Report: Evolve 2 Was Once in Development, Concept Art Reveals Scrapped Sequel
Evolve was a multiplayer game released in 2015 that sparked significant excitement at launch. However, the initial hype faded quickly after release due to negative reception from players, who criticized the game’s repetitive design and its over-reliance on DLCs. This ultimately led to a sharp decline in its player base, marking the beginning of its end, culminating in its server shutdown in 2018.
Given that reception, it’s surprising to learn that developer Turtle Rock Studios once conceptualized a sequel. This was recently revealed through 15 pieces of concept art shared on the website of an artist who worked at the studio, which also described new environments the game might have included.
Evolve 2 Was Planned at One Point
According to the website of TJ Frame, a former artist at Turtle Rock Studios, Evolve 2 began development shortly after the launch of the first game. However, after spending a few months in pre-production, the project was canceled when Turtle Rock shifted focus to other ideas and pitches, one of which eventually became the divisive co-op multiplayer co-op shooter, Back 4 Blood.
The illustrations showcase designs for cities and various ships that, according to the artist, were part of one of the game’s envisioned locations, a massive asteroid mining station tentatively named “The Akhenaten.” The game also planned to return to Shear, the planet featured in the original title, with more sequentially oriented missions. The city images give a glimpse of the new locations the team intended to introduce to the planet.
Naturally, all these plans for an Evolve 2 were ultimately discarded. Despite this, the original Evolve did experience a small, momentary resurgence in 2022, thanks to a dedicated community utilizing peer-to-peer servers. However, just a year later, the complete server shutdown was announced, making it impossible to play the game this way.
This situation holds particular relevance in the current climate, especially in light of the “Stop Killing Games” movement, which advocates for publishers to ensure consumers retain a method for playing multiplayer titles even after official online support ceases.
Currently, Turtle Rock Studios is focused far away from Evolve. In line with our previous reporting, all indications suggest they are now working on a sequel to Back 4 Blood, though this remains unconfirmed. It’s also important to note that while Turtle Rock developed the original game, 2K Games, which was in charge of publishing the first title, holds ultimate control over the franchise’s destiny as the IP owner. Therefore, Evolve appears destined to become just another live service game lost to time.
Speaking of Back 4 Blood, the game is heavily discounted on the PlayStation Store as part of its Summer Sale promotion in case you want to check it out.
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