Disintegration, the next game from Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto’s V1 Interactive, is getting a closed beta at the end of January, followed by an open beta just a few days later. Disintegration’s teaser trailer debut in 2019 showed off an art style similar to previous Bungie games like Destiny, which shouldn’t be too surprising given Lehto’s former role as art director for the Halo series.
Aside from its aesthetic similarities to some Bungie games, Disintegration is treading entirely different ground in the gameplay department. As seen in Disintegration’s Gamescom 2019 gameplay reveal, it isn’t a first-person shooter at all, at least as the term is commonly used. While the action takes place from a first-person perspective, players sit atop hovering vehicles called Gravcycles and launch salvos from there rather than being the boots on the ground. While reigning death from above, players will also give commands to a squad of AI teammates on the ground. Disintegration will feature a full campaign and a separate multiplayer mode with players pitting their AI armies against one another.
Anyone who wants to try out Disintegration’s distinctive FPS/RTS crossover before its release will get their chance later this month. Closed beta tests will be held January 28 and 29 on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, followed by an open beta January 31 through February 1, according to a press release. To secure one of the limited spots in the closed beta, players can apply on Disintegration’s website, while the open beta is available for anyone.
Both the closed and open beta tests will feature two of Disintegration’s three planned multiplayer modes. The first mode, Retrieval, sounds essentially like a capture the flag mode seen in games like Halo, with the twist that only the players’ AI teammates can actually carry the flag. The second mode, Control, should be familiar to Destiny players, as it tasks teams with securing and holding control points around the map to win. Beta players will have their pick of seven different AI ally teams, each with its own unique abilities. More are expected for the final release, which is being handled by Private Division, the publisher of The Outer Worlds.
Disintegration may not have been the biggest announcement at Gamescom 2019, but it was one of the most surprising and original looking games to share the stage. It doesn’t have a concrete release date yet, but it’s expected some time in 2020, and it may start getting a lot more attention if the beta plays as good as it looks.
Next: Halo Reach Review: A Warm Welcome Back to PC
Source: V1 Interactive
