It's been some time since fans of Gothic got a proper entry in the franchise. The spinoff Arcania: Gothic 4 was released all the way back in 2010 to less than stellar reviews, and the franchise has been more or less silent since then. However, THQ Nordic is now mulling over the possibility of remaking Gothic, with a playable demo now available to those that own the original, or any other game developed by Piranha Bytes, over on Steam.
So far, feedback on the Gothic remake has been mixed. Some fans seem to be enjoying the playable demo for what it brings to the table, but others have been a bit more hesitant to give praise, asserting that it isn't a true Gothic game. That being said, THQ Nordic puts pretty plainly on the game's store page that this is a work in progress and nothing is set in stone. If anything, now is the time to give feedback on the game. The release date on Steam is currently set as December 2o21, so there's still plenty of time to make major changes. It wouldn't be the first game to get a complete overhaul, after all.
THQ Nordic also made it clear that it may abandon the project if it doesn't generate enough interest, so those that want to see the series return should be sure to check it out and give feedback, whether it be positive or negative. The idea of a playable demo that fans can actually help shape is great, especially one that most interested in the project won't have to purchase anything extra for. Even if the game is changed radically, there's a solid foundation in place as it stands, even if it's rough around the edges in its current state. Early access has been trouble in the past, but this is a good way to avoid those problems.
There aren't many playable teasers out in the wild. Canceled horror game Silent Hills had PT, which stood for playable trailer, but that game is now mostly gone, though there are rumors that Silent Hills may be making a comeback. It'll be interesting to see how Gothic shapes up between now and its release, or even its possible cancellation. The demo is only a few hours long, but that should be enough time for series fans to leave some feedback.
Gothic Remake's Steam page lists the game's release date as December 2o21.