System Shock’s new owner discusses remake, possible sequel

By Danny Cowan November 12, 2015

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After recently purchasing the rights to the franchise, publisher Night Dive Studios is now discussing a remake and sequel for the cult classic PC game System Shock.

Night Dive’s forthcoming remake of System Shock will mark the game’s console debut, as the original version was exclusive to PC platforms.

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Released in 1994, System Shock is a first-person action-RPG notable for its nuanced gameplay and futuristic storyline, which casts players in the role of a hacker tormented by a dangerous rogue AI. Creator Looking Glass Studios followed up on System Shock with a sequel in 1999, and members of its development team went on to create influential games like Deus Ex and BioShock.

After acquiring the rights to the System Shock trademark and franchise in 2013, Night Dive Studios released an Enhanced Edition via Steam that increases the game’s resolution, adds mouselook support, and fixes bugs present in the original release.

Night Dive also distributes the original System Shock games via Steam and GOG.com, and spearheaded re-releases for classic PC titles like The 7th Guest, The 11th Hour, and I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream.

Night Dive is now working on a full remake of System Shock for consoles and PCs. The project has entered pre-production, and Night Dive has enlisted System Shock‘s original concept artist Robert Waters to produce new designs.

“Seeing the difference between his artistic abilities back then compared to now, and his ability to reinterpret those ideas, it’s just been really exciting for us,” Night Dive Studios CEO Stephen Kick said in an interview with Fast Company.

While Night Dive is legally cleared to produce a sequel in the System Shock franchise, company head of business development Larry Kuperman admits that “It’s really not our core business,” and explains that “To really do another game in that series is going to take resources and time and commitment that we don’t have.”

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