Welcome to the Italian Front! We’re thrilled to announce our new WW1 FPS game: Isonzo! For the third entry in the WW1 Game Series we decided to visit some of the highest altitude battles of the First World War. War broke out between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire on May 23, 1915. It would involve millions of men and several pitched battles — including not one, not two, but twelve Battles of the Isonzo. Combat occurred at heights of up to 12,000 feet (3,600 meters) with the beautiful but deadly mountains posing challenges totally unlike those seen on the Western and Eastern Fronts. Our announcement trailer will give you an idea what we mean…
In Isonzo you’ll find yourself storming mountaintop fortifications, battling through ruined towns, fording rivers, and much more. The new Offensive game mode plunges you into historical battles – fight for the iconic Salcano bridge, the outskirts of Gorizia and the arid Carso plateau overlooking the Adriatic coast. One team is tasked with capturing a series of defensive positions while the defenders must stop that happening. These defenses range from concrete bunkers dug into mountainsides to shallow foxholes – but don’t forget that the rugged terrain itself can pose problems for the attackers.
Mountain warfare during the First World War
The idyllic landscapes of northeast Italy offer stunning views quite unlike the muddy trenches of our Western Front game Verdun or the snow covered fields of Tannenberg, but they’re no less lethal. As always we’ve gone to extensive lengths to accurately recreate the weapons, uniforms and sounds of the Great War in Isonzo, including research trips to Italy to view the battlefields as they are today. Going to Italy has also proved to be the perfect opportunity to introduce a range of new gameplay features to enhance immersion even further. We have a lot more that we’re planning to reveal in the upcoming months, but you can already see the wire cutters in the trailer – being able to open new routes through enemy wire is a real game changer! Another new feature is a loadout system that gives players the opportunity to react to the tactical situation on the battlefield. There will also be many new weapons…
For instance, players will be able to operate their own artillery directly for the first time in the series thanks to the introduction of mortars. Work with your team to drop explosives directly on concentrations of enemy troops or to knock out troublesome machine gun positions. Other options include the new rifle grenades… and of course if you need heavy duty support then it’s still possible to call in heavy artillery barrages, bombing runs, and even poison gas. You’ll need every weapon in your arsenal to successfully defeat the enemy on mountain slopes, colorful Italian towns, and vital river crossings.
The Italian Front arrives in the WW1 Game Series
Isonzo is the third game in the WW1 Game Series. Tannenberg was focused on the clash between Russia and the Central Powers on the Eastern Front, while Verdun immersed players into the bloody trench warfare of the Western Front. Every game has a signature game mode, with Verdun’s Frontlines mode recreating the back and forth of trench combat, and Tannenberg’s Maneuver mode allowing for encirclements and cutting off key points. Verdun and Tannenberg are both available on Xbox – the ideal thing to keep you entertained until Isonzo arrives later this year!
The Alpine offensives will begin soon…
We’ll be revealing more details about Isonzo as we get closer to release day, including a breakdown of the new Offensive game mode, more new features, and a closer look at the battlefields you’ll be visiting. Stay sharp and look out for more development news!
Remember: it’s not the mountain we conquer, but the enemy.