DayZ developer Bohemia Interactive is widely expected to be delivering a new iteration of its Arma series of military tactical shooters, but we're getting a surprise reveal a few days early courtesy of a leak posted to Reddit. The Gaming Leaks and Rumors subreddit (via Eurogamer) is now hosting a "Brand Guide" for something called Arma Reforger. It's not the expected Arma 4, but instead a new multi-platform title that is designed to "introduce Arma to a new (console-oriented) audience." It will be powered on Bohemia Interactive's new Enfusion Engine, and it will also be used to "test new technology and design decisions to form the foundation of Arma 4."Besides the new engine and the new console-oriented format (which will presumably be friendlier for controller players to grasp), Arma Reforger will also serve as a platform to test new modding tools and a new development cycle that relies more on community feedback. Bohemia will also use Reforger to rebrand its social media and secure additional funding for future Arma development. It's expected to release on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S first before heading to PlayStation "in the future."
As for the game itself, Arma Reforger is still a tactical military shooter with competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes. The focus is still on infantry combat, but there will be six vehicles for players to augment their forces. There's also 15 weapons, two types of grenades, and 13 "dedicated combat roles," including battlefield communications and logistics.
Reforger will take place in an alternate 1989 where the Cold War never ended. US and Soviet forces are fighting a fierce battle for control over the strategic (and fictional) island of Everon in the North Atlantic. Despite being an island in the Atlantic, Everon looks a lot like rural Europe with low rolling hills, tranquil streams, and pine forests.
Bohemia's marketing material says it plans to sell Arma Reforger for a "premium" price, with no microtransactions or DLC, but plans to include "basic in-game monetization in the future."
And what about Arma 4? Bohemia's Brand Guide didn't say much, but it did confirm that Arma 4 will use the same Enfusion Engine, but won't "deliver the full scope... immediately on release." Sounds like Bohemia plans to introduce Arma 4 as an early access title.
We're likely to find out on Tuesday, May 17 at 1 PM ET. That's when Bohemia will host a livestream announcement regarding the future of Arma. With Battlefield 2042 basically dead on arrival, there's plenty of room for Arma to swoop in and gobble up all those military shooter fans, and we’ll be watching closely to see what Bohemia has come up with.