Remedy Entertainment has a lot of upcoming projects on its plate, with one of the most mysterious of the bunch being “Vanguard,” a Tencent-funded project originally envisioned as a free-to-play co-op title. Well, following the success of Alan Wake 2, it seems like Remedy is rethinking some of their upcoming slate. While Vanguard hasn’t been canceled, it has been rebooted – it will now be a paid premium title and will be referred to by the new codename “Kestrel.” Apparently, this re-envisioned version of the project will “will lean more into Remedy’s core strengths,” which, to me at least, means worldbuilding, story, and atmosphere.

　　“Remedy signed a global agreement with Tencent as its publishing partner in 2021 to develop Vanguard. Due to uncertainties in creating a successful game to the rapidly changing free-to-play market and associated risks, the parties have discussed a new direction for the game project, which will be given the new codename, “Kestrel.” The reboot comes as the project has reached the end of its proof-of-concept phase and after Remedy and Tencent had time to evaluate the project’s status and its next steps.

　　The project will return to a concept phase. Part of the former Vanguard development team will move to work on Remedy’s other ongoing projects, while the core leadership and select members of the development team of Kestrel will focus on the project’s new direction from the concept stage onwards to create a premium game with a strong cooperative multiplayer component. The new experience will lean more into Remedy’s core strengths and be built on many of the features, assets and themes already designed for Vanguard.”

　　While we still don’t know much about Vanguard/Kestrel, I’m definitely supportive of Remedy moving away from F2P live-service stuff. Not that F2P stuff can’t be good, but I think Remedy’s talents are better used making richer premium experiences.

　　It sounds like Kestrel, whatever it ends up being, won’t arrive for a while. What kind of co-op experience would you like to see from Remedy?