The return of Killer Instinct will bring fresh characters, crisp graphics, and a free-to-play model that will allow for more player choice when it comes to fighter availability. The Microsoft-published property will be unique compared to what else is on the market, but design director David Verfaillie argues that what most defines the game is speed. Double Helix and Rare have pushed the property to its limit, creating a pace that few franchises can claim they match.
"Killer Instinct was an aggressive game and that's something we've really taken to heart," Verfaillie said in a new interview with OXM. "The pace of our game, I think, is faster than almost any other fighter out there, and all the action really happens up close. The game will run at 60 frames. The fighting game community demands it."
Don’t think that strategy will be replaced by button mashing and over-zealous play, though. The team is focusing on making a deep, skill-based fighter where players need to understand who they’re going up against in order to implement counters and control space.
"We don't want this to be about who can move their hands the fastest," Verfaillie continued. "We want it to be about who can read their opponent the best, who can take control of the fighting space the best."
Killer Instinct will launch alongside the Xbox One this November. The full pricing model, which includes individual characters and larger, more expensive packs, can be viewed here.
