Gearbox Software is testing new competitive online FPS ‘Project 1v1’

By Brad Jones August 9, 2017

Project 1v1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Gearbox Software has announced a brand-new multiplayer shooter, which is being developed under the code name Project 1v1. Gamers will be given the opportunity to test out the new title this summer — but only a “limited number of players” will be given access.

Project 1v1 apparently attempts to marry the fast-paced fun of FPS combat with the metagame aspect of a collectible card game. At this point, it’s not entirely clear how that will translate to the in-game experience, but there seems to be a clear focus on providing a sense of long-term progression that will keep players coming back again and again.

Three different modes will be available during the technical test, according to the game’s official website. Ranked mode will allow players to gain experience and earn loot crates that contain new cards, while Challenge mode lets friends play one another without worrying about their ranking.

Finally, there’s Arena mode, in which competitors queue up to face the reigning champion and take their place upon defeating them. If the code name Project 1v1 wasn’t enough of a clue, this seems to confirm that the game is all about one-on-one duels — which is pretty unique in the online FPS genre.

Gearbox’s most recent attempt at the online multiplayer FPS genre, Battleborn, didn’t make as much of an impact as the studio might have hoped. Project 1v1 looks to stand more of a chance of differentiating itself from its biggest competitors, especially because of its collectible card game component.

Still, there will be plenty of fans who wish Gearbox was announcing more details about Borderlands 3, rather than a brand new franchise. We know that the sequel is in the works, but otherwise the studio has remained very quiet on when it should be ready, and what players can expect from the experience.

Anyone interested in checking out Project 1v1 this summer can register their interest via the sign-up page on the Gearbox website. However, players based outside the North America are warned that since the beta will only use servers in this region, they might experience less than optimal performance.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…

Gaming

How to unlock fast travel in Another Crab’s Treasure

Kril with a coconut shell

Another Crab's Treasure is a fantastical soulslike set deep under the ocean where danger lurks around every corner. And like other games in the genre, it's often brutally difficult to overcome the various challenges you'll encounter. As such, you may find yourself wanting to backtrack for level grinding, to uncover new secrets, or to buy additional items in the game's main hub. However, you may notice early in the game that you haven't yet unlocked the ability to fast travel between the multitude of Moon Snail Shells (aka "bonfires") you've found. Here's how and when you'll unlock fast travel.
How to unlock fast travel
In the opening hours of the game, you may notice that you can access your skill tree, which will show a skill called Shelleportation. But you may be discouraged to see that you aren't able to apply any points to it yet. That's because the game doesn't open up this feature until you've advanced a few hours into the story.

To unlock fast travel, you'll need to work your way through the first few main areas of the game until you reach a boss called the Polluted Platoon Pathfinder. After beating this baddie, you'll soon find yourself teleporting to the Moon Snail's Domain. Here, you'll learn about the power of Umami, as well as unlock access to your skill tree.

Gaming

Best gaming chair deals: Save on Corsair, Razer, and more

Razer - Iskur Gaming Chair.

Sitting down to play video games for hours and hours can be a lot of fun, but it can also be pretty bad for your health. Beyond just the lack of circulation, most modern chairs are not really made to have us sit in them for long periods, and so they don't offer things like lumbar support or breath to help keep us cool. Luckily, gaming chairs have come to the rescue, and if you're looking to at least help keep your body safe and healthy, going for a gaming chair can make a big difference. That said, gaming chairs can be quite expensive, which is why we've gone out and found some of our favorite gaming chair deals for you to pick from.
Homall Massage Gaming Chair -- $85, was $170

The Homall Massage Gaming Chair is affordable, but it will get the job done of keeping you comfortable while playing video games with its ergonomic design and high-quality PU leather materials. It's got head and waist pillows with a massage function that sets it apart from other cheap gaming chairs. The backrest can recline between 90 degrees and 180 degrees so you can find the perfect angle, and it also has a retractable footrest for an extra sitting position.

Gaming

All Fallout games in order, chronologically and by release date

A woman and a dog leaving a vault in Fallout 4.

War never changes. The retrofuturistic apocalypse world of Fallout has graced fans with pretty regular releases since 1997, letting us explore the North American wasteland in the aftermath of a nuclear war in a variety of regions.

It can be a little hard to keep track of the series' timeline if you aren't listening to every holotape in every game and keeping your own log of events. On top of the best Fallout games, we now have to consider where the new Fallout TV show fits in the timeline. We aren't going to get into every timeline detail here (the series' lore is surprisingly deep and detailed) but we will let you know exactly what year every mainline titles takes place in and how you can play them in order.
Fallout games by release date