Hellgate: London Returns After 17 Years, New Game from Original Developer

Hellgate: London is reviving after 17 years with an unexpected comeback announced by original developer Bill Roper's new studio, Lunacy Games. The nostalgic dark fantasy action role-playing game, which originally released in 2007, will return as Hellgate: Redemption, powered by Unreal Engine 5. Despite Hellgate: London facing a tumultuous past that included the bankruptcy of Flagship Studios and several failed revival attempts, the new AAA title intends to leverage modern advancements while retaining core elements from the original game which was known for its pioneering role in the Looter Shooter genre.

What was Hellgate: London, and why is its return significant?

Hellgate: London was a groundbreaking game that combined first-person shooter and role-playing elements, setting precedence for the Looter Shooter genre with its randomly generated levels and battle pass-like business model. The return marks an important event for fans of the genre, as it promises to revive and build upon a once highly-anticipated franchise that struggled due to technical and financial issues at the time of its original release.

Hellgate: London's history is notable because of its original development by Flagship Studios, which included former Blizzard Entertainment personnel who contributed to the Diablo series. The game tried to blend the RPG elements familiar to Diablo fans with new shooter mechanics in a unique post-apocalyptic setting where players fought against demonic invasions. Despite its novel approach and highly anticipated release, Hellgate: London faced significant issues at launch, including bugs and an ambitious scope that arguably wasn't fully realized, leading to the original developer's eventual bankruptcy.