MachineGames is a studio that found their niche with the Wolfenstein games, at least until they didn’t.
But since the studio got their hands on running the Wolfenstein revival with Wolfenstein: The New Order, they were able to bring the franchise to the next level. They did this both in terms of gameplay, and the game’s now detailed narrative.
Under MachineGames’ hands, B.J. Blazkowicz’ received a real character arc. An American spy and a Polish Jew, B.J. encounters failure and trauma in these new games, figuratively and literally losing his head.
On the gameplay front, MachineGames gives B.J. a cover system, as well as increasing complexity to encourage players to find new and creative ways to get through levels. If the Doom reboot became about bringing that visceral hitscan 90s gameplay to the next level, Wolfenstein took it in a completely different direction, and along the way, gave B.J. a soul.
But one thing MachineGames hasn’t worked on recently is multiplayer games. Now, this studio has members that were originally a part of Starbreeze, but it’s safe to say that it’s been over a decade since they’ve had that experience. (Do not ask about Wolfenstein Youngblood here; the less said about it the better.)
And so, as reported by Tech4Gamers, the company has a new job opening indicating they are working on multiplayer. This could simply be the multiplayer modes for a single player game, or a game that is entirely multiplayer.
To be specific, they are looking for a new network programmer. The listing included these details, under preferred skills:
- Broad understanding of interactions between different gameplay systems.
- Knowledge and understanding of online matchmaking systems.
So this multiplayer is definitely going to be for something that will be player versus player. If MachineGames was going to build something with an online cooperative mode, like the Resident Evil franchise’s Raid mode, the systems needed won’t necessarily have to add matchmaking into account.
We do know that MachineGames is working on a new Wolfenstein game, and they were famously contracted to work on an Indiana Jones game, now set to be an Xbox console exclusive. But is this job opening related to one of those games, or is MachineGames working on a third original title?
Whatever game it is, we certainly hope that MachineGames’ publisher Bethesda didn’t duplicate the mistakes they made with Redfall, by having a studio inexperienced in the genre Redfall was in pigeonholed to make something they know can be hugely profitable.
Of course, no game is intended to make negative profits, but the community of gamers have noticed that the industry is jumping onto the live service trend too hard, when we are already seeing several such projects crashing and burning. At least Redfall got released, and is in a position where it can become exceptional in the future, thanks to updates. We don’t know if The Last Of Us’ multiplayer game will ever see the light of day.
Certainly, fans would actually be plainly happy with a simpler multiplayer game from MachineGames, perhaps just some old fun with B.J. and his old frenemies, all over the Nazi party’s most grandiose buildings to destroy.
