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Red 5 Studios has announced Firefall, a free-to-play team-based action shooter coming towards the end of 2011.
Firefall is set on Earth, 200 years in the future. The promise of a new clean energy source, Crystite, leads to the disastrous arrival of the Melding, a hostile energy storm that engulfs most of the planet. Earth’s surviving humans must band together in order to survive. Unfortunately, a new danger, the bloodthirsty race known as The Chosen, also stands in the way.
Hundreds of players will battle in a dynamic open world, utilising customisable high-tech battleframes which enable class-based combat. Battleframes allow players to specialise in their favourite style of play, while allowing the flexibility to switch to new configurations on-the-fly.
“When I founded Red 5, I knew I wanted to do something different than anything I’d done before,” said CEO and chief creative officer Mark Kern, who led the development for World of Warcraft. “I wanted to take the best of what I learned making online games and bring that to skill-based shooters.”
Scott Youngblood, former lead designer behind multiplayer shooter Tribes, added: “When Mark brought me on to help design Firefall, it was obvious to me that he was dedicated to building something different. With Firefall, I’m finally able to make the game of my dreams.”
Firefall will feature a free-to-play model, with updates to the game, dynamic world events, and other content also to be offered without a price tag. An online marketplace will offer players the chance to purchase optional enhancements.
Details of a beta can be found on the Firefall website.
