Last September brought a rumor of the apparent development of a Twisted Metal revival helmed by Destruction AllStars developer Lucid Games. Only four months after the initial VGC report, it seems like the plan has changed considerably. According to VGC’s latest report, development duties have switched hands.
VGC’s latest sources now claim that Twisted Metal will be handled by a first-party European studio. Neither Lucid Games nor Sony Interactive Entertainment have responded to VGC’s request for comment. Not much else is known about the new shape the project may take. No reason was given as to why development studios were switched mid-project, nor was there mention of a release window change was made either.
One possible reason might involve Destruction AllStars’ poor performance. Its player counts dropped so significantly six months after launch that bots were added to address the issue, in spite of it launching on PlayStation Plus. Its performance combined with Twisted Metal’s alleged direction may have convinced Sony to keep Lucid Games on the project until they found a more suitable studio.
According to last year’s report, Twisted Metal would have adopted the free-to-play model. As the industry continues to grow more critical of predatory business practices, it’s possible Sony saw the warning signs. Of course, even with a credible publication and sources, it’s good practice to remain skeptical of any information that hasn’t been officially confirmed.
