Phoenix Point - E3 and Beyond

A post E3 update for Phoenix Point shows some videos and progress so far.

E3 and Beyond

E3 2019

Members of the Phoenix Point team attended E3 2019 in LA. There as an indie studio as part of the ID@Xbox Showcase, we had an updated build playable in the Microsoft Theater.

If you couldn't attend E3, or didn't get a chance to play our show floor demo, you can watch a video walkthrough below.

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Along with our new demo, there were three announcements regarding Phoenix Point made during the course of the event:

• Phoenix Point is scheduled for release on September 3rd 2019
  
  
• It will be available on Game Pass for PC and Xbox
  
  
• We were able to show, for the very first time our cinematic "Next Life" trailer.
  
  

If you haven't seen the trailer yet, take a look below:

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The trailer depicts humanity's struggle against the Pandoravirus threat, and wrestles with the morality of having to embrace mutation to defeat it.

Since we've had a lot of inquiries about it: the music in the trailer is "The Next Life" by Suede.

Live from the Show

Both Julian Gollop and David Kaye sat down for streamed interviews with Twitch, Mixer and IGN during the show. Below is the Twitch stream; you can also check out the others here: Mixer and IGN.

Phoenix Point picked up several award nominations at the E3 show, including:

IGN nominations for Best PC Game and Best Strategy Game, along with a nomination for Best Strategy Game of E3 2019 from the Game Critics Awards.

Beyond

With release getting closer, our development team is busy putting together all of the game elements, systems, models, and other assets that they've been working on passionately for almost 3 years. The time has come to finally put all of those pieces together, and we can't wait for you to see what's coming up.

We're in the process of assembly, testing, balancing, polishing and refining, while artists continue to work on new cosmetic variations for soldier customization.

We will be showing plenty more between now and release, but for the moment we will leave you with a few small teasers.

Destruction

We're in the process of applying the new destruction physics for the terrain, which gives more mass to each object and more realistic structural dependence. This means you can bring down entire sections of a building if the damage occurs in the correct place.

You can watch a short work-in-progress demonstration below.

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Lots of Variety

Cosmetic variations for soldiers are being worked on by our artists, providing a vast array of features for your squad. This goes hand in hand with the modular armor system allowing for many different custom combinations.



Modular Armor System

Factions

Work on the Synedrion and Disciples of Anu classes are close to complete - we'll be showing more of those in the weeks to come.

For now, here's a quick look at the Synedrion Infiltrator.



Synedrion Infiltrator

In addition to this, we are putting in the Synedrion environments, along with other Haven variations, finalizing tech trees, and all of the different weapons and equipment, fleshing out the strategic layer, and making improvements to the UI.

We've come a long way, but we've still got a lot to do prior to release. The passionate team here is doing its best to make Phoenix Point a fantastic, memorable game that we know you're going to love.

Thanks, as always, for your support.

More information.

Best news, I have game pass.

I will be waiting for the GOG release in 2020, I prefer to own my games not rent them.

It's memorable already, although not for the reasons Gollop was hoping for…

I certainly won't hold off playing, I'll install the Epic launcher on the 3rd of September without the slightest hesitation. I've waited long enough for this game.

IF I would wait it would be for the eventual DLC's, but I figure the game will be worth replaying at that point. If it's any good to begin with that is, I don't know anything about the strategic layer nor do I want to before I actually start playing.

Originally Posted by Terry
I will be waiting for the GOG release in 2020, I prefer to own my games not rent them.

Phoenix Point, when bought from the Epic store, is actually DRM-free and can be played offline, you can even uninstall the Epic launcher after buying it. Same as GOG.

Good to know, might change mind of someone. Not mine though, I prefer my games on Steam with working and user friendly client, plus Steam link and Steam controller support. Also some agenda. Not fan of Epic approach with zero effort on customer side while playing role of almost altruistic savior of digital distribution. Not buying that. It would take some real must have title to change my mind.

