Wargaming and NGD Studios have announced that they’re working on a reboot of classic 1993 strategy title Master of Orion, a game that laid the foundations of the space 4X genre as we know it today.
Developer NGD Studios plans to maintain that same spirit, so don’t worry; they aren’t turning it into a free-to-play arena combat game or a rubbish first-person shooter or anything. They’re a fairly unknown Argentinean team, whose biggest previous hit is probably the unremarkable-looking fantasy MMO Champions of Regnum. Not a developer with the pedigree you’d expect for a remake of such an important, milestone title, but I’ll be interested to see what they can come up with.
As for Wargaming, though it’s mostly known for the wildly successful World of Tanks and its various spin-offs these days, Master of Orion brings the company back to the turn-based strategy genre that originally made its name, through games like the Massive Assault series. It purchased the rights to the game back in 2013, along with the Total Annihilation RTS franchise.
“Master of Orion is a game that brings Wargaming truly back to its roots, not only as a company but also in how it influenced my personal interest in both games and making them,” says Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi. “The series’ iconic gameplay has stood the test of time and working with NGD Studios to bring the series back to life is a truly exciting moment for the team.”
You can expect enhanced, modernised visuals, an improved interface, improved presentation including voice work from ”famous actors”, but at its core the game will retain the essence of its ancestor. You’ll attempt to control the galaxy through conquest, diplomacy, technology or economical control, while juggling your fleet upkeep and colony management. All of the original game’s ten races will return.
We don’t yet have any information on a potential release date for Master of Orion. With this on the horizon and the excellent GalCiv 3 already out there, it’s certainly an interesting time to be a fan of space 4X games.
