Former Call Of Duty Developers Announce DEFECT

Emptyvessel, a newly formed independent game studio, has announced DEFECT, a cyberpunk squad-based multiplayer FPS.

Despite being formed by ex-Call of Duty and Doom developers, the game is supposed to be a tactical shooter with objective-based gameplay. So, unfortunately, there’s no mindless running and gunning in this cyberpunk hellscape.

The game’s announcement on X has garnered exclusively positive reception from fans of the devs’ prior work.

According to the studio, DEFECT will have co-op and PVP modes where 4 player squads pick a faction and fight it out for control over the “last city of mankind, where THE SYSTEM, an authoritarian artificial intelligence, rules with inhuman logic.”

Though the trailer, serenaded by Mick Gordon’s tunes, showed little in the way of thorough planning and objectives, the full game will reportedly have “multiple objectives with different finales,” reminiscent of Overwatch and Rainbow Six Siege.

Players will get to play as a corrupt police force or blood-lusted gangs as they smuggle guns, assassinate targets, and arrest suspects.

Related

Obsidian Entertainment Is Working On A Cross-Platform RPG Using Unreal Engine

Could a Fallout: New Vegas sequel be in the works from Obsidian? New job listing has raised some questions about what they are working on next.

The game’s being developed using Unreal Engine 5, so expect to fight through photo-realistic cyberpunk alleyways, hallways, buildings, and more; and since Emptyvessel’s CEO is Emanuel Palalic, Doom and Quake Champion‘s ex-art director, you know it’s going to look good.

Currently, DEFECT has no release date and is slated for a PC Steam-only release.

From Triple-A to Plucky Indie Devs

The studio’s focus on a completely original game is no coincidence, as CEO Palalic’s motto for the company is “With Creative Independence Comes Greatness.”

Emptyvessel’s main concern is the independence they found away from the restrictions of big corporations that stifled their creativity for profit.

Co-founder Garrett Young has criticized the state of big-budget gaming, saying, “Our industry is at a crossroads between business and talent.” His words ring true as gamers’ complaints against the trend of remakes remasters, and sequels have been met with layoffs and increased commercialization of games.

With a team of almost entirely of devs with experience in triple-A games like Doom, The Last of Us, Wolfenstein, Tomb Raider, and the Batman Arkhamseries, there might be merit to their promise of immersing players in DEFECT‘s world despite their small size.

While DEFECT looks and sounds like a triple-A game from an independent studio, it’s too early to tell whether it’ll garner a lively player base or fade into obscurity.

However, Mick Gordon’s music and the game’s art direction are worth hours of gameplay alone.

NEXT

These Constant Layoffs Are Going To Make Games Worse In The Coming Years

The consequences of mass layoffs will be felt in the years to come.