Returnal from developer Housemarque was one of the biggest surprises of 2021. Best known for its twin-stick shooters and side-scrolling shooters, Housemarque raised its ambition with Returnal. In turn, Housemarque was rewarded as its unique bullet-hell third-party shooter ended up becoming a routing Game of the Year contender. Now, Housemarque is looking toward what comes next and, to many's surprise, it's now confirmed to be an entirely new IP.
As part of an interview conducted as part of the DICE Awards, Housemarque was asked about how it plans to hold onto its identity as more and more studios shift to live service games. Housemarque's managing director Ilari Kuittinen offered a quizzical response, saying, "The jury is still out there." Housemarque was acquired by Sony in June 2021, so its next game will be its first fully made under the Sony umbrella.
Kuittinen continued, explaining some of what he believes to be Housemarque's identity. He mentions Nex Machina and Housemarque being "one of the very last dinosaurs making arcade games." He mentions working on multiplayer games, but that "we really didn't do it as well." And it's with these two points in mind that Kuittinen briefly mentions what's coming next. He says that the next project is still in early development, that it's a new IP and Housemarque is still doing concept work on it. Unwilling to provide any more information beyond that, Kuittinen says, "We'll see what comes with that."
These two points from Kuittinen can be considered clues as to what Housemarque's approach is looking at its next game. In fact, Kuittinen even describes the company's retro inclinations as a clue to how it plans on maintaining its identity. The way Kuittinen mentions multiplayer without providing a firm answer is also very interesting and is certain to stir up some speculation about what's coming next. At the very least, Kuittinen's response will raise more questions than it answers.
On the other side of the coin, there are going to be some very disappointed Returnal fans once they hear of the news. If Housemarque is working on a new IP, that means that Returnal 2 doesn't appear to be the studio's next project or priority. Returnal stands on its own, of course, but its success is the kind of momentum that often leads to fans demanding more. It can still happen but doesn't seem to be next.
As for what is next, only speculation can fill the gaps in official information. Kuittinen says it's a new IP, and hints that the project will be informed by Housemarque's love of arcade games. It's possible the game will be a multiplayer title, or potentially a live service title. Alternatively, it could be something simpler, like another twin-stick or side-scrolling shooter. If anything is for sure, there will be more Housemarque fans than ever watching to see what the next game will be.
Returnal is available now on PS5.
Source: VentureBeat