Homefront easily wins the award for most hyped new IP of 2011. Though the story-based shooter received generally solid reviews (check out Game Rant’s Homefront review) and sold fairly well, it didn’t hit the heights publisher THQ had hoped for. In fact, post release, the publisher’s stock plummeted 21%. A change appeared to be in order, and THQ parted ways with original developer KAOS Studios.
Nevertheless, THQ vowed that the series would live on, and just today Homefront 2′s new developer has been identified. Crytek Studios, developer of both CryENGINE 3 and the Crysis shooter series (Crysis 2, incidentally, released the same week as Homefront) has been put in charge of Homefront 2. Crytek had recently been rumored to be working on a new IP. Presumably, this is it.
THQ’s Danny Bilson is appropriately full of praise for the developer:
“Selecting Crytek to take Homefront forward underscores our strategy of working with the industry’s best talent. 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.”
Even before the release of the original Homefront, Kaos Studios’ David Votypka was already talking about a sequel. He returned to the topic after Homefront’s release, noting that the sequel’s campaign would last 10 hours. Whether any of Votypka’s ideas about the future of the series will be incorporated into Crytek’s game remains unknown.
Cevat Yerli, Founder, CEO and President of Crytek, sounds suitably excited for his studio to get a shot at Homefront.
“We see Homefront as a really strong universe that has a lot of potential and that has been expertly created and marketed by THQ. 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.”
Perhaps it was impossible for the original Homefront to be as successful as THQ had hoped. The game had to sell two million copies to turn a profit, and despite THQ’s belief that Homefront could achieve a Call of Duty level of success, gamers clearly didn’t respond. Still, THQ’s dedication to the series remains; the company has repeatedly confirmed plans for Homefront 2, and continued releasing Homefront DLC through the Summer. THQ, it seems, is in the Homefront business for the long haul.
Will Crytek’s involvement ensure that Homefront 2 is better than the original? Is there another developer you’d rather see take over the franchise?
Homefront 2 is scheduled for release in THQ’s fiscal year 2014 on console and PC platforms.
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This will actually make me rent Homefront or buy from Steam (with a price cut of course) before the Homefront 2 releases. Crytek hasn’t disappointed yet. This is good news.
Hopefully it wouldn’t suck like the first one… And they better not mirror all of the weapons like Far Cry 2…
hey i toatlly agree man it sucked so bad i need to thrown away i took my back after i beat it, and demaned my money back, haha. So all i can say this game better not ruin Crytek they already have there hand full with Crysis 3
Homefront: Cry of Liberty
Or Homecry
Or Cryfront
FOR GOD’S SAKES, IT HAS TO HAVE CRY IN IT!!
I personally didnt hate Homefront, but it was short. The weapons, maps, and multiplayer were great. It just wasnt as big unfortunately. Crytek is amazing so this should be even more epic!