Team17 and Catchweight Studio have announced a publishing partnership for the upcoming World War 1-themed horror survival game Conscript, which is set to arrive for PC in 2024.
Conscript is a solo-developed project by Melbourne game developer Jordan Mochi, and it’s been in the works for the last six years. It follows a lone French soldier charting the dank trenches of Verdun on the hunt for his missing brother, and encountering all manner of terror along the way. Team17 is now on board to aid with publishing and support duties as the game heads to release.
Here’s the game’s official description, courtesy of Catchweight Studio:
‘Set in 1916 during the Great War, Conscript blends the punishing mechanics of classic horror titles
into a cohesive, tense, and original survival horror experience. In Conscript, players explore the
trenches of Verdun as a lone French soldier searching for his missing-in-action brother to ensure a
home goes unbroken.’
‘Plan. Explore. Survive. Players will dive into the madness of war, engage in brutal combat against
enemy soldiers, manage limited supplies, and solve complex environmental puzzles.’
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An early demo for the game is now available on Steam for those keen to learn more about how the game integrates bleak horror into its historical set pieces. It also demonstrates the uniqueness of the game’s premise – in that most war games focus on power fantasy, rather than the sheer dread of war.
For developer Jordan Mochi, that was core to his interest in developing Conscript – a love of real life history, and how aspects of survival horror intertwine with modern war depictions.
‘Conscript emerged from my own love of history and my love of survival horror,’ Mochi said in a press release. ‘I’ve long dreamed of making games and of creating stories for people to play. Over the last six years, I’ve been happy to see a community of players grow around Conscript, and I’m looking forward to working with Team17 to launch the game for the community and players around the world in 2024.’
Catchweight Studio will next showcase Conscript at Gamescom 2023, as part of the newly-announced Australian Pavilion. You can keep an eye on the game’s development on the Conscript website.
