up and get used to these ports, because that is the way ahead for gaming in general.
Which seems to be the reason why I am replaying lots of old PC games, instead of buying new DRM-infected console-ports games.
Quote impar 12th August 2009, 10:36
Greetings!
Quote:
Sometimes Things Just Don’t Go As We Want Them To

That’s always an auspicious beginning to anything, isn’t it? Well, in this case it’s true. A few weeks back, we came out with some fantastic news. We were bringing the ‘Unseen’ back! We reviewed documents, talked to a great many people, and spent time with some lawyers. We felt we had a solid position.

Sadly, some of the information we acted upon turned out to be inaccurate. Twelve of the ‘Unseen’ images previously used within the BattleTech universe were involved in a court case in the 1990s: Archer, Longbow, Rifleman, Warhammer, Wasp, Stinger, Phoenix Hawk, Crusader, Marauder, Stinger LAM, Wasp LAM and Phoenix Hawk LAM. This we knew. But at the end of that court case, as part of a confidential settlement, it was agreed that the sole and exclusive world-wide right to these images (outside of Japan) would rest with another US company.
Log in

You are not logged in, please login with your forum account below. If you don't already have an account please register to start contributing.