Wolfenstein: The New Order Standalone Prequel Announced

Bethesda on Wednesday announced Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, a standalone prequel to last year's critically acclaimed shooter Wolfenstein: The New Order.

The game, created by The New Order developer MachineGames, will launch on May 5 for $20. It will be available on that date for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC through digital channels only.

The Old Blood, which is a two-part story, is set in 1946 when the Nazis are on the brink of winning World War II. You play as series hero B.J. Blazkowicz and embark on a perilous journey "deep within Bavaria."

Part One of The Old Blood is called Rudi Jäger and the Den of Wolves. B.J. faces off against a "maniacal prison warden" as he breaks into Castle Wolfenstein in an effort to steal the coordinates to General Deathhead's compound.

The Old Blood's second act, called The Dark Secrets of Helga Von Schabbs, sees B.J. venturing to the city of Wulfburg "where an obsessed Nazi archaeologist is exhuming mysterious artifacts that threaten to unleash a dark and ancient power."

The Old Blood also introduces new weapons, according to producer Jerk Gustafsson.

“Diving back into the world of Wolfenstein has really been fun for us," Gustafsson said. “We've enjoyed exploring the events leading up to The New Order. We think fans will really enjoy the story, all the action and, of course, jumping back into the combat with new weapons."

Additional gameplay for The Old Blood will be revealed during PAX East this weekend in Boston.

The upcoming Old Blood standalone game might not be the last game MachineGames makes in the Wolfenstein series. Previously, the studio said, "We would love to do a sequel. We have a very, very clear idea of what we accomplished with this this, and what we want to accomplish with a sequel."

For more on The New Order, check out GameSpot's review.