How 31st Union could make the next GTA

From Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands to Marvel’s Midnight Suns, on-line recreation author 2K Video video games has a compelling lineup of upcoming titles, and there are various unannounced duties nonetheless shrouded in thriller. Whereas 2K recently canceled a sport from Mafia 3 developer Hangar 13, a newer studio known as 31st Union is engaged on a secretive enterprise that we nonetheless don’t know rather a lot about. Though little is known about it, there’s every trigger to contemplate that it is likely to be a large deal.

A quick reference to the game’s development all through a present acquisition announcement has reignited curiosity inside the thriller: What’s Thirty first Union engaged on? Is it GTA 6, Mafia 4, the next BioShock, or one factor absolutely new?

What occurred — On November 9, 2021, Take-Two subsidiary 2K Video video games announced that it had acquired a Spanish on-line recreation studio known as elite3D. It’s an obscure developer centered on supporting video video games like Diablo 2: Resurrected and Black Ops 4. 2K has plans to transform it into Thirty first Union’s second studio and switch some 2K Publishing operations there.

When referencing Thirty first Union’s work, the press launch says it’s making a “presently unannounced and intensely anticipated AAA enterprise.” The sheer boldness of the declare has piqued curiosity on this acquisition and Thirty first Union as an entire.

Thirty first Union isn’t engaged on GTA 6 — To cope with the elephant inside the room, no, Thirty first Union isn’t creating GTA 6 although that may match the “extraordinarily anticipated” label. Though 2K guardian agency Take-Two moreover owns Rockstar, the two builders are totally separate.

Rockstar has made acquisitions before now as successfully, so if Thirty first Union or elite3D had been the primary builders on GTA 6, we is likely to be getting this announcement from Rockstar, not 2K.

Thirty first Union isn’t engaged on BioShock or Marvel’s Midnight Suns — The assertion about Thirty first Union’s enterprise suggests the model new developer is bigger than a help studio, so rule out the considered its most important enterprise being a help workers for BioShock or Marvel’s Midnight Suns.

Thirty first Union isn’t engaged on Mafia 4 — 2K’s Mafia assortment has on a regular basis been the formidable nonetheless missed little brother to Grand Theft Auto. As Mafia 3 put a spotlight on selection, which Thirty first Union’s administration have stressed is important to them before now, we’d wish to see them make a sequel to Mafia 3 if Hangar 13 isn’t engaged on that enterprise following its present sport cancellation.

Sadly, this doesn’t seem like the case. In a tweet on November 9, Thirty first Union teased that it’s creating “an thrilling new sport universe,” as such, don’t anticipate this to be tied to a earlier 2K assortment.

Thirty first Union’s “new IP” — Following that tweet, wanting once more at earlier suggestions from Thirty first Union confirms that the developer is engaged on a model new IP. Head of Approach Tyler Michaud talked a few model new IP inside the press release the place 2K unveiled Thirty first Union’s determine.

“We’re making a development environment centered on a single new IP the place passion is on the center of all of it,” he said. “We think about quite a few views and experiences are important to creating a very worldwide leisure experience with a deep connection to passionate followers.”

Presumably, that is comparable sport that 2K acquired and rebranded elite3D to work on. Sadly, whether or not it’s definitely a model new IP, that tips out video video games we’d desire to see from 2K like Mafia 4 or The Darkness 3. No leaks have given spoiled the shock totally different, so we’re genuinely at nighttime referring to any options proper right here.

As such, plainly the “extraordinarily anticipated” comment might have merely been PR embellishing its description of Thirty first Union’s enterprise as a result of it nonetheless can’t say what it’s formally. It’s a fairly misleading and contradictory assertion, as there’s nothing tangible or franchise-related for followers actually to be extraordinarily anticipating. Nonetheless, there’s on a regular basis the probability that this new title is likely to be one factor acquainted: an open-world crime sport inside the vein of the Grand Theft Auto and/or Mafia assortment.

2K seems to have a wide range of faith in Thirty first Union’s first sport, rather a lot so that the company is asking it “extraordinarily anticipated” to encourage further speculation in regards to the title. We’re intrigued to see what Thirty first Union is cooking up. We’ll keep on calling it “extraordinarily anticipated” until we see it in movement.