Square Enix has announced that Thief is in development for PC and next-generation consoles. The game is a “reinvention” of the classic PC titles made famous by Looking Glass Studios. I’m sure that some of you aren’t old enough to remember those games (stop making me feel old!); they were critically lauded and worked on by several notable developers, including Warren Spector, Ken Levine, Doug Church, Seamus Blackley, and Randy Smith. The game is now in the hands of Eidos Montreal.
Here’s what Eidos Montreal general manager Stephane D’Astous had to say about the reboot:
We’re handling a precious gemstone with Thief. Fans remember the original games very fondly and we want to preserve that essence which we have excellent experience of doing at Eidos Montréal, whilst also introducing Thief to a brand new, next-generation, audience. Our goal is to deliver the fantasy of being Garrett, the master thief, and we’re building this game around that core experience.
Thief was a groundbreaking first-person game. Prior to its 1998 release, first-person games were mainly shooters, with an emphasis on action. Thief brought smarter sensibilities to the mix, adding in several adventure and role-playing elements. It changed the perception and expectation of what these kinds of games could be. It sounds kind of quaint in 2013, but 15 years ago this was a big deal.
Any of you remember those early Thief games? If so, are you looking forward to the new one? If not, are you at all intrigued by Square Enix’s announcement?
