Homefront 2 Announced, Crytek UK Developing

THQ announced today the yet-to be named sequel to first-person shooter Homefront, developed by Nottingham-based developer Crytek UK and scheduled for release some time in 2014. The US-based Kaos Studios – a subsidiary of THQ, which closed its doors earlier in June – developed the original, released in March this year.

Set in 2027, the original was set in a war-torn United States, where the Greater Korean Republic had seized control of the nation. It then falls to a small pocket of resistance to battle the occupation through deserted suburbs, football stadiums and supermarkets. While the tried-and-tested gameplay offered few surprises, the universe had enough potential to warrant a sequel (in fact, we said as much in the closing remark to our review back in issue 108). The prospect of Crytek taking the reigns of the franchise is certainly a salivating one, making use of the latest CryENGINE technology.

“Selecting Crytek to take Homefront forward underscores our strategy of working with the industry’s best talent,” said Danny Bilson, EVP Core Games, THQ. “Homefront’s unique setting and storyline captivated gamers the world over. With Crytek’s industry leading technology and legendary experience in the FPS genre, we’re supremely confident that the next Homefront will deliver that AAA-quality experience that players demand.”

Crytek UK, formally known as Free Radical, have gained huge kudos from FPS fans. With much of the team working on Rare’s one-two punch of GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark, they left to form Free Radical and subsequently developed the TimeSplitters series, Second Sight and Haze, before being bought by German developer Crytek and set to work on Crysis 2′s multiplayer.

“We see Homefront as a really strong universe that has a lot of potential and that has been expertly created and marketed by THQ,” said Cevat Yerli, Founder, CEO and President of Crytek.  “We believe that bringing our level of quality, creativity and production values to the next Homefront title, creates an opportunity for both THQ and Crytek to deliver a truly blockbuster game.  It’s really important to us that THQ has the faith in giving us a lot of creative freedom over one of its most important properties to allow us to bring the Homefront world to life in a new and innovative way.”

So does Crytek UK’s presence make a Homefront sequel an attractive prospect? Let us know below.

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