Wasteland 3 Officially Announced, Co-op Mode Included

Like its previous game, inXile is coming up with a crowdfunding effort to launch Wasteland 3, a direct sequel to their Kickstarter funded game Wasteland 2. According to Venturebeat, they will be using Fig, a microinvestment platform that inXile itself cofounded. Their current aim is $2.75 million, while their previous game garnered $2.93 million.

It's true: #wasteland3 is coming! Revamped combat, vehicles, and a frozen campaign for both solo and multiplayer! Back us @PlayFig Oct 5! pic.twitter.com/0bIASnsgp4

— InXile Entertainment (@Inxile_Ent) September 28, 2016

Like in the previous games, players may form a small party and explore the world in a classic isometric style. Kotaku, from a breakdown of the new features, also reports that it will be about Team November, a group of rangers sent out into Colorado after a nuclear apocalypse. The environment will be out for their blood and the sub-zero temperatures are definitely one of the immediate looming threats they face.

The game promises to be immersive in both the micro and macro scale. On the micro scale, conversations will take a page out of Torment: Tides of Numenara, wherein the dialogue will have a branching style that has special consequences for those with the correct skills to address the current situation, or disaster if not.

Not only that, but in the macro scale the mission itself is the establishment of a ranger base that you can gather materials for and upgrade, giving it trade routes to sustain activity and maintain communication with radio towers.

Without a doubt, though, the most interesting feature this time around is the multiplayer system. Polygon, from an interview with Brain Fargo, head of inXile, reports that the new co-op mode will have both synchronous and asynchronous play. This means that within a certain range of their own individual ranger squads, both teams may share the same turn-based skirmishes.

However, players are also given the choice to explore the world independently of each other. The scenario Fargo describes is that one team may slaughter all the cows of a certain settlement, while the other team, sleeping and unaware, wake up to the consequences - either they pay up for the actions done by the other team, or they let it go and bear the brunt of the reputation sting. In essence, screwing up the other person is very much on the table.

At an estimated 50 hours of gameplay, the permutations for this type of play is endless, leading to what can potentially be a very satisfying experience, at least with those of enough patience to play these type of immersive and intensive games.

Their crowdfunding on Fig starts this October 5, so stick around for more news relating to the game that will surely be coming soon.