A new installment in the Fieldrunners series, a tower defense franchise from Cambridge, Mass. developer Subatomic Studios, is in the works as part of a publishing initiative with German developer Flaregames, according to a recent joint press release from the two companies.
In an interview with PocketGamer.biz, Flaregames CEO Klaas Kersting explained that the two studios would co-develop a free-to-play Fieldrunners title for release sometime in 2015. Despite the new business model for the series, Kersting said the teams would "stay true to the brand and help create a fun game that both hardcore fans of the two original games, as well as new players, will love."
The initiative is a result of Flaregames' acquisition of $12.2 million in funding, allowing them to expand beyond the in-house development of games like Royal Revolt 2 and Throne Wars. Subatomic Studios is the first developer Flaregames has elected to partner with as part of the publishing effort, and represents the "boutique approach" the company is taking on, Kersting said.
"We're very selective about the games we want to publish," Kersting told PocketGamer.biz. "We're looking for studios with a good track record who have proven to understand mobile gaming. We do not presume to know everything but we are good with mid-core games, with strategy games, with RTSs and RPGs."
For more information on the Fieldrunners series, check out our review of the latest installment, the 2012 tower defense title Fieldrunners 2.