Kevin BosticStrategy-loving iDevice owners got an unexpected bit of news this weekend, as Firaxis and 2K Games revealed that the hit turn-based sci-fi game XCOM: Enemy Unknown will be coming to Apple's iOS over the summer.
XCOM's developers spoke with Joystiq on Saturday after revealing the iOS port of the award-winning strategy game during a PAX East panel. The iOS version of XCOM, they said, will arrive fully intact, with all the features available on its PC and console counterparts.
"It is a straight port," XCOM lead designer Jake Solomon said. "We have not made any gameplay exceptions. You play the exact same game... it's just now fully playable on an iPhone or an iPad."
XCOM: Enemy Unknown — an updated version of a series that began with 1994's UFO: Enemy Unknown — puts the player in control of an elite division formed to counter an invading alien force. In addition to equipping and controlling XCOM soldiers in the field, players handle the financial, political, and research aspects of the division, with permanent results stemming from their decisions.
The turn-based strategy game debuted to rave reviews for its PC and console versions. 2K Games' PAX East iOS announcement also came with a release date for the Mac version of the game. Mac gamers will get their port on April 24. The iOS version is expected to arrive some time over the summer.
The game's developers stressed that XCOM on iOS will be a premium product and priced accordingly.
"It's going to be priced appropriately for what it is," Solomon said. "It's going to be a premium price point. It is the game. It is the full game."
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I recall Apple CEO stating iOS (iPod Touch and iPhone and eventually iPad) is the largest gaming platform in the World. This will help keep this claim afloat.
I would love to see some other games such as the Battlefield franchise brought back to the Mac and maybe even iOS.
Very excited by this news. I've been debating picking this up for my PS3. I'll definitely get this for my iPad.
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I'll be curious to see if they attempt to sell this at $60. I'm unaware of any other game software selling at that price point for iOS.
I recall Apple CEO stating iOS (iPod Touch and iPhone and eventually iPad) is the largest gaming platform in the World. This will help keep this claim afloat.
True that, they're not making an Andriod version. What apple needs is ultrafast future iPad and iPad mini that can handle a next wave of high-end console quality games made for it. That would encourage the purchase the new iPads and further cement iPad's lead. I think Apple's intense focus and cutting-edge performance with A series chips is one the best things they got going. Now only if they can get Intel's manufacturing onboard, then game over!
Also new/better iOS game controllers and industry accepted controller APIs might go a long way to furthering iPad's lead. However, there definitely is competition brewing on the Andriod game controller front.
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I'll be curious to see if they attempt to sell this at $60. I'm unaware of any other game software selling at that price point for iOS.
The Walking Dead sells for $15. I think that's really the ceiling on iOS even for such an amazing game as XCOM.
The PC version is about a 13GB install. How are Firaxis going to deliver the full game and get it under the 2GB iOS app limit?
The PC version is about a 13GB install. How are Firaxis going to deliver the full game and get it under the 2GB iOS app limit?
Worse textures, smaller (fewer?) levels, and no spoken dialogue (if there is any). Sounds simple.