New Jagged Alliance 3 in Development @ GameBanshee

GameBanshee writes in about a press release they received from German bitComposer Games, announcing the acquisition of the Jagged Alliance license and the development of (a new) Jagged Alliance 3. You may recall Strategy First spent a long time fumbling around with failed Russian partnerships - hopefully bitComposer can do better, though nothing is know about the actual development team or goals at this stage. A partial snip:

bitComposer Games Acquires the License for Jagged Alliance

– Jagged Alliance 3: a Strategy-Genre Classic Gets Revamped and Re-released –

Eschborn/Frankfurt, March 09, 2010: Preliminary development work has started on Jagged Alliance 3, the new episode in the internationally successful Jagged Alliance series. The German publisher bitComposer Games has secured the full rights to the license from Strategy First, and will publish this famous strategy brand with roleplay elements worldwide. The aim is to preserve the popular basic concept of the previous versions and place it in a contemporary setting. A specific release date for Jagged Alliance 3 has not yet been confirmed, but a 2011 release is anticipated.

More information.

Bit Composer published the 3rd Stalker game in NA and Europe. Look like it's both the best and the most bug-free game in the series. This makes me mildly optimistic.

Jagged alliance 1/2 is for me the best TB strategie game ever. I sure do hope JA3 will be a worthy sequel and a worldwide hit!

Originally Posted by ikbenrichard
Jagged alliance 1/2 is for me the best TB strategie game ever.

Same here.
JA2 paired with UFO: Enemy Unknown are both the best turn based games ever made.

Cool news! I loved jagged allience, can't wait to see how it turns out with modern graphic engine

It will suck.

Originally Posted by JemyM
It will suck.

Agree with the forecast. It most probably will not be turn based, and who knows, maybe not even party based (maybe a couple of NPC followers: a hottie and a big dude).

Originally Posted by wolfing
Agree with the forecast. It most probably will not be turn based, and who knows, maybe not even party based (maybe a couple of NPC followers: a hottie and a big dude).

Don't forget it will probably include 1st person as well by the time its released.

Originally Posted by wolfing
It most probably will not be turn based.

The Jagged Alliance series has received numerous national and international awards since its first appearance in 1994. The second part in particular, Jagged Alliance 2, released in 1999, won a host of accolades and gained the highest plaudits from the global games media. Jagged Alliance 3 will build on the strengths of its famous predecessors and, set against the backdrop of a gripping story, will again deliver the much-loved combo of turn-based strategy gameplay with roleplay elements.

I hope they keep this promise of TB gameplay. I would really hate to see another TB classic sold down the RT road.

The combat's engine of Brigade E5/7,62 high calibre could be a good solution.
It's a realtime engine but it's perfect for tactical combat. I can even say that it's better than the combat's engine of jagged alliance.

I've got high hopes tempered by a decade of disappointment.

JA2 was one of the best games ever made. Make it 3d, lose the rocket rifles and the sci-fi option and keep the rest the same and you really can't go wrong.

Originally Posted by Gorath
Bit Composer published the 3rd Stalker game in NA and Europe. Look like it's both the best and the most bug-free game in the series. This makes me mildly optimistic.

It's the 3rd round of updates for the same old engine you mean with a new game bolted on top + DX11. (Makes me wonder if it might not be possible to import the older games into the newer engines… not that they really need it, but the added stability would be nice…)

Has the X-Ray engine even hit 2.0 yet?

SoC 1.0005
CS 1.6X (IIRC)

So CoP being bug free isn't much of an indication that Bit Composer would do the "right" thing. It's all down to economics.

I can't believe SF lost control of that IP of course they must've already burned through alot of cash on what? Two? Three? More? failed attempts at a JA3.

I don't think they spent a thing. I think (no direct evidence - just reading between the lines) they offered Russian studios to do the project primarily self-funded in return for more equity in the sales.