There have been rumors about sci-fi classic Starship Troopers getting a reboot, and while that has yet to be confirmed, we do know that we’re getting a new video game adaptation next year. It’s called Starship Troopers: Extermination, and from what we know so far, it seems to miss the point of the 1997 film.
The announcement teaser doesn’t show much. We see a group of Arachnids charging forward as they’re pelted by explosive ordinance, followed by one of the most famous lines from the film: “Would you like to know more?” Thankfully, the video description does have more info for those who are curious. Extermination is a co-op shooter that supports up to 12 players, dropping them onto various colonies to battle the Arachnid threat.
According to the game’s Steam page, each of these missions will ramp up the danger level, pitting players against bigger and badder bugs. You can choose between Assault, Defense, and Support classes, each of which will earn new gear, weapons, and perks as they rank up. Players will also have to build defenses like walls, towers, and ammo stations to keep the fight going. These will be large-scale battles across big maps with distinct zones, and players will have to complete various objectives like retaking bases and destroying hives. A ping system should make it a little easier to communicate among the 12-person team across these large maps.
Starship Troopers: Extermination will release through Steam early access sometime next year. There will be five Bug types to battle when it launches, with more content to come after that. In the meantime, the real-time strategy title Starship Troopers: Terran Command is also available on Steam.
In both cases, these games appear at odds with the message of the movie. The original Starship Troopers novel has been heavily criticized for its pro-military viewpoint, with accusations of fascism and xenophobia coming into play. The movie adaptation is decidedly satirical, lampooning these philosophies. Neither game seems to acknowledge that, and they instead embrace full-on video game violence, which may be a turn-off for some fans of the film.
