Bandits: Phoenix Rising Proceeds On Linux

At Linux Game Publishing, much of their attention as of late has been focused upon their port of X3: Reunion, which is Egosoft's successor to the (already Linux ported) X2: The Threat. However, outside of this space adventure title that shipped for Windows in 2005, Linux Game Publishing has also been working on a few other game ports, among which is Bandits: Phoenix Rising. The closed beta for Bandits: Phoenix Rising had started in January of 2007, but there was only one beta released and no further information from LGP on this game was released. Frankly, we forgot a Linux port was even being worked on. However, thirteen months later the second beta of this Linux port is now available to those in LGP's closed beta testing program.

Bandits: Phoenix Rising is a game that was released back in 2003 for Microsoft Windows where you drive around a cannon-mounted combat car as part of the Wolfpack gang and carry out missions ranging from car duels to train robberies. It's not exactly a conventional game compared to other LGP ports like Cold War or other strategies and first person shooters. The LGP product page for this game provides that there is no current release date set. In the closed beta 2 release announcement for Bandits, Michael Simms, the CEO of Linux Game Publishing, had said they hadn't forgotten about this game but they were addressing one of the bugs. As this is an old title, it should have no problems running on any modern-day computer hardware. In our initial tests of Bandits: Phoenix Rising Beta 2, the experience was smooth with no major problems.

A game being ported at Linux Game Publishing will typically go through about six closed beta releases over the course of several months, but with it being 13 months already and only the second beta, Bandits likely won't last as long. As long as it doesn't take another year for the next beta, we would anticipate Bandits: Phoenix Rising is released this calendar year for Linux. Meanwhile, X3: Reunion is still in beta but its fifth beta is expected soon. We are part of the closed testing program for both games and when we have any other information to pass along we will be sure to do so.