Lucid Games has announced the start of a closed beta for upcoming 5v5 vehicular shooter Switchblade. Slated for a full release on Sony’s PlayStation®4 console in late 2018, this game looks to evoke classic vehicle combat games of past PlayStation consoles with a modern free-to-play twist.
Lucid Games formed around the nucleus of the late, great Bizarre Creations team. Its developers have a rich history with past driving games including Project Gotham Racing, Blur, and of course PGR2’s biggest surprise, Geometry Wars. The key elements of Switchblade are the shifting tactics that require constant mid-match adjustments. The ability to switch vehicles at any time allows for scenarios such as chasing down a rival in a speedy fighter, then swapping to a heavy battlewagon to attack a competitor’s tower while teammates balance artillery and healing roles to provide backup.
The core gameplay revolves around teams attempting to destroy the opposing team’s towers, both with direct fire and by escorting explosive mobs to knock out the shields that protect each tower. The team to destroy the most towers at the end of the match wins. It sounds a bit like a 3rd-person driving game meets a MOBA, and Lucid Games isn’t shy about emphasizing the eSports ready aspect of the game.
Craig Howard, Creative Director at Lucid Games said “We wanted to push the concept of vehicle combat games further than anything out there. The idea of a vehicle sport where strategy, as well as reactions, was key to winning and our focus as we feel compelling sports need both of these.”
Engaging a tower
Gamers interested in signing up for the closed PS4 beta can signup at this link (for American players), or this one (for European gamers). Switchblade is also targeting a PC release via Steam, however, no beta announcements have been specifically announced for that platform. Visitors to the official site will notice that beta signups allow for the options of signing up for either PS4, PC, or both.
We’ll be keeping an eye on how Switchblade develops and look forward to more information as it’s released.
