Five years after the free-to-play multiplayer mech shooter Hawken was taken offline following tumultuous development, the brand is being revived by 505 Games as the PvE-centric and initially single-player Hawken Reborn.
The original Hawken hit the scene in 2011 eye-catching works trailer, but once in the real world, it struggled to find an audience. A failed early access attempt in 2014 halted development until a “relaunch” in 2017, but even that wasn’t enough to get the mechanical systems rolling, and the game’s PC servers were completely hacked the following year.
This makes Hawken an odd choice for a revival, but here we are with free-to-play Hawken Reborn five years later. now listed on Steam and is set to begin early access this Wednesday, May 17, as a “really early development” title.
Described as “very early in its lifecycle,” this early version of Hawken Reborn will feature six playable story missions, one playable zone, and radio missions for “early replayability and exploration” accessible via the Merc Net menu. It also includes five mechanics, plus “plenty of weapons and thrusters to craft and customize to your playstyle.”
505 says it expects Hawken Reborn to remain in early access on Steam for about 18 months, with new content coming “once we have the basics in place.” These new additions include new mechanics and missions, cooperative multiplayer, and an “epic story” coming later as part of the game’s full launch.
505 hasn’t mentioned plans for platforms outside of PC, but curious types can get their first taste of Hawken Reborn when it enters early access on Steam this Wednesday, May 17.