Crytek’s online co-op title Hunt: Horrors of the Gilded Age now known as Hunt: Showdown – here’s a teaser video

Well, this came out of nowhere.

Crytek has released a teaser video for this next title, Hunt: Showdown, and if it sounds familiar to you, your memory is a lot better than ours. Then again, we can’t remember why we walked into the next room sometimes.

Announced back in June 2014 by Crytek USA as Hunt: Horrors of the Gilded Age, the game was described as free-to-play, four-player co-op action shooter set in the 1800s. It tasked players with battling procedurally-generated waves of monstrosities and bosses. As a F2P title, it would be monetized by selling cosmetic items and experience boosts

Closed beta was slated to start on PC later that year, but in July 2014, development was moved from Crytek USA based in Austin, Texas to Crytek’s Frankfurt studio. The Austin studio switched from game development to a CryEngine support office.

The studio was made up of 35 former Vigil Games employees which developed the first two Darksiders titles. The franchise was never part of Crytek’s plan though, as it didn’t “fit” with the company’s strategy, according to Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli.

Vigil Games co-founder David Adams left Crytek USA just three weeks prior to the studio’s transition from game development to CryEngine support. He then formed a new Austin, Texas studio called Gunfire Games, took a few former Crytek USA staffers with him.

Both Vigil and Darksiders were owned by THQ and put up on the action block when the firm declared bankruptcy. Neither the studio nor the IP were nibbled on by potential buyers. Nordic Games, now, Nordic THQ, eventually came to the rescue though, and Gunfire Games is currently developing Darksiders 3.

With the history lesson out of the way, we can say that at present, it’s unknown if Hunt: Showdown has just undergone a name change or a complete revamp.

With E3 2017 just around the corner, it’s possible we will get another look at either the Microsoft or Sony presentations. Unless, of course, it’s now PC-only. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Crytek’s online co-op title Hunt: Horrors of the Gilded Age now known as Hunt: Showdown – here’s a teaser video posted first on http://ift.tt/2k0LiGW