The RPG game Gothic, which gained a cult following in the early 2000s, could be set for a comeback. Publisher THQ Nordic has announced a new playable teaser for a remake of the original game – except the company isn’t sure if it wants to actually make the remaster.
Gothic HD, as it’s currently known (final title TBC), is playable on Steam now for anyone who owns a game by the original’s developer, Piranha Bytes. “To find out what the true Gothic fanbase thinks of a modern remake of the cult classic RPG, THQ Nordic and its new Spanish development team, Barcelona Studios, will start an experiment,” read a press release. “Today, a free playable prototype of what a new Gothic could look and feel like will appear in the Steam Library of everyone who owns … Gothic 1-3, Risen 1-3, or ELEX.”
The demo is around two hours long and allows you to roam the mining colony of Khorinis. “After that, THQ Nordic is eager to learn from the players through a survey following the completion of the prototype, whether it should proceed with the production of a full Gothic Remake, or leave the heritage and the great memories associated with it untouched.”
Anyone interested in playing the new teaser can obtain it by simply purchasing one of the above games by Piranha Bytes. The original developer is not involved in the (potential) remake, however, with Barcelona Studios taking the reins this time round.
THQ Nordic says if the project goes ahead, “Basically nothing but the story, the setting, the atmosphere, the music, and the world of Gothic will remain. The whole tech, all graphics, the sound, different systems will be recreated according to 2020 standards.”
The original game was released in 2001 and later received two sequels. However, the series has remained dormant since 2008’s standalone expansion Gothic 3: Forsaken Gods.