MechWarrior 5: Clans Takes Full Advantage of Unreal Engine 5, Finally Ships with Great Controller Support

At GDC 2024, Canadian developer Piranha Games showcased new info and footage of MechWarrior 5: Clans, a standalone game and the first in a very long time to be narrative-focused in this franchise. As suggested by the game's title, this will be a Clan Invasion story (the first since 1995's MechWarrior 2), diving into the period that changed the politics of the Inner Sphere for good. According to the developers, this will be an ideal entry point for series newcomers, too.

The plot will follow a promising young pilot who recently finished their intensive training on Huntress, the homeworld of the Smoke Jaguar clan. The main character joins a squad (also known as a Star) of five pilots from the same clan mobilizing to help their clansmen in a full-scale invasion of the Inner Sphere, a pivotal moment in the BattleTech universe.

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The bond between the pilots will grow stronger with the progression of the campaign, which Piranha Games said will span a variety of planets through meticulously designed biomes and handcrafted maps and missions, in stark contrast to the procedural elements of the sandbox-style game Mercenaries. Just like its predecessor, MechWarrior 5: Clans also plans to deliver engaging combat that is both complex and chaotic, demanding thoughtful, strategic play.

The game will include several new features, such as an updated Mech lab, Hardpoint, and Omnipod system. Players will also find tools to direct allies, such as a bird's eye-style Battlegrid and a quick command radial menu. Following a presentation, we interviewed Piranha Games CEO Russ Bullock. You can read the full transcript below.

MechWarrior 5: Clans will be released this year on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S|X with cross-play support.

What makes this MechWarrior 5 rather than becoming MechWarrior 6 at this point?

Not much, I suppose it very well could have been called MechWarrior 6, maybe in another