Prime Matter and Smilegate are teaming up for a new franchise, Crossfire: Legion, a futuristic, action-packed, modern take on classic RTS from Canadian-based RTS specialist studio, Blackbird Interactive.

Crossfire: Legion is a real time strategy game featuring tactical action in furious battles across a shattered version of the near future. Raise and customize your army to engage in intense online combat and carve your own path as you rise through the ranks.

It’s a new generation of warfare.

The world is in conflict. Black List and Global Risk are in a perpetual fight for the domination of their ideologies; but all is shaken up with the arrival of a new faction on the battlefield.

Lead your customized army to victory on the proving grounds of a not too distant futuristic world consumed by corporate conflict. Crossfire: Legion is the ultimate fast-paced real time strategy game.

Crossfire: Legion is now available through Steam Early Access.

The “store” section in-game worried players because it led some to wonder if we’d later introduce gameplay affecting microtransactions and pay-to-win mechanics. While this was never the intention, we did think a soft-currency tied player progression system would work well. We acknowleadge that the way this was presented was fairly confusing and so we are happy to remove it while we review better progression systems.

Ultimately, we don’t want anything to stand between you and enjoying the classic RTS gameplay the game has to offer!

In detail, this means:

• Removing all unit “purchasing”
• All current, and future, units will be available immediately
• Operations will be removed
• We’ll be working on a new progression system
• DLCs still planned for the future

Campaign Act II

We’ve seen many enjoying the 1st Act of our Campaign, so here’s ACT II.

Battle rages on with the next 4 missions of our immersive character-driven camapaign. Tensions escalate and the stakes rise as our factions complete to fulfill their ideologies amongst all the turmoil of new locations and story beats. Continue to immerse yourself in the expansive world and lore of the Crossfire: Legion universe.

New game mode : “Battlelines”

If intense micro-management isn’t your thing, we have a new macro-management game mode for you. Battlelines allows for 1v1, 2v2 and 3v3 matches with a focus on your army composition rather than the micromanaging of units. This is a macro-focused game mode where you place your units in formation within the designated area and watch them spawn in waves that fight automatically towards the other team's HQ.

New payload map : “Badlands”

Like to keep your eye on the prize? We’ve a new Payload map for you called “Badlands” You fight to secure each payload amongst the thick foliage and tricky terrain of the jungle. There are numerous lanes of narrow attack that allow you to focus your forces and set ambushes.

Hotkey Mapping

We have answered the calls for allowing hotkey remapping so you can more efficiently command. This feature will still grow and its options will become more detailed in future.

Multiplayer Changes

• Leaving the game will result in an automatic loss and a win for your opponent.
• Presets configurations now are saving properly.
• Ghost core will no longer prevent building construction on the same spot it was destroyed.
• Workers can't deny building HQs anymore as they spawn with more life. Construction time remains unchanged.
• Games should now end properly when Surrender/Abandon options are used.
• Turrets building now follows the same placement rules as in Payload mode.

Balance Changes

• Mineral patches are now depleting after 15000 resources collected.
• Workers now are carrying 7 minerals down from 10, and 5 gas down from 6.
• The Cavalier and Scepter units now have the stealth detection ability.
• Ghost Core has been revamped : If the core is under attack, the healing is deactivated. The initial cooldown of Ghost Core is 4 minutes.
• Ghost Nation now has a global cooldown.

Performance Improved

On top of all that, we’ve improved general performance and stability. So if you’ve had trouble playing the game in the past, please try it again and let us know how you get on.

ESL Tournament

We have our 1st ESL champions! Congratulation and enjoy your prize money and gifts:

• Europe winner: FTWCheese
• Americas winner: LaFaf
• Asia winner: Fuyue

An overview of the results can be found here.

Whether you are looking for a highly competitive experience or prefer a slightly more relaxed approach, Crossfire: Legion has something in store for you.

Prove your abilities in the online versus modes as you manage resources, consolidate a base and send your army to annihilate the enemies. Prepare yourself, on the field of battle, hesitation is your worst enemy.

Unit control and tactics are core elements of Crossfire: Legion but success in battle starts before the first shots are fired.

In Multiplayer, you are in full control over the composition of your army. Choose between three factions and customize your roster by selecting your troops, infantry, vehicles and air units that will guarantee victory.

All armies are led by a Commander; choose yours wisely as they bring special commander abilities to the battlefield which just may turn the tide in critical situations.

Crossfire: Legion also comes choke-full of exciting multiplayer modes that will test the full gamut of your abilities as a commander, from strategist to tactician - and have you realize that not all enemies are terrible foes.

Key Features:

• Narrative Driven Campaign: Society is crumbling in the near future of the Crossfire universe. Fight atop skyscrapers, dig into a bayou, or infiltrate heavily defended military bases as you get to know the main characters and goals of all three rival factions; the world is yours to conquer in this narrative-driven campaign.
• Built For Competitive Play: Climb the multiplayer leaderboards through a “season-based progression system.” Improve your tactics by reviewing your last battles using the built-in replay system.
• Co-op Scenarios: Team-up with friends to vanquish the AI in Operations. Be ready to assault enemy positions or to defend your own.

Blackbird Interactive was founded in 2010 by Rob Cunningham, a former art director of Homeworld 1 and 2 and formed with a group of industry professionals who participated many hit games, such as Gears of War and Company of Heroes.

Crossfire: Legion has a launch window of 2022.