German F2P developer Bigpoint Games has unveiled plans to enter the ever-more-popular massive online battle arena (MOBA) genre with a new title focused on military PvP. Best known for Battlestar Galactica Online and Drakensang Online, the browser-based specialist will deliver Merc Elite using the Unity engine in 2013.
Merc Elite will sidestep the typical fantasy setting seen in today’s crowded MOBA space for a more realistic near-future space. The team-based military title will feature the standard 5v5 battles but without the typical laning scenario seen in League of Legends, SMITE or Heroes of Newerth. Instead, the Domination game mode players will be focused on capturing certain flags and holding them, much like SMITE’s Domination game mode.
Merc Elite will feature five distinct classes – recon, assault, commander, heavy gunner and tank – an isometric view and customizable characters with over 120 skills.