Ahead of Disney’s Fox acquisition last year, 3D Realms, best known for Duke Nukem, was in talks to produce a co-op first-person shooter based on the Aliens franchise. Prior to the merger, in fact, 3D Realms had gotten pretty far into pre-production. The acquisition unfortunately resulted in the project’s cancellation.
3D Realms Vice President, Frederik Schreiber, noted as much on Twitter in response to Cliff Bleszinski whose now-defunct Boss Key Productions had also been in talks to develop an Aliens game. The 3D Realms project, specifically, would’ve been a four-player co-op experience that took place on the human colony Hadley’s Hope.
In a subsequent post, Schreiber divulged that the game was aptly titled Aliens: Hadley’s Hope. Schreiber also shared a couple of “Game Concept” pages, revealing Slipgate Ironworks’ involvement. Notably, Hadley’s Hope was meant to serve as a “storyworld-driven PVE multiplayer adventure shooter.”
Players would’ve assumed the roles of colonists or marines, teaming up to combat a “protective alien Queen” who safeguarded her eggs by any means. After making their way through numerous levels against the Queen’s alien Protectors, players would’ve then been treated to a boss battle against the Queen herself.
Yup. Game was called Aliens: Hadleys Hope. We went quite far into pre-production before the Disney/Fox acquisition, and then we had to cancel it, and move on with something else.
Maybe some day! I bet yours was very different than ours? pic.twitter.com/brpq4FgwWT
— Frederik Schreiber (@Freschism) February 11, 2020
Here’s to hoping 3D Realms and Slipgate Ironworks one day get another shot at the franchise. After all, Disney recently opened the door for developers industry-wide to pitch ideas regarding Disney-owned properties. Considering the success of Marvel’s Spider-Man and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, the company is looking for studios to craft unique stories set in its myriad creative universes.
[Source: Frederik Schreiber on Twitter via VG247]
