Rage 2, the collaboration between id Software and Avalanche Studios, is an open-world shooter that blends the fast-paced and intense shooting of an id title with the exploration and freedom of an open-world action-adventure. After going hands-on with the game at QuakeCon it's definitely safe to say that it nails the former. We didn't really get a chance to experience the latter.



In our subsequent discussion with id Software studio director Tim Willits we wondered if the team was planning any sort of multiplayer or co-op component. Based on what we played, and a general love for all things co-op, Rage 2 feels like it could work in a multiplayer setting.

As it turns out though, Rage 2 is strictly a single-player game. At launch anyway.

"It's a single-player game," Tim responds. "We feel that we are offering many hours of game for the money, but we also want to have a longer tail on the game." Which means that the focus is to deliver a robust single-player game at launch. "We'll have some free updates," Tim adds. "And we'll have paid updates. We have some community things too, so you can kind of feel that you're part of a community. And we'll talk about those later. But our focus is single player."

The community aspect definitely sounds interesting, as does the reference to a longer tail. Meaning that Rage 2 is being developed in the style of a game as a service where support and updates continue for an extended period of time after launch. At its most basic level this could be an arcade-like time trial mode with leader boards and so forth. Either way, Rage 2 is definitely one to keep an eye on in 2019 - the combat already feels polished and leagues ahead of many current shooters, and the promise of open-world destruction and vehicle combat give it the aura of Doom meets Mad Max.