Hi-Rez Studios’ new tactical shooter Rogue Company is well on its way, with a confirmed 2020 release. In our recent chat with Hi-Rez advanced game designer Evelyn Fredericksen, we got to a learn a lot more about what’s in store for the game.
“We strongly believe that the future of gaming is proving the same game seamlessly as an experience across all platforms and mobile, and that’s what we are doing with Rogue Company,” Fredericksen said. Rogue Company will be playable on PC, Xbox, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and mobile, and it will feature shared progression across all platforms. It’s not certain if the mobile launch will come alongside the regular release or some time after.
Hi-Rez is planning for the game to join its roster of esports titles alongside Paladins and Smite. Fredericksen noted Rogue Company will have the same level of esports infrastructure and support, likely from launch.
Rogue Company gameplay details
“We are not trying to be a pure action shooter or a pure tactical shooter, but we are a little closer to action,” Fredericksen said of Rogue Company‘s pace. “Our maps are nowhere near as linear as Overwatch, but not a complete maze like Rainbow Six Siege. There are flank routes and choke points, and some maps have more of them than others. But you won’t have to worry about getting shot through a wall all the time.”
At launch, Rogue Company will have two game modes: the 4v4 Extraction and 2v2 Wingman. They will play on different sets of maps, with Wingman maps naturally being smaller. The time-to-kill (TTK) in the game is fast, with Fredericksen noting the average is 0.5 seconds with body shots. However, this will largely vary from mercenary to mercenary and loadout to loadout. Players will have access to many defensive, offensive, and utility perks, gadgets, and abilities. Mercenaries begin each match with only their sidearm and abilities, and they buy new perks and items between rounds. Melee weapons can also be purchased. Each mercenary has access to weapons and perks specific to them, with some overlap.
You can find some additional details about Rogue Company‘s gameplay in the video below, courtesy of Hi-Rez-sponsored streamer Baggins.
Mercenaries
Aside from mercenaries Dallas, Diva, Phoenix, and Trench that we saw in the development trailer, we got to learn about two more of Rogue Company‘s operatives: Anvil and Blur. Anvil is a defensive mercenary who can deploy a large barricade as on-demand cover. He has access to C4 charges and an Active Protection System: a gadget that can intercept a limited number of enemy projectiles. Anvil is passively immune to EMP, Slow, and Disorient effects.
Blur is the complete opposite, as a strictly offensive mercenary. Her tactical ability gives her a momentary boost of movement speed and silences her footsteps so she can sneak up on the enemy team. She has access to sticky bombs and smoke grenades. Her passive ability automatically reloads her weapon when she dodge-rolls.
Players can register for the Rogue Company official alpha. The game will release for PC and consoles in 2020, with a mobile launch not long after that. Fredericksen said she and her team are working on a “spreadsheet of Awesome,” packed with future content, modes, features, and events planned for the game’s future.
