Gas Powered Games Takes Sieging from Dungeons to Space

Developer Gas Powered Games plans to expand upon the dungeon-crawling action RPG gameplay it employed in its Dungeon Siege series with its upcoming Space Siege. In a partnership with publisher Sega, the Redmond-based studio will deliver Space Siege for PC in Q1 2008. Space Siege thrusts its protagonist Seth Walker into what is claimed to be a dynamic storyline set aboard a colony ship housing the last remaining members of humanity. Gameplay hinges on the continual choice of retaining Walker's humanity or adding on cybernetic upgrades that afford increased abilities but damage Walker's relationships with his fellow humans. That choice plays into the narrative elements of the game, affecting NPC reactions and plot paths. "Chris Taylor and his talented team at Gas Powered Games are recognized as leading innovators in the industry," said Sega marketing VP Scott A. Steinberg. "Space Siege promises to be a compelling and innovative successor to the very popular Dungeon Siege franchise." Games in Gas Powered's Dungeon Siege action RPG franchise have been published by Microsoft Game Studiods and 2K Games. Today's deal marks the latest announcement in what appears to be an ongoing effort on Sega's part to establish a presence in the PC gaming market. The company recently announced Petroglyph's Universe at War: Earth Assault (PC, X360), published Monolith Productions' Condemned: Criminal Origins (PC, X360), and acquired PC-heavy Total War developer The Creative Assembly and Soccer Manager developer Sports Interactive.