Gearbox, Bethesda, and Epic Veterans Form Ruckus Games - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 04 January 2025 / 2,668 Views
Former Gearbox Software, Bethesda Softworks, and Epic Games veterans have formed a new studio based in Frisco, Texas called Ruckus Games. The studio is developing a suburban invasion game.
Read details on the developer below:
In 2021 seven developers saw an industry willing to take risks on huge budgets and recycled mechanics but unwilling to take risks on new gameplay and experiences for players. Committed to creating the kind of multiplayer games they searched for themselves; Ruckus Games was formed. Today, they’re unveiling the first look at their debut game and inviting players to join them behind the scenes in playtesting.
Led by CEO and game director Paul Sage (former creative director of Borderlands 3 and The Elder Scrolls Online), Ruckus Games’ talented roster of developers is collectively known for their key roles in some of the industry’s most beloved game franchises. Hailing from studio giants such as Gearbox Software, Riot Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Epic Games, Monolith Productions, and more, each founding member of Ruckus Games brings with them the essential ingredients necessary to create the perfect multiplayer stew.
Ruckus Games already stands out amongst the competition, having recently secured $19 million in funding to bring their vision to life. Notably, the investors were sold on Ruckus’ premiere project after playing a mere 20 minutes of its vertical slice demo—an especially impressive feat for a prototype made by only 14 people across 12 months!
This new title will offer cooperative play for up to four players in an evolving world that will be updated with new emergent content over time. Set in a reminiscent era amid the backdrop of the American heartland, players are thrust into the shoes of everyday people forced to become heroes when the town comes under attack. It is not clear what is behind the strange events, and things don’t quite seem to add up.
Featuring a large roster of playable characters and thousands of unique make-shift weapon combinations – like a toaster kitted to shoot saw blades or a modded power washer turned flamethrower—players will “Smash, Grab, and Grow” as they blast their way through thrilling suburban invasion scenarios. Take to the streets, destroy whatever you want, find cool new weapons and resources, and rescue NPCs to take back to your Hometown, a living centralized hub. Here you can customize, build, and upgrade over time allowing you to enhance your weapons and abilities to head out even stronger for another round of chaotic fun.
The already captivating and engaging gameplay is further accented by its unique visual style, led by art director Scott Kester, the visionary who played a pivotal role in transforming Borderlands‘ pre-release gritty aesthetic into the iconic, colorful graphic novel style that came to define the series. This new title’s eye-catching art style belies some darker moments as you get pulled into a deep world that balances fun and humor with darkness and peril, built around unlikely heroes using everything at their disposal to overcome an onslaught of overwhelming forces.
Ruckus Games’ currently unannounced debut title is a showcase for their mission to be a disruptor in the industry, utilizing a community-centric development process that focuses on getting direct feedback from players from the very start. Playing alongside the devs, Ruckus Games is committed to its motto, “The Player is Our Hero,” inviting interested players to get early hands-on experience in the game throughout its development process. Those eager to join are encouraged to sign up at Ruckus Games’ website for playtest updates and invites.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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Suburban invasion game? That could actually be a lot of fun if the gameplay ends up being strong enough to back it up
suburban Invasions, sounds like reworded "extraction shooter", especially with how you're meant to bring back NPC's, and "find cool new weapons".
My main question is, since most of them are from the likes of Riot, GB and Epic, are they actually going to release their game everywhere at once?, or are they going to buddy up with Epic and release on EGS/PS5 only?.
