EA and Koei Tecmo are partnering on a new title that they’re describing as “the next great hunting game.” When I first read that description, my thoughts jumped to Big Buck Hunter, the arcade series of hunting games where you shoot wild animals, but looking at the concept art (above), combined with who’s making it, I’m guessing this game will actually be much more like Capcom’s popular Monster Hunter series.
In a press release, EA and Koei Tecmo describe this new game as an original IP that “delivers a truly AAA experience based in fantasy feudal Japan.” It will be developed by Koei Tecmo’s Omega Force, which is known for the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors “musou” action games. And a statement from an EA exec Jeff Gamon says Omega Force is “merging their proven talent for combat gameplay with unexpected and innovative mechanics.”
Those factors, taken with the “hunting game” description, suggest to me that the developers are probably working on something with Monster Hunter-style gameplay, where you team up with other players to take down gigantic monsters. Big Buck Hunter, on the other hand, is essentially glorified target practice. A spokesperson for EA didn’t immediately respond to a request for clarification, so if this does turn out to be teasing a Japanese video game equivalent of Cabela’s, I’ll update the post to let you know.
Unfortunately, EA and Koei Tecmo didn’t share much more about the game, so we don’t know when the game will be released or what platforms it might be available on. However, Gamon says that the game will be introduced “later this month,” so we may not have to wait too much longer to learn more.
This new game will carry the EA Originals label, which it has previously used when publishing indie titles like It Takes Two and Knockout City.