Don Carlo
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Back 4 Blood Developer May Be Working On Sequel In UE5 - VeryAli Gaming
Turtle Rock Studios is working on a cooperative multiplayer first-person shooter built in Unreal Engine 5, possibly a sequel to Back 4 Blood.
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Nearly two years have passed since Turtle Rock Studios and Warner Bros. Games released Back 4 Blood. Although the cooperative first-person shooter faced some initial issues in comparison to its predecessor, Left 4 Dead, the video game managed to attract a significant player base, reaching a peak of nearly 66,000 players within days of its launch.
- After releasing three expansions for the cooperative first-person shooter, Back 4 Blood, Turtle Rock Studios has now redirected its focus to a new project.
- Recent job listings on the studio’s website hint at the development of a new AAA title, possibly a sequel to Back 4 Blood.
- The job listings indicate that the new video game will feature combat with weapons, class design, skills, and boss encounters, similar to Back 4 Blood.
- The game may have a campaign experience, support multiple platforms, and be a cooperative multiplayer first-person shooter built on Unreal Engine 5.
- There are indications of advanced features like ray tracing, possible melee gameplay, and a potentially urban environment.
- There are indications that the upcoming project may incorporate video game modding and user-generated content support.
In the earlier part of this year, Turtle Rock Studios made an announcement stating its decision to conclude support for the video game after the release of three expansions. This shift in focus aims to redirect the company’s efforts towards a new project. “Given this, it’s time for us to put our heads down, get back in the lab, and get to work on the next big thing,” it stated.
Despite the lack of additional details, Turtle Rock Studios did not disclose any information regarding its new project. This left players speculating about the company’s current endeavours. However, recent job listings suggest that a sequel to Back 4 Blood might be in the works, providing a tantalising hint about the unannounced project.
Today, we discovered several recent job listings on the official Turtle Rock Studios website pertaining to its“next AAA title.” Among these listings, one caught our attention — the Senior Combat Designer position. The description for this role reads, “As a Senior Combat Designer with Turtle Rock Studios, you will be responsible for designing and implementing intuitive mechanics that enhance the players experience and replayability. Ideally, you are someone experienced with combat/weapons, class design, skills, and boss encounters.”
Job listing for the Senior Combat Designer at Turtle Rock Studios’ headquarters in Lake Forest, California, United States. | Source: Greenhouse
The company appears to be engaged in the development of an action-oriented video game that encompasses combat with weapons, class design, skills, and boss encounters. Notably, one of the job responsibilities mentions, “Design and develop combat gameplay, including player movement, controls, and camera from concept to completion, with a focus on how combat gameplay feels against AI and other players.” These particularities bear a striking resemblance to the elements found in Back 4 Blood.
Responsibilities for the Senior Combat Designer position at Turtle Rock Studios’ headquarters in Lake Forest, California, United States. | Source: Greenhouse
Another notable job responsibility outlines, “Work with the maps team to ensure mission layouts and gameplay synergizes with the player combat loop,” strongly suggesting that the upcoming video game may incorporate a campaign experience, adding further depth and narrative elements to the gameplay.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that the unannounced project may embrace a multi-platform approach, as indicated by one of the job requirements that reads, “5+ years of experience in game development with one or more shipped titles on multiple platforms.” However, there is more to consider!
Requirements for the Senior Combat Designer position at Turtle Rock Studios’ headquarters in Lake Forest, California, United States. | Source: Greenhouse
Another noteworthy job requirement highlights, “Love of games: specifically FPS, Co-op, and Multiplayer games.” This strongly suggests that the unannounced project will be a cooperative multiplayer first-person shooter. Additionally, one of the candidate preferences specifies, “Experience with UE4/5 and Blueprint,” indicating that the game might be built on Unreal Engine 5.
Preferences for the Senior Combat Designer position at Turtle Rock Studios’ headquarters in Lake Forest, California, United States. | Source: Greenhouse
Considering that Back 4 Blood was developed exclusively using Unreal Engine 4, there is exciting anticipation for a potential next-generation sequel to the cooperative first-person shooter, which could potentially include advanced features like ray tracing. Furthermore, there are indications that the game might incorporate a melee aspect to the combat experience, as suggested by another candidate preference specifying, “Experience developing first person shooting and melee gameplay.”
Adding to the intriguing details, another job listing found on the Turtle Rock Studios website is for the role of a Rendering Engineer. This provides a hint that the unannounced project may not only be targeted for next-generation consoles but also for PC, potentially with cross-platform capabilities. One of the mentioned job responsibilities explicitly states, “Troubleshoot cross-platform problems to ensure we’re using consoles and modern PC hardware as effectively as possible.”
Responsibilities for the Rendering Engineer position at Turtle Rock Studios’ headquarters in Lake Forest, California, United States. | Source: Greenhouse
Furthermore, the job listing further supports the notion that the unannounced project may incorporate advanced next-generation features such as ray tracing. This is evident in one of the preferences mentioned, which states, “Knowledge of real-time ray tracing APIs such as DXR and hybrid renderers in general.”
Preferences for the Rendering Engineer position at Turtle Rock Studios’ headquarters in Lake Forest, California, United States. | Source: Greenhouse
Moreover, the job listing for the Lead Concept Artist (Environment) position at the company provides insights into the environment of the forthcoming video game. It hints that the unannounced project’s setting may be urban, similar to Back 4 Blood, as indicated by one of the job requirements, “Strong sense of visual design for architecture, vehicles, and weapons.”
Requirements for the Lead Concept Artist (Environment) at Turtle Rock Studios’ headquarters in Lake Forest, California, United States. | Source: Greenhouse
Interestingly, there are indications that Turtle Rock Studios’ “next AAA title” may incorporate video game modding and user-generated content, a feature that was absent in Back 4 Blood. This inference arises from one of the candidate preferences mentioned in the job listing for the Senior Engine Programmer position, which highlights, “Passion for game modding and experience supporting user generated content.”
Preferences for the Senior Engine Programmer position at Turtle Rock Studios’ headquarters in Lake Forest, California, United States. | Source: Greenhouse
Although the job listings do not explicitly state the genre of the unannounced project, it is not unreasonable to speculate that Turtle Rock Studios might be developing a sequel to Back 4 Blood, given the resemblances and similarities observed. However, it is crucial to emphasise that this inference remains speculative for now, and only time will reveal the precise plans that the company has in store for players.
What do you think about this? Do tell us your opinions in the comments below!
