If you read our earlier news item about the renewed tussle for ownership of the Commodore name, you might have ventured onto Commodore Industries' website and spotted a news post about a sequel to one of the most beloved Amiga shooters of all time.
You see, back in 2024, Commodore Industries confirmed that it had "acquired the license to work on a legendary title," which is, of course, Xenon. The first game was released by The Bitmap Brothers in 1988, but it would be 1989's Xenon 2: Megablast that propelled the series into global stardom. It was ported to a wide range of systems and remains a firm favourite, even today.
"The Bitmap Brothers created a masterpiece in 1988, and we will do our utmost to honour this legacy," said Commodore Industries back in 2014. "We will work with dedication and passion to deliver a gaming experience that lives up to the original, aiming to further enhance the immersion and quality."
The company has now revealed that the game in question is a direct sequel called Xenon 3: Hyperblast.
"Our Xenon 3 will be both a tribute and an evolution," adds the company. "An explosive roguelite, with top-down gameplay and real-time transformations between spaceship and tank modes, just like the original game. Every element is designed to recreate that feeling: the arcade feel, the fast pace, the desire for 'one more playthrough.'"
Commodore Industries cites games like Sky Force Reloaded, Battle Garegga, Cygni and RayStorm as points of inspiration, and says that the boss fights will be unforgettable.
The plan is to release the game initially on Commodore's new Starcade "gaming ecosystem" before bringing it to Steam, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch consoles.
Commodore is also apparently working on a new version of Taito's New Zealand Story, which will have a 90-minute runtime.