When the next Homefront game is released, tentatively sometime in 2014, there is one thing you can probably expect: It will be very pretty. THQ has announced that Crytek, makers of the graphically ridiculous Crysis games as well as the original Far Cry, have been brought on to take over development on the next Homefront game. They will replace Kaos Studios, which was recently closed in what THQ called a “strategic realignment.”
When Homefront was released in March, critics (us included) lauded the story, written by John Milius (co-writer of Apocalypse Now and Red Dawn). It was gritty, dark and even disturbing at parts. As for the graphics… well, the story was good. There was the core of a great game buried under a mountain of technical flaws. But at least the game was pathetically short so you didn’t see all the anti-aliasing issues and underdeveloped graphics for long.
Yet despite the numerous problems, there was still enough going for it in Homefront that made it hard not to be drawn in by it. THQ recognized that as well, and so went to one of the most respected developers in the industry to help with their new franchise IP.
Homefront was a moderate critical success. The story was original and compelling, and the online was fun and well designed in terms of gameplay. If Crytek and THQ can fix the bugs and clean the game up, the next game in the series may quickly become one of the most anticipated games of 2014.
“We see Homefront as a really strong universe that has a lot of potential and that has been expertly created and marketed by THQ,” Cevat Yerli, Founder, CEO and President of Crytek said in the press release.
With Kaos Studios being closed, any work that had been completed on the game shifted to THQ Montreal. That work will now be handed off to Crytek, who are aiming for a release sometime in THQ’s 2014 fiscal year.
