XCOM: Enemy Unknown to feature one-on-one deathmatch mode

For the first time in an XCOM (and X-COM) game, you'll be able to partake in one-on-one deathmatch shenanigans.

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While we were already quite enthused about XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Firaxis Games has announced yet another mode for the turn-based strategy game. For the first time in an XCOM (and X-COM) game, you'll be able to partake in one-on-one deathmatch shenanigans. "Players will be able to pick a squad of soldiers, aliens or even combine a squad of both unit types to create the ultimate mixed squad to command in battle," the announcement details.

While the gameplay, tactics, and strategy are all taken from the single-player campaign, multiplayer lives outside of the XCOM canon, making it an entirely standalone experience. "Players can mix and match both alien and soldier units to comprise their squad, outfitting soldiers with dozens of armor types, weapons, items and class-based abilities for thousands of possible loadout combinations." Like in the single player modes, there will be a fog of war that both sides will have to contend with.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown will be available in October.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    August 10, 2012 12:00 PM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, XCOM: Enemy Unknown to feature one-on-one deathmatch mode.

    For the first time in an XCOM (and X-COM) game, you'll be able to partake in one-on-one deathmatch shenanigans.

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      August 10, 2012 12:02 PM

      Any word on how long the average encounter would take to play out?

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      August 10, 2012 12:09 PM

      PBEM plz!

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        August 10, 2012 4:12 PM

        I am in 100% full concurrence with the sentiments expressed by node in the above post.

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      August 10, 2012 12:47 PM

      Pitboss mode? LOL just kidding. Let's not start promising things that can't be delivered!

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      August 10, 2012 3:39 PM

      I'm sure the XCOM purists will disagree, but this sounds awesome! If this ends up essentially being Chess, but set in the XCOM world and game rules, then it will rule :)

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        August 10, 2012 3:54 PM

        You'd be surprised! A lot of the XCOM purists on the official forums are quite excited about this. I think they were worried that a multiplayer mode might be added that interfered with the singleplayer experience. But this is a completely separate thing.

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      August 10, 2012 3:50 PM

      What is up with every single game coming out with multiplayer. Is that the new thing? I'll probably just stick with the original x-com.

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        August 10, 2012 3:52 PM

        [deleted]

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          August 10, 2012 3:58 PM

          I'm always afraid that time spent on the multiplayer part of the game could possibly hurt the single player part of it. Especially on an amazing classic such as this.

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            August 10, 2012 4:01 PM

            One of the interviews with Jake covered this (Gamespy I think) - we knew we wanted multiplayer from the very beginning, and so the budget was increased to be able to put resources on it directly. So they didn't take people away from working on singleplayer for this.

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              August 10, 2012 4:09 PM

              Will it require you to be online to play the single player portion of the game?

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            August 11, 2012 5:25 AM

            Having the multiplayer portion can potentially create some improvements in the single player AI by looking at the various tactics that work in multiplayer using roughly the same ruleset.

            Hopefully they can roll some of that data into the single player AI but it is more likely that they would just do a HP multiplier and armor boost per difficulty.

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        August 10, 2012 3:55 PM

        I'd be happy to assuage your fears if you're worried about the existence of multiplayer making your experience worse. What are you concerned about?

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      August 10, 2012 4:10 PM

      TURN BY TURN WITH E-MAIL NOTIFICATIONS?! ?! d9083408 DLFDZ ???

      I WILL BUY THIS GAME 9 TIMES.

      OAT. DON'T YOU LET ME DOWN.

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      August 11, 2012 1:11 AM

      Hmm what for? This is unexpected and I hope that it will not leave an impact on the single player (as multiplayer often does).

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      August 11, 2012 2:10 AM

      [deleted]

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      August 11, 2012 2:12 AM

      I WILL PLAY MULTIPLAYER VS MYSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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      August 11, 2012 3:24 AM

      this could be awesome

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      August 11, 2012 4:27 AM

      I do believe this game will be a day 1 purchase for me. A rare event.

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