Rights to the video game sequels have been transferred from Otherside Entertainment to Chinese giant Tencent.
In recent months, the future of the System Shock franchise had been surrounded by all kinds of unknowns. The third installment, in the hands of developer Otherside, did not seem to be moving smoothly. However, the agreement with Tencent has saved the project. On the other side of the board, Nightdive Studios is working on the remake of the original game. Thanks to a pre-alpha demo, now available on Steam and GOG, players will have the opportunity to take a look and try this revamped version.
After two decades, the studio reimagines the classic title. "We will keep the new game true to the classic experience," they promise in the Steam description. According to Nightdive, they will not modify the elements that fans remember, although they will modernize their appearance and playable mechanics, so that it is perceived as a current triple A. The company also ensures that it has the participation of some members of the original team, among which is Terri Brosius, who played the character of Shodan.
- Download the demo on Steam
- Download the demo at GOG
What happens to the franchise?
System Shock 3 was announced years ago, but for a long time, Otherside didn't offer any details about it. That, together with the information that pointed to serious internal problems, caused some users to think of a fatal outcome. Developers recently confirmed that they were working on a new concept under the Unreal Engine 4, though the name System Shock was not mentioned at any time. Still, the study confirmed weeks later that Tencent would take care of the aftermath.
Does that mean Tencent has System Shock rights? No, as Nightdive Studios explained. What has happened is that the license agreement that Other Ocean had has been transferred to the Chinese company.
System Shock Remake is in development for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, so far with no confirmed release date.
Source | Nightdive
