D3 Uses Their Illusion
The guys behind Mafia and Hidden & Dangerous are making a new next-gen game, and D3's publishing it.
Published: August 15, 2007
Though the console ports were shoddy at best (in some cases they were near-unplayable), there are folks that fondly remember the PC version of Mafia, Illusion Softworks' 1930s take on the whole open-ended world, as one of the more atmospheric ventures in the genre. Illusion's next project, the sequel to their original strategic squad-based shooter Hidden & Dangerous, did even more to keep PC fans happy, improving on nearly everything from the first game.
And then... nothing. Illusion Softworks went dark (with the exception of a H&D2 expansion -- and yes, we're ignoring the Vietcong games on purpose). For three years now, they've been working on... something and finally we know... um... well, we know they're working on something because they've inked a deal with D3Publisher (D3's first publishing gig with a European developer, in fact) to make that something. Given that the game -- whatever it is -- isn't hitting until Fall of 2008, it's probably not a bad thing to play coy with the details, but we can tell you that it's not a sequel to either Mafia or Hidden & Dangerous, but an entirely new IP. So what kind of game will it be? Here, see if you can glean something we couldn't out of these excited quotes.
“As Illusion Softworks marks their tenth anniversary as a first-class developer this month, they celebrate a reputation for delivering high-scoring, top-quality videogames and consistent success,” congratulated Yoji Takenaka, EVP and COO of D3P of America. “D3 is pleased to partner with this talented group in order to provide gaming enthusiasts with a compelling new videogame for 2008.”
“We are thrilled to partner with D3 not only because they publish excellent games, but also because they publish a more streamlined portfolio of products, with any new and original intellectual property they commit to becoming the central focus of the company,” reciprocated Petr Vochozka, Illusion Softworks' CEO. “The development, marketing and retail resources that D3 wields will be essential assets as this explosive new intellectual property is established in the competitive arena.”
See? Nuthin'. Boooo... There is one other little tidbit, though: the game is coming to the PlayStation 3 in addition to the now-default PC/360 tag team (why else would we be covering this story, right?), so barring another pair of console duds like the Mafia ports (which, in Illusion's defense, was never meant to be a console game in the first place and didn't get ported over until two years after the PC release), we're psyched for what the Czech-based development house is going to pump out. As soon as we know more, you'll know more.
And then... nothing. Illusion Softworks went dark (with the exception of a H&D2 expansion -- and yes, we're ignoring the Vietcong games on purpose). For three years now, they've been working on... something and finally we know... um... well, we know they're working on something because they've inked a deal with D3Publisher (D3's first publishing gig with a European developer, in fact) to make that something. Given that the game -- whatever it is -- isn't hitting until Fall of 2008, it's probably not a bad thing to play coy with the details, but we can tell you that it's not a sequel to either Mafia or Hidden & Dangerous, but an entirely new IP. So what kind of game will it be? Here, see if you can glean something we couldn't out of these excited quotes.
“As Illusion Softworks marks their tenth anniversary as a first-class developer this month, they celebrate a reputation for delivering high-scoring, top-quality videogames and consistent success,” congratulated Yoji Takenaka, EVP and COO of D3P of America. “D3 is pleased to partner with this talented group in order to provide gaming enthusiasts with a compelling new videogame for 2008.”
“We are thrilled to partner with D3 not only because they publish excellent games, but also because they publish a more streamlined portfolio of products, with any new and original intellectual property they commit to becoming the central focus of the company,” reciprocated Petr Vochozka, Illusion Softworks' CEO. “The development, marketing and retail resources that D3 wields will be essential assets as this explosive new intellectual property is established in the competitive arena.”
See? Nuthin'. Boooo... There is one other little tidbit, though: the game is coming to the PlayStation 3 in addition to the now-default PC/360 tag team (why else would we be covering this story, right?), so barring another pair of console duds like the Mafia ports (which, in Illusion's defense, was never meant to be a console game in the first place and didn't get ported over until two years after the PC release), we're psyched for what the Czech-based development house is going to pump out. As soon as we know more, you'll know more.
