inXile Entertainment debuts the first gameplay video of Wasteland 3 to kick off the game's crowdfunding campaign, showcasing improved graphics and vehicular combat.

The surprising success of Wasteland 2 is one of the earliest examples of a crowdfunding campaign that did nearly everything right and ended with a game that both the developers and fans were satisfied with. While in the years since there have been a few titles that have tarnished the public perception of crowdfunded video games - in particular, Mighty No. 9 left many people disillusioned with the crowdfunding process - inXile Entertainment. the studio behind Wasteland 2, still has its sterling reputation.

That's good, because inXile Entertainment announced recently that the studio is moving forward on plans to create Wasteland 3 as a follow-up to the indie smash hit from just over two years ago. inXile Entertainment is going back to crowdfunding in order to get the game made, but the developer isn't resting on its laurels, instead announcing that Wasteland 3 will feature new vehicle combat and co-op modes should the title get funded. Today, Wasteland 3's crowdfunding campaign went live, and to celebrate inXile Entertainment released the title's first gameplay video to demonstrate its improved graphics and vehicular combat mechanics.

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One of the most noticeable things in the video is how fluid the character movement looks while performing each action, a hallmark of Wasteland 2 that has been improved drastically in its potential sequel. The use of the vehicle as both cover and as a machine-gun turret offers a diversity in gameplay options that inXile Entertainment is hoping will be enticing enough to convince gamers to help fund the Wasteland 3's creation.

Beyond the demonstration of what gameplay might look like with vehicles involved, fans were also treated to a look at Wasteland 3's frigid Colorado setting and an early example of Wasteland 3's dialogue system. The player character briefly interacts with a cannibal named Fish-Lips in the video before failing to successfully convince the thug not to eat them, thus jump-starting the combat demonstration.

It's important to remember that crowdfunding campaigns often lead on very strong videos that the team has had months to work on before news begins to trickle down slower, so it remains likely that this gameplay demonstration will be one of the only videos of Wasteland 3 for a while. Still, the way inXile Entertainment supported Wasteland 2 post-release and the overall quality of the studio's resume will no doubt result in a successful crowdfunding campaign - as of this writing, Wasteland 3 is already halfway towards its goal of $2.75 million USD in just a day.

Wasteland 3 is currently in the midst of a crowdfunding campaign and, if successful, will release in late 2019 for PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, and Linux.

Source: inXile Crowdfunding Campaign Page (via Game Spot)