Details emerge on Xbox’s cancelled ‘Uncharted rival’ Project Ranger
This cancelled Xbox exclusive was reportedly its answer to PlayStation’s action adventure series
A new video has unearthed alleged details on the cancelled Xbox exclusive ‘Project Ranger’, an Uncharted-style action adventure game once planned for Xbox One.
Project Ranger is said to be the game famously teased via a 30-second trailer during Xbox’s E3 2013 press conference, and never seen again.
At the time, the title was attached to ‘Black Tusk Studios’, which would later be renamed The Coalition and take over stewardship of the Gears of War franchise.
A new video by DidYouKnowGaming investigates the fate of the mysterious project, revealing that it was to be Xbox’s answer to Sony’s Uncharted series.
“In short, the idea for this game was Uncharted with Spies,” says researcher Liam Robertson. “An action-packed third-person shooter where the player controlled secret agents on high-octane espionage missions in various cities around the world.”
Pre-production on Ranger began in early 2012, it’s claimed, with the Mission Impossible movies cited as a strong influence on the project’s direction. The game would feature a single male protagonist, who would use Bond-style gadgets to distract enemies and hack scenery.
The game was also planned to include Kinect functionality, with players able to change their primary weapon’s fire mode, or ask for tips from their handler, by speaking to the sensor.
The E3 teaser, which was made using Unreal Engine, was reportedly based on a Shanghai mission planned for the game, in which players would have to infiltrate an office building occupied by terrorists.
Ultimately, Project Ranger’s development was cut short after the opportunity arose for Microsoft to revive a classic series. In late 2013, Microsoft acquired Gears of War from Epic Games, and Black Tusk felt like a good fit to take over the beloved series.
In early 2014, the decision was made official in a meeting with the studio’s wider team that Ranger would be cancelled in favour of a new Gears of War. Shortly after, the company was renamed to The Coalition.
