Remedy Entertainment is taking a new approach with one of its upcoming titles. The Finnish video game developer has decided to reimagine its multiplayer project, Project Vanguard. This game, which had been in development since 2018, was initially envisioned as a free-to-play, cooperative PvE shooter. However, recent developments have led to a significant change in direction.
The project, now rebranded as Kestrel, was at a proof-of-concept stage until recently. The collaboration with Tencent is aiming to create a game that fused Remedy's narrative expertise with action-packed multiplayer gameplay. But free-to-play games are no longer en vogue as its associated risks have become more well-known, prompting a reassessment of the project's trajcetory. As a result, Kestrel is now a premium game, emphasizing a strong cooperative multiplayer component. The good news is that this aligns better with Remedy's core competencies as a studio while allowing them to pick up exactly where they left off with Project Vanguard.
Tero Virtala, CEO of Remedy Entertainment, expressed confidence in this new direction. He acknowledged the strides in free-to-play and multiplayer development but emphasized the importance of building around Remedy's strengths. This pivot to a premium model, with continued support from Tencent, signifies a strategic move to create a distinct cooperative multiplayer experience that resonates with the studio's expertise.