Midway unveils new IP 'Necessary Force'

Midway's Newcastle studio has unveiled new IP Necessary Force in a bid to attract potential buyers.

In May, Warner Interactive purchased the bulk of the bankrupt publisher's assets for the sum of $33 million (£20 million). The deal did not include the firm's Newcastle and San Diego studios, which are now seeking funding elsewhere.

Necessary Force is a noir-style crime drama which uses Epic Games's Unreal Engine III technology. Studio head Craig Duncan described it as the Newcastle house's bid to distinguish itself as a unique developer.

"I think that, because we were an internal studio within Midway, a lot of people don't really know what we're about," he told Develop.

"We're not really a driving studio, although it's in our heritage; we've got this great backbone of technology that enables us to make flexible open-world content relatively quickly."

He went on to say that the game's goal is to thoroughly explore the noir genre. "The idea of a detective who sets his own rules is the sort of story that's been around in movies for a while, but we don't think anyone's managed to capture the essence of those choices and consequences in games," he added.

"That unprecedented level of open-world influence and troubled morality is something we're really keen to explore."

A trailer for Necessary Force is now available on the game's official website. A release date is yet to be confirmed.