Crime doesn’t pay, but in the case of Kingpin it does. 3D Realms announced today the re-release of a Quake II engine classic, Kingpin:Reloaded. Originally released in 1999, the original game was a sharply distinctive and unique first-person shooter, utilizing the Quake II engine for dynamic action and shooting set within a one-of-a-kind world of retro-crime. Now, Kingpin: Reloaded is coming back to settle the score with a new generation of gamers.
Kingpin: Reloaded is a remastering of the classic game. The original Kingpin put players in a retro-futuristic world that is set in the 1930’s but features modern technologies, such as helicopters. Described as ” Blade Runner for gangsters” players are set on a path of revenge in an art-deco world, where the golden streets of wealth and corruption are met with the sounds gunfire and the sight of blood. Kingpin set itself apart from the sci-fi and military experiences of FPS’s at the time, and focused on a detective noir story, filled with cigar smoke and an overabundance of foul-language. In Kingpin the goal is to take back the streets and restore order, but unlike the more linear shooters at the time, the player recruits various low-lives to assist in the mission. Though primary missions, and side-quests, players take back the streets through influence. With the announcement of Kingpin: Reloaded, the team at 3D Realms and Interplay have chosen now to bring a cult-classic first-person shooter to a new generation of audiences.
Kingpin: Reloaded is set to arrive with a bevy of enhancements and new features in 2020. 4K resolution, ultrawide support, and new visuals in Enhanced Mode are just an inkling of what will be provided. Overall improvements, controller support, and even new conversations and side-quests will be offered as well. Additionally, Kingpin: Reloaded is arriving on all console platforms, including Nintendo Switch.
With this release, Kingpin: Reloaded isn’t just a new release of an older game, but a new opportunity for the game to find an audience. When the original Kingpin was launched in 1999, recent tragedies involving mass violence shocked the world at large, and the general consensus became that video games were to blame for such violence. While that consensus has drastically changed today, the misplaced rage put Kingpin in the shadows, with many retailers refusing to carry the game. “Kingpin doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, due to unfortunately releasing in an era when games were blamed for societal problems,” said Frederik Schreiber, founder of 3D Realms. “We have the privilege of giving it a second chance for people who never heard of it, and sprucing it up for diehard fans yearning to go back to a life of (simulated!) crime.”
Kingpin: Reloaded is set to be the return to crime for older generations of gamers, and a new adventure for today’s gamers to embark on. Kingpin: Reloaded launches in 2020 for PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
Twitter: Roberto (@Jehuty88) gets word on the street from @3DRealms on Kingpin: Reloaded, coming in 2020 to PC and all consoles.