MicroProse was a game developer and publisher behind dozens of classic strategy and simulator titles from the ’80s and ’90s. After being shuttered in the early 2000s, the company (or the brand, anyway) recently made a surprise resurgence. Among four modern games presently in the works is The Mighty Eighth, which the studio describes as a “VR-first” flight combat simulator where multiple players will work together to pilot a WWII bomber.
After being acquired and largely dissolved by the early 2000s, MicroProse announced earlier this month that it’s being rebooted. At the time, the company revealed three (non-VR) titles in the works: Task Force Admiral, Second Front, and Sea Power.
This week the company announced a fourth title, The Mighty Eighth, which promises to have 10-player crews working together to successfully operate the legendary B-17 “Flying Fortress” and B-24 “Liberator” bombers.
The Mighty Eighth is a reboot of MicroProse’s B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th (2000), though the studio is better known for its involvement with titles like Civilization, MechWarrior 3, Rollercoaster Tycoon, Grand Prix, and plenty more.
The studio says that the reboot is a “VR-first project,” but that it will also be playable without VR.
Drop those bombs on the right spot, guide your crew through long drawn out day, or the dark, moonless nights, keep your airplane in touch with the rest of the squadron and HQ as you monitor radios and communications. Defend your Flying Fortress by keeping those enemy fighters away from you and your squadron mates. Pilot or co-pilot this beast under a massive amount of stress – and enemy fire, but don’t drop out of formation or you’re a sitting duck.
While up to 10 players can operate the planes, MicroProse says that AI bots can fill in if you don’t have a full crew.
The company hasn’t shown any gameplay yet—and there’s no word yet on a release date—but it has revealed models of the planes, which it says are being “recreated with meticulous attention to detail.”
While MicroProse has dozens of simulation and strategy games to its name, with this studio reboot it isn’t clear how much of the company really remains beyond the brand. At a minimum it’s clear that the reformed company understands that the name brings with it an expectation of quality in the simulation space. Color us intrigued.
Thanks to @hvent90 for the tip!