A reader dreams of a big budget XCOM 3 video game.

XCOM, a classic turn-based strategy game, may not be making a comeback anytime soon. However, one can still hold out hope for a new installment. Recently, Firaxis, the developer behind XCOM, announced a new board game, which has left fans wondering if a new video game may still be on the horizon.

It's hard to believe that Firaxis has been in the gaming industry for 30 years. While most people know them for their popular game Civilization, to me, they will always be the ones who brought back XCOM. As a fan of the original games on the Amiga, I never imagined that they would be rebooted for modern consoles.

But in 2012, XCOM: Enemy Unknown was released for Xbox 360, much to my excitement. For a while, it seemed like Take-Two, the publisher of XCOM, was dedicated to making it a major franchise. They even released a spin-off game called The Bureau: XCOM Declassified, which had a more action-oriented approach.

We also got expansions and XCOM 2, all of which were fantastic. But then, everything went quiet. I'm not sure if the games didn't sell well or if Firaxis simply wanted to move on to something else.

But their next game, Marvel's Midnight Suns, was a massive flop. As a result, many of the top people who worked on XCOM and Midnight Suns left the developer, making the chances of XCOM 3 even slimmer. However, that doesn't stop me from dreaming about it.

For those who may not be familiar, XCOM is a turn-based strategy game where players are in charge of a home base, researching new technology and organizing troops to go out and fight battles. It can be a bit complicated, but the basics are simple: move and shoot while staying in cover. The first modern XCOM was essentially a remake of the original Amiga game, but XCOM 2 and its expansion added more variety in terms of enemies and technology.

It felt like the possibilities were endless, with so much to see and do. However, that doesn't mean a new game couldn't introduce some important new features. The XCOM games were always a bit buggy, and while the destruction effects were impressive, I would love to see something like the old XCOM Apocalypse, where entire buildings could be leveled.

Improvements could also be made in terms of AI, which sometimes made illogical moves and seemed to cheat to appear clever. While this didn't ruin the games, having AI that could play like a human would make a big difference. It would also be great to have larger aliens and vehicles in battles, as well as crowds of people.

And expanding the interceptor aircraft aspect would also be a welcome addition. While this was done in Xenonauts 2, it wasn't executed well. The XCOM universe is so vast that literally anything could be done with it.

Sequels could be set underwater like Terror From The Deep, in space where players must colonize planets, or even in the past like The Bureau attempted. New aliens could be introduced, with different races that could be allies or enemies, adding a diplomatic aspect to the game. However, the main concern is who would make the game now that Firaxis has lost its top designers.

Perhaps they could be tempted back, but it's uncertain if Take-Two would want to invest the time and money. On a positive note, they have announced a new board game for the 30th anniversary and will soon have the infinite money glitch of GTA 6. But as a fan, I would take anything at this point.

Of course, someone else could make a similar game and just call it something else. Sadly, an XCOM clone isn't the most obvious choice right now. However, I've heard that Star Wars Zero Company is similar to XCOM, so I'll definitely be keeping an eye on that.

At this point, I'll take anything to scratch my XCOM itch. It's disheartening to think that it's been almost a decade since an XCOM game has been released on consoles. But as a fan, I'll continue to hold out hope for a new installment.

Here's to hoping that XCOM will make its triumphant return in the near future.