Originally Posted by Andrew23
Good to know, might change mind of someone. Not mine though, I prefer my games on Steam with working and user friendly client, plus Steam link and Steam controller support. Also some agenda. Not fan of Epic approach with zero effort on customer side while playing role of almost altruistic savior of digital distribution. Not buying that. It would take some real must have title to change my mind.

Hardly altruistic, I've never seen them claim they don't want to make money. I do think the higher cut for developers is a good thing though. Won't derail this thread with another Steam vs. Epic debate though, I understand all the people who don't want several launchers.

On topic, do we have any Watch members who've played the beta of PP? I would be interested to hear some impressions.

They can't do trailers, but they surely make a hell of a good combat!

Originally Posted by TomRon
Hardly altruistic, I've never seen them claim they don't want to make money. I do think the higher cut for developers is a good thing though. Won't derail this thread with another Steam vs. Epic debate though, I understand all the people who don't want several launchers.

On topic, do we have any Watch members who've played the beta of PP? I would be interested to hear some impressions.

Usual business hypocrisy. The ONLY reason for what they do is investing in building-up market share and establish themself on the market to generate future profit. Everything else is subsidiary. Any theoretical, positive byproduct (changing market for greater good, etc.) of this process is emphasised at this point (by Epic), just to mitigate unvanted negative attention.

And thats all there is. To be honest, I dont care much about it as its usual contemporal reality. I use many clients already, one more or less, who cares. But till there is some really must buy for me on Epic, I will vote with my wallet and buy somewhere else. My … several cents. ;-)

Originally Posted by TomRon
Hardly altruistic, I've never seen them claim they don't want to make money. I do think the higher cut for developers is a good thing though. Won't derail this thread with another Steam vs. Epic debate though, I understand all the people who don't want several launchers.

On topic, do we have any Watch members who've played the beta of PP? I would be interested to hear some impressions.

I played the backer beta 3 and found it enjoyable. There were alien bases to take which if ignored spawned harder enemies over time and a greater mist spread as well. You had to worry about fuel resources and they introduced factions into the game at a barebones level. You gained reputation with them if you helped them out with resources or fought off alien assaults. Overall the strategic layer was pretty barebones at that point but I understand they have made some revisions to it since then.

The tactical combat was interesting but I found the lack of enemy variety a bit aggravating at times. Playing with the different abilities was fun and I got a kick out of running over alien positions with my vehicle and laying down turrets.

The latest bb is only available on Epic so I have not tried it.

Thanks @Silver, that does sound like a solid foundation for an enjoyable strategic layer. In my opinion the nuXCOM's did alright in the combat department, but the Strategic Layer feels really lackluster compared to the originals, and compared to something like X-Pirates even more so.

They look on the same page as XCOM, XCOM2.

No improvements on the campaign structure: the path to victory is a collection of cleared missions.

No war effort built through defeats, half successes, half failures and victories.

Supposedly, the alien threat is superior, yet the war unfolds as it was the opposite: human forces being far superior to alien forces.

It does not provide gaining momentum by conceding strategical defeats, no pivotal moments etc

The curve ramps up.

And this product does not seem to shift away from that.

Why should it shift from gameplay that was established by UFO in 1994 and it is beloved by millions even today?

Especially when it has pitched same gameplay in its FIG campaign and that is what backers gave their money for.

If you don't want that, you can play other games. There are 1000s of games to choose from.

That were Fireaxis's XCOM and XCOM2. Which shifted away from the original gameplay.
If that guy promised to deliver what it is reported, it is going to be troubles because copying the Fireaxis modifications does not do the trick.

Originally Posted by Stingray
Phoenix Point, when bought from the Epic store, is actually DRM-free and can be played offline, you can even uninstall the Epic launcher after buying it. Same as GOG.

Thanks for the heads up, but I have decided that Epic's business practices don't agree with my sense of right and wrong so I will stick with GOG. It should be patched up and running better after a year anyway.