A new and improved version of one of the most acclaimed games of all time is in the works. Last evening during a livestream in honor of the game’s 20th anniversary, developer Nightdive Studios mentioned they were working on an updated version of System Shock 2. They later officially announced System Shock 2 Enhanced Edition via Twitter.
You asked for it and we are working on it... System Shock 2 Enhanced Edition coming soon!!! ?#RetroGaming #SystemShock2 pic.twitter.com/vV5zBtUfWj
— Nightdive Studios (@NightdiveStudio) August 12, 2019
For those who haven’t been keeping up with all things System Shock, Nightdive Studios acquired the rights to the franchise a while back, making the classic games available on modern PC storefronts. They also released System Shock Enhanced edition in 2015 and are working on a full, from-the-ground-up System Shock remake. There’s also a System Shock 3 in the works, although Nightdive Studios isn’t involved in that project. So yeah, there’s a lot going on!
No word yet on what new features we can expect from System Shock 2 Enhanced Edition, but the enhanced version of the original System Shock included 4K resolution, improved remappable controls, mod support, and a variety of bug fixes and other improvements. You can probably expect System Shock 2 to receive similar treatment.
Of course, the big question – could System Shock 2 Enhanced Edition be a precursor to a full remake? Nightdive Studios has had some trouble with their System Shock remake, at one point having to put the project on hiatus after development took a “wrong path,” but it seems like the project is now on track to release in early 2020. We’ll see if Nightdive jumps right into a System Shock 2 remake after that.
A System Shock 2 Enhanced Edition release date has yet to be nailed down, although it's “coming soon.” Platforms haven’t been announced, but expect it be PC exclusive.