Paramount Game Studios has confirmed that Saber Interactive, who recently released Space Marine 2, is working on a massive AAA RPG based on the hit animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender.
On October 3, IGN reported that Paramount and Saber are working on a new action RPG that will be set in what Paramount is calling the “Avatar Legends universe,” the IP realm which kicked off in 2005 with Nickeldeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. The game is being developed in collaboration with Avatar Studios, a company created by series creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko to expand the franchise.
According to IGN, the game is still in “early development” so we don’t know much about what form it will take, but the companies involved are calling it the “biggest video game in the franchise’s history.” It’s set to arrive on both PC and consoles and will tell a new story in the Avatar universe. This new tale is being developed in “close collaboration” with Avatar Studios and the original show creators.
As documented in a press release seen by IGN, the new AAA RPG will star an “all-new, never-before-seen Avatar” and will take place thousands of years before the start of the original series. Here’s how Paramount and Saber described the RPG:
Players can expect to be immersed in a vibrant world, master all four elements, engage in dynamic combat alongside companions, and experience the challenges and decisions that come with being the keeper of balance in the world.
“We know loyal fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender have been eager for more stories that bring them into the universe of the show, and through gaming, we’re able to expand the world-building and allow fans to experience the new content in a completely immersive way,” said Doug Rosen, senior VP of Games and Emerging Media at Paramount. “Saber Interactive has a proven track record in bringing IP-based games to life, and we are excited to co-fund this AAA title alongside them and let fans experience this world first-hand.”
“At Saber, we are all truly fans of the IP we work with,” said Josh Austin, head of IP Development & Licensing at Saber Interactive.
“Our team members are some of the most devoted, passionate creatives out there and it’s an honor to join forces with Avatar Studios and Paramount Games to further expand the Avatar Legends universe in video games. This unique co-fund structure is a result of our ever-expanding collaboration with Paramount, which started over a decade ago with [World War Z], and we’re excited for all that’s on the horizon.”
While Avatar games have been released in the past, many have been smaller projects and weren’t well-received by fans or critics. Hopefully, this new RPG will turn things around for Avatar games and give fans of the show something worth playing.
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