Midway Newcastle flaunts cop game

Midway Newcastle has shown off the open-world action game it's currently working on despite the prospect of going out of business in the next fortnight.

The studio was not included in Warner's USD 33m takeover bid, and has until June to secure investment.

At the moment that hasn't happened, so bosses have been keen to show off Necessary Force, an open-world cop drama based on Unreal Engine 3, for unspecified platforms.

"The idea of a detective who sets his own rules is the sort of story that's been around in movies for a while, but we don't think anyone's managed to capture the essence of those choices and consequences in games," studio boss Craig Duncan told Develop.

"That unprecedented level of open-world influence and troubled morality is something we're really keen to explore."

Duncan said that the game is already playable, with a section of the city 'nearing relative completion' according to the article. You can catch a glimpse of it in action on the game's official website, in a teaser featuring a bit of gameplay footage alongside moody stills.

"Operationally we've really hit our stride now," Duncan said about Midway Newcastle. "We know what we are capable of and that we would make a strong addition to any company."