The history of the video game industry is filled with franchises that have fallen by the wayside for one reason or another. Whether it's a decline in popularity or a struggle to get the next installment developed, sometimes there are just video game franchises that get left behind. One of the true joys of being a gamer however, is when a franchise that's been dormant for some time finally gets a revival. With 2021's summer announcement season ramping up, the next franchise from years past that will be receiving a new installment is Painkiller.
The announcement of Painkiller's return is just one of the many to come from Koch Media. The German-Austrian company has been giving gamers a lot to look forward to this summer, thanks to the announcement of close to a dozen different games. Koch Media also introduced the gaming world to an all-new publishing label known as Prime Matter, which the newest Painkiller game will fall under. Game Rant attended a Koch Media pre-show where some information on the newest Painkiller game was provided.
What Is Painkiller
The Painkiller franchise has its origins in the early part of the 2000s, with the first game being developed by Polish studio People Can Fly and published in 2004. The game follows the story of a man that has found himself trapped in purgatory, and tasked with preventing a war between Heaven and Hell in order to be reunited with his wife in Heaven. Players encounter all kinds of angels and demons throughout the game, and face various monsters as they try to stop Lucifer's plans.
Painkiller has always been inspired by classic first-person shooters such as Quake and Doom. The franchise has a similarly fast-paced combat system, and similarly wild weapons for players to choose from. Painkiller's resurgence is in line with the recent revival of the Doom franchise that has been so successful for id Software. Koch Media and Prime Matter could be trying to play on that success by reviving their own classic-FPS, and with how well-received Painkiller was when it first released, it could just work.
Unfortunately for those looking forward to the return of Painkiller, Koch Media wasn't ready to divulge much information on where the game is in the development process. It was more a matter of the revival simply happening, but it should be said that the company promised more information in the future. With how much first-person shooters have evolved since Painkiller's last installment, it's likely that the team behind it will want to make sure it's just as impressive as the other franchises that have been modernized for today's generation.
A Painkiller game is currently in development.