Second Extinction, the dino hunting first-person shooter that initially captivated Turok fans, has officially been canceled.
The game’s developer, Systemic Reaction, which embarked on the game’s creation three years ago, has unveiled that its journey through early access has come to an unexpected halt. This cancellation is not only disappointing for the team but also to those who believed in the game’s promise.
When it first hit the market, Second Extinction presented itself as an adrenaline-packed experience where teamwork is key to victory. Set in a frozen yet perilous world, the game required players to act quickly, employing a combination of weapons, abilities, and skills to fend off a horde of previously extinct predators more vicious than ever. This exhilarating experience was brought to life by a group of 35 gifted developers from 15 diverse countries. Their collective effort was a testimony to the unity in diversity that the division’s team in Malmö, Sweden, stood for.
However, the game’s vibrant outset seemed to darken as critical issues began to manifest. Systemic Reaction, a relatively small developer, found themselves ill-equipped in terms of resources to resolve the challenges and consequently meet their quality benchmarks. The initial plan was to launch the complete 1.0 version of Second Extinction late last year. Yet, the surfacing of these critical issues close to the release date forced the team to reconsider, with the realization that the investment needed to meet their targets was beyond their reach.
For many in the gaming community, the cancellation comes as a somber reminder of the limitations of the Early Access model. It’s a model that has undoubtedly seen its share of successes, but its pitfalls are becoming more evident. It asks gamers to invest in the promise of a finished game, a premise that many, having been burned previously, are growing wary of.
While titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 have managed to leverage Early Access successfully, the landscape is also littered with numerous failures that echo the sentiments of players who desire a finished product rather than an unfinished promise.
What makes the cancellation worse is the impending shutdown of Second Extinction’s servers next year. As it lacks an offline mode, the shutdown will render the game entirely playable. This revelation further compounds the trepidation many gamers have towards titles without offline modes given the uncertainty.
The always-online design of Second Extinction means that even solo players will be unable to enjoy the game after the servers are turned off. The possibility of an offline or single-player mode was addressed by the developers, but they reiterated that the transformation would require a significant overhaul – a task beyond their current capabilities.
Though this news paints a rather melancholy picture, there exists a silver lining: the shutdown isn’t leaving anyone with no jobs going forward. The studio will reallocate the skilled individuals who worked on this project to other endeavors within its parent company, Avalanche Studios Group.
At a time when layoffs have become normal in the gaming industry, it’s indeed heartening to witness a developer that hasn’t opted for such drastic measures.
While Systemic Reaction’s track record with games like Generation Zero and Ravenbound hasn’t been without critique, every developer possesses the potential for transformation. Most are hopeful that the lessons from Second Extinction will guide the studio towards future successes, rejuvenating the trust of supporters who feel disillusioned by this turn of events.
