New X-COM game likely in development at System Shock 2 and BioShock developer

22 February 2007

Posted by:Ferry

Irrational Games, developer of System Shock 2 as well as the upcoming BioShock (Xbox 360 & PC), may be working on a successor to Microprose’s PC tactical sci-fi classic X-COM: UFO Defense. Shacknews discovered a CV document of a firm partner lists the following games as being credited to the Boston, Massachusetts- and Canberra, Australia-based developer: “System Shock 2, Tribes 3, SWAT, X-Com, BioShock, Freedom Force.”

As it turns out games publisher Take-Two Interactive acquired the X-Com property in full from Atari in 2005, just a few months before Irrational Games was acquired by Take-Two. Adding authenticity to these discoveries is that:

X-COM has spawned several sequels since the original strategy game’s release in late 1993, though the franchise has not seen a new entry since 2001′s action spin-off X-COM: Enforcer. Studio head Ken Levine is known to be a diehard fan of X-COM. He has cited X-COM as the single greatest influence on Irrational’s Freedom Force series as well as a more minor influence on the upcoming BioShock.

However this turns out, X-COM fans should take a look at UFO: Extraterrestrials by Chaos Concept. It aims to be an unofficial sequel to the X-COM series, featuring turn-based tactical missions, research and the familiar Geoscape where the player must shoot down UFOs. It’ll be released on the 28th of February 2007.