Homeworld and Homeworld 2 to get remakes by Gearbox

Gearbox has announced that it will be remaking the classic 3D space-strategy games Homeworld and Homeworld 2. According to Polygon, the remakes for the games will be released through digital distribution platforms on the PC. This has been the first thing anyone’s heard about the old Homeworld franchise since Gearbox picked up the IP from a dying THQ.  The remakes will presumably have improved graphics and better interfaces.

Gearbox had bought Homeworld from THQ for $72 million earlier this year. The company’s Chief Creative Officer had also released a statement saying that he had great love and respect for the franchise.

I’m trying my best not to squeal with excitement about the remakes

The first Homeworld was a real-time strategy game developed by Relic Entertainment. For its time, the game was ground-breaking since it was the first strategy game that allowed movement in a completely 3-dimensional space. However, the game wasn’t a commercial success, and it got a lot of flak for its clunky interface and slow-paced gameplay. However, the game still maintains a cult following thanks to its extremely beautiful visuals and soundtrack.

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There were two other games in the Homeworld franchise, dubbed Homeworld: Cataclysm and Homeworld 2. Cataclysm takes place fifteen years after the events of the first game. However, the game’s canonicity is often disputed, since Homeworld 2 doesn’t reference any of the events of Cataclysm.

Homeworld 2 took place a hundred years after the events of the first game. It revamped the original’s gameplay and brought about improved graphics. However, there was a noticeable sacrifice made to the game’s plot, mood, characterisation and voice acting.

Here’s hoping the remakes sell well enough to warrant a sequel. It will also be interesting to see another studio take a crack at the Homeworld franchise. Currently, there’s no solid release date for the remakes.