MechWarrior 5: Clans ‘GDC 2024 Demo’ trailer, screenshots

First gameplay footage of the mech tactical action game.

Piranha Games has released the first gameplay trailer and screenshots for MechWarrior 5: Clans, its September 2023-announced standalone tactical action game, as well as confirmed PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series as its previously announced “PlayStation” and “Xbox” platforms.

Here is an overview of the game, via Piranha Games:

MechWarrior 5: Clans follows its 2019 sandbox-style companion, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, as a completely new game in the MechWarrior universe, presenting an entirely different style of game design. Its linear-based design features classic Mech combat that has been streamlined for players on PC or console. Harness the power of a Mech of your choosing in single player or up to five-player cooperative play and jump into a lore-filled universe that challenges your skills as it unfolds a gripping and unforgettable story.
The series’ first Clan Invasion story in decades is contained in a tight campaign of narratively driven missions where all components are intricately designed, from dialogue to mission layouts to combat scenarios. MechWarrior 5: Clans‘ traditionally designed campaign is entirely self contained, separate from MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries‘ utilization of procedural elements to provide an experience that can be played for dozens of hours, and uniquely different from MechWarrior Online‘s focus on competitive player-versus-player multiplayer. The result delivers an engrossing story told through a varied series of stages with tense, climatic battles, standing as the first of its kind in narrative structure and cinematic progression in the MechWarrior series.
Today the first gameplay footage showcases five pilots (a “Star”) from the Smoke Jaguar clan, mobilizing to aid their fellow clan members through a full-scale invasion of a region of space known as the Inner Sphere. Recent graduates of the Smoke Jaguar cadet program facing incredible stakes in a pivotal moment of the MechWarrior universe, this up-and-coming Star wields cutting-edge BattleMechs through an expansive campaign delivering the immersive and rewarding tactical combat MechWarrior is known for:
MechWarrior 5: Clans‘ captivating campaign takes place across a variety of planets through stunning, meticulously designed biomes where immersive realism is baked into every detail. Handcrafted maps and missions deliver engaging combat, both complex and chaotic, demanding thoughtful, strategic play. Tactical options abound with an all-new cast of customizable Clan Mechs boasting sleek and powerful Clan technologies. MechWarrior 5: Clans explores a time in the MechWarrior universe brought on by the Clan Invasion and incredible technological advances in Mech warfare, reflected within the Clan Invasion time period.

New progression and customization systems encourage pilots to alter Mech loadouts with expansive customization through an updated Mech lab, Hardpoint, and Omnipod system. MechWarrior 5: Clans also debuts ally directing tools, including a bird’s eye-style Battlegrid and a quick command radial menu, empowering players to intuitively lead their Star whether using a controller or keyboard & mouse setup. Adaptability to the scenario at hand is key to a strategic victory.
MechWarrior 5: Clans follows Piranha’s 2019 hit, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, which was an open ended, procedural experience, selling more than 2 million units while securing its current 84 percent Very Positive ranking on Steam from more than 7,500 user reviews.
MechWarrior 5: Clans sports a gripping set of gameplay features for new and veteran pilots:
The Clan Invasion is Here – For the first time since MechWarrior 2 (released in 1995), pilots can immerse themselves in an action packed Clan Invasion story – one of the most epic time periods in the franchise that changed the course of the Inner Sphere’s factions and politics forever. MechWarrior 5: Clans is the absolute perfect entry point into the MechWarrior universe for newcomers, and the game which veteran pilots have been waiting more than 30 years to play.
This Isn’t Run-and-Gun, This is MechWarrior – Celebrated core MechWarrior combat returns in MechWarrior 5: Clans. Pilots must strategically plan and execute Star-based team assaults if they are going to bring honor to Clan Smoke Jaguar while advancing their position within the Inner Sphere.
Customizable Mechs – Victory starts in your Mech Lab with an expanded collection of technologically advanced Clan weapon systems, equipment and Upgrades. Clan Mech’s superior technology grants you the ability to swap out larger parts for greater customization and functionality ahead of assaults. Plan accordingly based on terrain, structure, and biome specificity for the best chance at victory.
All-Star Strategy – Your squadron (aka your Star) is depending on you. Protect the members of your Star in battle, deepening your bond as you engage the Inner Sphere’s determined defenders. Immerse yourself in the story as you lead your Star through narratively driven missions and thrilling combat.
Stunning Visual Design – Harnessing the power of Unreal Engine 5, MechWarrior 5: Clans abounds in environmental detail and destruction – from precisely designed confined cityscapes to bogs spanning incredible distances, battles will take shape on breathtaking landscapes and the complex infrastructure of the Inner Sphere.