Nexuiz has been kicking around for a few years as an open source first-person shooter with an emphasis on fast action and competitive balance. What was once free will soon cost an undisclosed amount of money, and be available on the PlayStation Network. “Why would I want to pay for something that I could previously get for free?” you may ask. That’s easy. In making the transition to consoles, Nexuiz is getting a significant technological upgrade.

Nexuiz was born as a Quake modification, and it gradually mutated into its own bizarre thing. (It stayed looking surprisingly current despite its humble beginnings, but it’s currently far from cutting edge.) The whole thing is being ported over to a new engine: CryENGINE 3. Yes, that’s the same tech that powers Crytek’s upcoming Crysis 2. It should be a rather noticeable upgrade.

At release, the new Nexuiz will cover basic shootery modes like deathmatch and capture the flag, but more is promised (along with levels and other junk) as DLC. We don’t know how much content we’re looking at off the bat, or when we can expect the game to arrive, but you can expect a lot more information when we get our hands on it at the upcoming Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle. People will be fragged and giblets will fly. To tide you over until then, enjoy a few screenshots.