Fallout, Elder Scrolls publisher making a 32-player free-to-play game with no guns

Almost two years after opening Battlecry Studios in Austin, Texas, studio owner Bethesda (Fallout, Elder Scrolls) has announced the company's first game: Battlecry. It's a free-to-play multiplayer action game for PC being worked on under the direction of studio head Richard Vogel. He previously held the position of vice president at BioWare Austin (Star Wars: The Old Republic).

Battlecry supports up to 32 players at once and because there are no guns in the game (it's set in an alternate history where nations signed a peace treaty forbidding the use of gunpowder), combat is often up-close and personal. There are exceptions, however, including a ranged Archer class for either side. The game features two factions--Royal Marines and Cossacks--and a host of classes for each side, including the aforementioned Archer, as well as Gadgeteer, Duelist, Enforcer, and Brawler.

"The BattleCry team is happy to unveil the game that bears our studio's name," Vogel said in a statement. "We have been hard at work to create a fresh experience for gamers that brings together multiplayer action with visually stunning combat and are excited to share details about the game and have people play Battlecry in Bethesda’s booth at E3."

Vogel is not the only industry veteran working on Battlecry. Its creative director is Viktor Antonov, a visual artist whose credits include Half-Life 2's City 17 and Dishonored's Dunwall. An open beta for Battlecry kicks off in 2015, and you can read much more about the game through our just-published preview and at Battlecry's official website.

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