Team17 Digital and Absolutely Games have today announced the turn-based tactics game, Classified: France ’44. Launching on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation®5 in 2023, Classified: France ’44 is inspired by the untold story of the Jedburghs – a group of heroic Allied special forces dropped behind enemy lines – and disparate brave Resistance groups working across Northern France during the weeks and months ahead of the decisive Normandy landings on D-Day.
Classified: France ’44 features a series of evolutionary gameplay mechanics for the turn-based tactical genre, including a much greater emphasis on the use of stealth to complete missions, an enhanced overwatch ability that provides further tactical options, and an engaging morale-based combat & suppression system that means every shot matters.
Classified: France ’44 Key Features
- Engage in tactical realism: Combined with tactical stealth play, enemy engagements are designed to replicate real-world military strategy, with combat relying on suppressing opponents with morale damage, then flanking pinned targets to finish the job
- Discover an untold story: Follow a campaign based on the heroic exploits of the Allied special forces and French Resistance factions ahead of the Normandy landings, as you lead a unique and memorable team with their own skills, politics, and personalities
- Define D-Day’s success: In the game’s non-linear and highly replayable campaign, gain the trust of disparate political factions, manage your growing team, face challenging dilemmas, and ultimately, raise a Resistance force that will make or break the D-Day landings
- Fight on: Classified: France ’44 will include a mission editor for the community to craft and share missions using the very same tools that the game itself was built in (PC only) and upcoming DLCs
James Brooksby, CEO, Absolutely Games, said: “Myself and the team are huge fans of tactical turn-based games and strategy games, and so for Classified: France ’44 we not only wanted to evolve the genre and be ambitious in the game we have created, but also, we wanted to depict the largely untold story of heroism behind enemy lines in Northern France before D-Day. The Allies created groups of the world’s first special forces who teamed up with the French Resistance to cause destruction and mayhem in the lead up to D-Day, something that we can tell through Classified: France ‘44’s tense and exciting campaign and our characters. We’re looking forward to delivering our unique turn-based tactical game with its mix of tactical stealth, intense firefights, strategic campaign, and strong characters.”
Roger Carpenter, Head of Studios, Team17 Digital, said: “Being able to partner with James and his team at Absolutely Games to elevate the turn-based tactics genre and peel back the pages of history to the events of June 1944 is so exciting for us. They are very focused on delivering a campaign based on real-life events and the people who helped bring about the beginning of the end of World War II, one that will wholeheartedly deliver when Classified: France ’44 is deployed on PC and consoles.”
