On a random Monday in November, GTFO developer 10 Chambers invited MP1st to a private preview event at Unity’s office in San Francisco. Not only would they let us experience the upcoming, and final, GTFO Rundown (GTFO’s name for new content drops), but they also had something brand-new to share. Den of Wolves was that something, as the developer proudly declared that they were “back on that heist shit.”
With the reveal of Den of Wolves. We spent a few minutes discussing the upcoming co-op shooter, and have all the details the press release didn’t cover below.
Semi-Futuristic Heisting
The (perhaps unofficial) slogan “back on that heist shit” is an obvious nod to the developer’s history, as Creative Director and CEO of 10 Chambers Ulf Andersson was the game designer for Payday and Payday 2. Den of Wolves is a slightly futuristic, techno-thriller cooperative heist game. Set towards the end of the 21st century, the global economy collapsed due to nefarious use of ever more sophisticated AI. Powerful corporations lobbied to develop a new form of communication, because simply getting online could wipe you out. The cost for this development, though, was a private location known as Midway City, essentially a sovereign metropolis where no one was bound by those pesky things known as laws and ethics. Unshackled by traditional rules, development quickly flourished and produced a new way to store and retrieve data, using human brains (the details are not really expounded upon here). While this does stabilize the global economy as capitalism can stay alive so long as business can be securely transacted, a consequence of having a city with no laws means competition is cutthroat, because anything goes.
Thus, you play as a professional criminal who lives in this world, where you’ll be tasked with committing corporate espionage, sabotage, assassinations, and probably more. Much like GTFO before it (and quite unlike the Payday games before that), missions will often include stealth sections, followed by intense action, and then things can quiet down as you collect loot, patch yourself or your teammates, and prepare for the next area. Though, of course, this pacing is dictated by the players’ actions.
Co-Op? Of Course!
It wouldn’t be a 10 Chambers game without a heavy emphasis on teamwork, and Den of Wolves promises to deliver that in spades. It’ll allow for four-player co-op, though as things are extremely early in terms of development, not even something as simple as player roles or equipment was explained. The Unity Engine is going to be utilized once again, which is not so surprising when you remember that GTFO was also developed using that engine. They are going to target current-generation consoles alongside PCs, so don’t expect any keyboard-heavy commands such as terminals that you need to type in manually.
GTFO is well-known for being a hardcore shooter. Enemies can kill you quickly, friendly fire is ALWAYS on, resources are limited. In summation, it’s a tough game that pulls no punches, and mercilessly punishes mistakes. Den of Wolves is aiming to be a more accessible game. While probably still not much easier, an emphasis was made during the presentation that more people should be able to complete the missions in the game. The location of Midway City allows 10 Chambers to have brighter and more varied environments, even taking the action outside while being several stories in the sky. By no means a cheery game, Den of Wolves is a drastic tone shift from GTFO.
Grab a Friend or Three
To give a more visual idea of what the game is going for vibe-wise, 10 Chambers showed us a not-for-broadcast concept video, which featured a professional voiceover played over footage of clips from heist-related, political, military contractor, and corporate movies and television shows. So, picture assassins taking their shot, people being taken away in a van, hacking, and a generally dark future where you have to constantly look over your shoulder as you chase the almighty dollar. There was even a second or so of what appeared to be early gameplay footage, though of course as it’s so early in development things are likely to change between now and whenever the game does finally release.
If you felt that GTFO was fun but perhaps a bit too unforgiving, it does seem like 10 Chambers is intent on giving you something that can allow for less of a steep learning curve. It’ll be best played with three friends, frenemies, or other acquaintances, but the increased accessibility might make games with random people online approachable. It’s still far too early in development to talk about release dates, but 10 Chambers is clearly excited to be “back on that heist shit,” and it shows.
As of now, Den of Wolves has no release date or window, and is slated for PC. Stay tuned for more coverage here on MP1st, as we have an interview with 10 Chambers going up soon.