XCOM returns to strategy roots

2K Games has announced it will publish a new XCOM strategy title by the end of the year, entitled XCOM: Enemy Unknown.

The publisher is already working on an action shooter reboot for the classic strategy series, XCOM, which is due for release on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC some time after April.

Enemy Unknown will arrive on the same formats in autumn and will go some way to calming fans that have complained that the XCOM shooter takes the franchise too far away from its roots.

The new strategy game is being developed by Firaxis Games, the team behind Sid Meier’s Civilization series, and promises to recapture the tactical gameplay of the original X-COM titles.

"We’re looking forward to building upon the core gameplay experiences that fans of the original X-COM love, while introducing the franchise to a new generation,@ said 2K Games’ SVP of marketing Sarah Anderson.

"With Firaxis’ XCOM: Enemy Unknown and 2K Marin’s upcoming XCOM, 2K Games offers a unique XCOM experience in different genres, as envisioned by two different studios with unique creative visions."

Firaxis president Steve Martin added: "It’s been a dream of ours to recreate X-COM with our unique creative vision. We’re huge fans of the original game and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to re-envision a game that is a beloved as X-COM.

"We were careful to keep XCOM: Enemy Unknown true to the elements that made X-COM such a revered game while delivering an entirely new story and gameplay experience for both die-hard X-COM fans and newcomers to the franchise."