Publisher NC America—the US-based wing of NCSoft—has announced that the company is working with developer emptyvessel to publish upcoming cyberpunk shooter DEFECT. However, despite this confirmation, neither the publisher nor the developer have announced a release date for the title.
“This new partnership with NCSoft really locks in our goal of bringing DEFECT to the world alongside a strong ally,” said emptyvessel CEO Emanuel Palalic in a statement. “NC’s support and guidance are helping us build a strong foundation for DEFECT‘s single-player experience. In an era where many publishers have been moving away from supporting single-player in games, it’s refreshing to have NCSoft’s support and trust in what we’re building.”
CEO of NC America, and COO of NC West/Arenanet Jeonghee Jin offered her own statement, noting that the company had worked with the studio “from the very start”, from offering early cash injections that would allow for development to continue, to its new deal to publish the game. “We’re thrilled with the partnership agreement,” she said. “We strongly believe DEFECT‘s intense gameplay shows great promise against today’s tough FPS landscape.”
DEFECT was unveiled a couple of years ago. The shooter has been described as a team-based, objective-driven game that is aimed at players who want co-operative multiplayer experiences. This partnership with NC America is set to support the development of its multiplayer components, while the studio also works on more single-player gameplay.
The development team for the shooter is made up of industry veterans, with many of its employees having previously worked on major AAA franchises like DOOM, Quake, Call of Duty, and The Last of Us.
Set in a dystopian city ruled by an AI known only as “THE SYSTEM”, DEFECT will pit players in multiplayer matches consisting of four teams of four players each. These matches will offer intense close-quarters firefights with dynamic multi-objective battles, where players can make use of their futuristic weapons and other tech. For those that prefer single-player gameplay, DEFECT will offer a “deep offline experience”.
The main action has been described as being completely HUD-less, with players having to make use of the environment around them to check for important details. The studio has noted that it was inspired by classic titles like SWAT, and more recent ones like Ready or Not for this aspect. This also means that just about any of the in-game levels’ walls can be destroyed with the creative use of weapons and gadgets.
Players will also have to pick from a variety of factions, that range from THE SYSTEM’s police force, rogue police elements, or different gangs, and objectives will revolve around either disrupting the setting by, for example, assassinating important targets or smuggling guns, or upholding the status quo if you decide to align with THE SYSTEM.
The soundtrack for DEFECT also promises to be quite intense, since Mick Gordon of DOOM (2016) fame, so we expect there to be plenty of heavy tracks punctuated by deep bass drums and a mix of electronic and regular musical instruments. For more details about the shooter, check out our thoughts.
