Bleeding Edge may have been one of the worst kept secrets of E3 2019, but the game has now been officially revealed. Shown off as part of the Xbox press conference, the Bleeding Edge trailer initially leaked ahead of the expo but is now here in a legitimate capacity.
Bleeding Edge marks the first game developed by Ninja Theory since the studio was bought by Microsoft last year. Ninja Theory has made a name of itself through risk-taking games like DmC: Devil May Cry, Heavenly Sword, and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. Most recently, though, the developer went against the grain by ignoring the traditional publishing model and going it alone to release the brilliant Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice.
For its next game, Ninja Theory is going down a very different route. Bleeding Edge has been confirmed as a 4 vs. 4 multiplayer combat game, with players choosing a specific character akin to class-based shooters like Overwatch. It looks like it will be chaotic, colorful fun, as showcased in the inaugural trailer below.
What makes Bleeding Edge a little different from some of the other character-focused multiplayer games on the market is its combat method. Rather than being based around ranged combat, instead Bleeding Edge gives players the chance to get up close and personal and fight in a melee fashion.
Given Ninja Theory's penchant for close quarter combat, this may prove to be a good choice. Bleeding Edge will primarily be a 4v4 brawler in its approach, so providing the balance is there between its characters it could find a good place in the market. This is particularly true if Microsoft puts its weight behind the relatively recent acquisition to make a major dent in the online multiplayer world.
It won't be long before players are able to get their hands on Bleeding Edge, either. A technical alpha will launch for the title on June 27, showing how it is looking in an early stage. This was confirmed for Xbox, although it wouldn't be surprising to see it arrive for PC as well, given Microsoft's ever-growing fondness for sharing across different platforms.
Want more coverage of E3 2019, like that debut gameplay footage for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order? Be sure to check out our E3 hub.