LucasArts unveils new shooter IP for next-gen

LucasArts has unveiled Fracture, a new third-person shooter for PS3 and Xbox 360 due out next summer, with company president Jim Ward declaring that "exciting new intellectual properties serve a vital role" in the growth of the Star Wars publisher.

"Fracture represents the next step in this company initiative, complete with the intriguing story and compelling characters audiences expect of a LucasArts release," Ward said. Set in 2161, in the aftermath of ecological and seismological disasters, Fracture also places a great emphasis on new technology.

At the heart of its offering is Terrain Deformation - with a weapon-set based around reshaping the environment to help achieve the player's goals. "LucasArts sees simulation-based gameplay as an essential component of a true next-gen experience," says Peter Hirschmann, vice president of product development, adding that what Day 1 has produced "simply isn't possible in the previous generation of consoles".

Both companies have high expectations for the game, which was shown off to the US press yesterday, and is known to form the basis of at least one high-profile magazine cover feature in Europe.

Core to Day 1's Terrain Deformation are weapons like the tectonic grenade, which blasts ground upward to help the player reach new areas, while the rocket launcher - a relatively common shoot-'em-up weapon - has the benefit of an alternative-fire that creates craters in the ground, enabling the player to burrow under impenetrable walls. "With Terrain Deformation leading the way, we know we're creating something special," says Day 1 president Denny Thorley, "and we have absolutely no doubts that LucasArts is the only company to make sure Fracture receives its due."