THQ boss Danny Bilson revealed yesterday that development of Homefront 2 will now be handled by Crytek, the creator of the Crysis series. New York-based Kaos Studios, which developed the original title, was closed in June as part of a so-called, "strategic realignment" of the publisher's internal studios. It was thought that development would continue at THQ's Montreal office, but now Crytek is in the frame.
According to Eurogamer, it will be Crytek's UK studio that will be given the opportunity to continue the near-future story of an America invaded by Korean forces. The Nottingham-based codeshop sprung from the ashes of Free Radical Design, which had success with the Timesplitters series of anarchic comedy shooters – the company was bought by Crytek in 2009.
Previously, there were rumours that the Crytek UK team was working on Timesplitters 4, though it seems now that Homefront has taken precedence. The original shooter, released in March, was a commercial success, though reviews were very mixed, pointing to the game's disappointingly derivative, and very short, campaign mode. Crytek UK certainly has form and experience in this genre, and will be working with CryEngine 3, the technology behind the visually stunning Crysis 2.
The game is due out somewhere in the financial year between April 2013 and March 2014, and could therefore end up as a launch title on one or more forthcoming console platforms...
