Sega announced the development of Universe at War: Earth Assault for the PC. Developed by Petroglyph, this combat-intensive real-time strategy (RTS) game enlists players in an epic struggle to prevent total alien domination of planet Earth. Universe at War: Earth Assault is scheduled to ship to retailers in North America and Europe in the fall of 2007.
Universe at War: Earth Assault is set in the near-future in 2012, when multiple factions from across the galaxy have come to Earth to wage epic warfare. Containing numerous features and customization options never-before-seen in the RTS genre, Universe at War: Earth Assault will create an exceptional strategy experience for single-player and especially multiplayer battles.
“Universe at War: Earth Assault will surpass the limits of what gamers expect to see in an RTS game,” said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. “Petroglyph has a proven pedigree of critically acclaimed RTS title creation under its belt with team members that have worked on the original Command and Conquer, Command and Conquer: Red Alert, and Star Wars: Empire at War. Universe at War: Earth Assault will be the culmination of years of development expertise in creating exciting and innovative RTS titles.”
Universe at War: Earth Assault will employ a unique balance system called “Tactical Dynamics” that allows players to retrain and customize units in the midst of battle to better cope with enemy forces and tactical situations. Weaponry and defenses can be modified in true real-time to take advantage of constantly shifting battlefield conditions. Fully customizable tech trees will allow players to control the development of technologies that they deem key to victory.
Battles in Universe at War: Earth Assault will be large in scope and take place in malleable and deforming environments. Deadly sci-fi weapons and alien powers will allow players to destroy cities and whole territories on a global scale. Because the world of Universe at War: Earth Assault is persistent, players will be able to revisit previous battlegrounds to find them still smoldering in ruins.
Featuring innovative multiplayer modes inspired by popular massively multiplayer online games and competitive online playable titles, Universe at War: Earth Assault will give players achievements, rewards, and medals in a balanced environment to further encourage players to move forward in the game. Players from around the world will battle in persistent-style online campaigns for ultimate faction supremacy across a virtual representation of the Earth.
Partial feature list:
• On-the-fly customization lets you adapt dynamically to your opponent, raising the stakes of battle;
• Unique multiplayer achievements and modes that are new to the RTS genre;
• Environmental destruction and manipulation in a persistent world;
• Dual-layer of tactical and global gameplay;
• Special hero units;
• Massive-scale units that dwarf conventional RTS units;
• Real-world, modern-day environments;
• Three unique factions, not including the introductory military faction, which players can control as they learn the game;
• On-demand UI that doesn’t clutter your view of the battle.