XCOM by 2K may be third person shooter

Back in 2010, 2K had announced a new game in the XCOM franchise. No, not the turn based strategy game being made by Firaxis, but a first person shooter (FPS). Not much was heard about the game after the announcement. Now, according to Kotaku, there is an update on the game. The game will probably not incorporate a first person perspective but a new third person perspective, as seen in the screenshots.

Shortly after the report was published, Kotaku got a statement from 2K, "We have not made any new announcements regarding the XCOM title currently in development at 2K Marin, and it is our policy not to comment on rumors or speculation".

The game seems to be cover-based

Judging by the screenshots, the game seems to be keeping the 50s setting of the original games. It is supposedly being pitched as a squad-based shooter with the player in control of a squad of agents that have to take down the alien threat. One major issue with the screenshots is that the textures seem to be of a very low quality.

The other XCOM game, titled XCOM: Enemy Unknown, is all set for a release after ten days. The game is available on Steam for pre-order. Those who had pre-ordered earlier have received a copy of Firaxis’ other game, the extremely popular Civilization V.

Here is a description of the game according to the website for the game: “Threatened by an unknown enemy, the Earth’s governments unite to form an elite paramilitary organization, known as XCOM, to combat this extraterrestrial attack. As the commander of XCOM, you control the global defense team in a battle against a terrifying alien invasion by creating a fully operational base, researching alien technologies, planning combat missions, and controlling soldier movement in battle.”

You will also have access to some abilities

XCOM: Enemy Unknown was announced earlier this year as a result of Game Informer’s cover for the month of January. Unlike the X-COM first person shooter being developed by 2K Marin, this one will be an out-and-out strategy game -- something that should get unanimous approval from fans of the franchise.

Firaxis' love for the franchise reflects in what Steve Martin, President of the studio says, “It’s been a dream of ours to recreate X-COM with our unique creative vision. We’re huge fans of the original game and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to re-envision a game that is as beloved as X-COM. We were careful to keep XCOM: Enemy Unknown true to the elements that made X-COM such a revered game while delivering an entirely new story and gameplay experience for both die-hard X-COM fans and newcomers to the franchise”.

The game is set to release on 11 October, 2012 and is available for pre-ordering on Steam.