So where have we been? How are we back? And most importantly, why do we need your help? For that and a lot more, read on...
In 2001, when we were all classmates, we had a grand vision for an FPS - the type of FPS we had always wanted to play, a type that had never before been created. We wanted to do for first person shooters what Gran Turismo had done for cars- to create a truly expansive, accurately modeled, living, breathing simulation that captured all the physics, nuances, history, mechanics, and cold, awesome beauty of its subject matter. We wanted the definitive shooter that would cover 100+ years of modern military history; a massive and historically-accurate arsenal; a game that knew just what to make realistic, and exactly what to keep fun. What we wanted was Alliance.
So we got to work. In 2003 we started a modest little company (5 people at its founding, 8 at its largest!), really hunkered down, and dedicated our ideas to code and pixel. We kept quiet for 3 years, developed some really cool rendering tech along the way, and, when the timing was right, painted a big red 'X' on E3 2006. That would be our debut!
It was a rollercoaster ride. We barely slept, we hardly ate, but we got the Alliance demo done. And we got it done big. Alliance swept E3 and became the sleeper hit of the show! In the weeks that followed, it was the #1 most viewed game on GameTrailers, beating out such highly successful franchises as Unreal Tournament, Madden NFL, and NBA Live. Have a look!
We were ecstatic. We took a gamble on something different, a story outside the norm and an offering different from other shooters, and it really paid off.
Now all we needed was a publisher. Getting one had always been the goal of the show- for without them, there would be no Alliance.
So we met them all- at our offices, at theirs, at every location in between. But they simply would not take the risk. We were too small and too unproven. Despite all our ratings, all the awards, all the tech, all the fanfare, all the community that had built up around it, and all the traffic, it wasn't enough. We had never shipped a game before, and that's what mattered.
Our options weren't many. This type of work would require more than just passion and long hours. We needed serious resources to see it through, and we weren't willing to compromise our vision to get there.
So we had to put Alliance on hold and pursue other business avenues. Our fans were, understandably, upset and confused. We deeply apologized- we felt their frustrations, as we wanted to release Alliance as badly as they wanted to play it! All we could do was assure them that we were just drawing the shades, that we weren't shutting the doors. We promised everyone we'd be back!
Well as of today, we are back. The business landscape for gaming has changed dramatically. Where as little as 4 years ago our options were severely limited, we now have numerous new ways to get Alliance out to you, directly from us, as we had intended it. It's going to require some work, some dusting off, some optimizing and some enhancement, but that's what we love. All the screenshots on this site are from our 2006 debut, well before most of the games you're probably playing now, so just imagine what else we've got cooking! We had a lot of tricks up our sleeves we never got to show you. Now's the time.
But we need your help in getting there. Many of you asked us what you could do to help ensure Alliance's release. Well, now there are several ways. The first is to like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our YouTube channel (all via the buttons above and to the right). This way you'll get the latest news and updates on Alliance and have a way to interface directly with us. Secondly, you can really help us out by spreading the word: you all are what gave us our enormous launch the first time around, and we need you now again to make this a reality. So please blog, tweet, post, status update- do whatever you can to spread the word about Alliance!
For those of you who were part of our original forums, you know just how seriously we take our community and how deeply we get involved. This will be a game made in collaboration with you, not against you, as too many games tend to go. We live and breathe gaming and want to hear your ideas, your enthusiasm, your criticisms and your feedback, because when it's just you and us in charge, truly awesome things can happen. In fact, do be sure to join our forums- we've cleaned them up, upgraded them, and are now fully back in the swing of things to greet you!
We hope you've wanted to play an FPS like Alliance for a long time. We just need your help now in getting there. Please join us, subscribe, and spread the word. And in return, we'll make you one unbelievable game.
Thanks so much for your help, and Hello Again!
-The Alliance Team
Want to get in touch with us? We can be reached at:
info ( a t ) alliancethegame ( d o t ) com