Gamers who loved the original Battletech games can rejoice as Harebrained Schemes, led by Jordan Weisman, is crowdfunding a new tactical strategy game with the original Battletech license on Kickstarter.
Players will return to the much beloved Battletech Universe, and for those familiar with the lore, the game will be set during the 3025 Succession Wars Era, which is considered “Classic BattleTech” to longtime fans. For those not in the know, the Battletech setting is where noble houses are in almost constant warfare, where heroes deal with a grey versus grey morality, plot and intrigue flow like wine, and everyone settles arguments with huge robots.
Harebrained states that the studio has already completed what will form the base of the game: a turn-based tactical skirmish where players will command a Lance of 4 ‘Mechs & MechWarriors against AI opponents across a variety of battlefields. They hope to raise funds to build a full, single-player campaign, side-missions, and procedurally-generated missions. Ultimately, if the Kickstarter does well enough, they can make the single player campaign open-ended and eventually add PVP multiplayer combat.
The people working on the game include the aforementioned Weisman, not only the creator of BattleTech and MechWarrior, but of other beloved properties including Shadowrun and Crimson Skies. He is joined by Mike McCain, who was the creative director of the Shadowrun titles, and Mitch Gitelman, who produced the MechCommander series on PC. Harebrained Schemes already successfully run Kickstarter campaigns for the Shadowrun games.
Players interested in the Battletech Kickstarter can check it out here. It’s already nearly reached its goal with 35 days to go of funding.
UPDATE: In the time it took to write this article, Battletech is now funded. And again, 35 more days of funding to go.
