June 7th 2024.
Delta Force: Hawk Ops is a game that brings back memories for gamers who were around in the late 90s. Developed by Chinese company Tencent, it aims to establish itself as a major player in the Western gaming market. The name itself may ring a vague bell for some, as it was originally released in 1998 by NovaLogic, a now-defunct developer and publisher. Before the likes of Battlefield and Call of Duty, Delta Force set the bar for realistic military shooters and spawned a successful franchise. Now, Hawk Ops seeks to capture the same essence using modern technology.
What sets Hawk Ops apart is its unique origins. Developed and published by Tencent, a powerhouse in the gaming world in China, this marks their first foray into the global market. While they have had tremendous success in China, this is their first internally-developed, non-mobile, cross-platform game release outside of their home country. Not only will Hawk Ops be available on iOS and Android, but also on all major consoles and PC. What's even more impressive is that it allows for cross-play between players on different platforms.
Hawk Ops is Tencent's way of introducing themselves to the rest of the world. During our trip to Los Angeles to try out the game, we had the opportunity to speak with Leo Yao, Head of Studio at Tencent's subsidiary Team Jade, who is responsible for developing the game. "We have had tremendous success in China with many games, but when we talk about Tencent titles globally, only PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile have been successful on a global scale," Yao explains. "But with the launch of Delta Force: Hawk Ops, we hope to achieve the same level of success in the triple-A PC and console game market. This marks our entry into the global gaming market."
Yao also points out that Tencent owns major companies such as Riot Games, known for League of Legends and Valorant, and Supercell, best known for Clash of Clans. They have also acquired stakes in well-known studios such as Larian Studios and FromSoftware, creators of Baldur's Gate and the Soulsborne games. He also clarifies that he runs Tencent's TiMi J3 studio, and Team Jade is a subsidiary. "TiMi is more well-known globally for games like Honor of Kings and Call of Duty Mobile, but before TiMi, we had Team Jade, a brand in China known for their PC games. We want to bring Team Jade to the forefront because Delta Force: Hawk Ops is a high-quality PC game, and we want people to know it's not a mobile game that has been ported to PC."
One of the most notable aspects of Hawk Ops is its homage to the original game. "If you look at the maps, we have Cracked, which is an old Delta Force map. We remastered the assets from the original game, as we bought the Delta Force IP from THQ, who acquired it from NovaLogic," Yao reveals. "We also have a great relationship with some of the people who worked on the original Delta Force game." In fact, Tencent also acquired the rights to the film Black Hawk Down, which the single-player mode of Hawk Ops will partially recreate.
While the multiplayer modes of Hawk Ops, Hazard Operation and Havoc Warfare, will be free-to-play, players will have to pay for the single-player campaign. Yao explains, "We made the multiplayer modes free-to-play to make the game accessible to a global audience. But the single-player mode is premium. Our goal is to reach a massive audience with our game being available on all platforms."
Hawk Ops offers players an in-game currency, an extensive weapon customization system, and even a virtual auction house. However, Yao assures that they do not offer any pay-to-win options. "We only have microtransactions for cosmetics. In Call of Duty Mobile, where we only had cosmetic microtransactions, we had great global revenue. We know how to do it right," he says.
During our hands-on experience with the game, we tried out the 32v32 PvP mode, Havoc Warfare. While it may not offer anything groundbreaking, it boasts impressive graphics and fluid controls. Players can choose between four operators: Support, Recon, Assault, and Engineer. Before jumping into combat, there are numerous customization options, including a detailed weapon customization screen. The map is huge and highly detailed, adding a touch of realism to the game. The weapons feel great, and the loadouts are highly customizable. We particularly enjoyed using the rocket launcher, which proved useful in taking down groups of enemies but had a realistic reload time.
Havoc Warfare also allows players to use tanks and helicopters, similar to the popular game Battlefield. As players advance, they can capture buildings that provide access to more powerful weapons and hardware. This adds a layer of tactical gameplay to the experience. Unfortunately, due to pre-release conditions, we were unable to communicate with our team members during gameplay.
Delta Force: Hawk Ops is a multiplayer shooter that takes inspiration from the late 90s era, with the goal of making a big splash in the Western market for Chinese publisher Tencent. If you're a seasoned gamer, you may remember the original Delta Force game released by NovaLogic in 1998. It was one of the first military shooters to offer a realistic gameplay experience and spawned a successful franchise. Now, with Hawk Ops, Tencent aims to bring back that same feeling using modern technology.
What sets Hawk Ops apart is its origin - developed and published by Chinese company Tencent. While it may be unfamiliar to some, Tencent is a major player in the gaming industry in China. However, it has yet to make a mark in the global market with its own internally-developed, non-mobile, cross-platform games. Hawk Ops is their first attempt at breaking into the Western market and it will be available on iOS, Android, consoles, and PC, with the unique feature of cross-play between all platforms.
During our hands-on experience with the game in Los Angeles, we had the opportunity to interview Leo Yao, Head of Studio at Tencent's subsidiary Team Jade, which is responsible for developing Hawk Ops. He shared that while Tencent has had success in China with various games, only two of their mobile titles - PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile - have achieved global success. With Hawk Ops, they hope to make a big impact in the AAA PC and console game market, which is a new venture for them.
Yao also mentioned that Tencent owns other major companies such as Riot Games, known for League of Legends and Valorant, and Supercell, famous for Clash of Clans. They have also acquired stakes in well-known game studios like Larian Studios and FromSoftware. He explained that Team Jade is a subsidiary of Tencent's TiMi J3 studio, which is more well-known globally for creating Honor of Kings and Call of Duty Mobile. However, with Hawk Ops, they want to establish Team Jade as their brand and showcase their ability to create high-quality PC games without being limited by their mobile background.
One of the standout features of Hawk Ops is the homage it pays to the original Delta Force game. Some of the maps are direct throwbacks to the old game, with remastered assets and even collaborations with former NovaLogic employees who worked on the original game. Additionally, Tencent has obtained the rights to the film Black Hawk Down, which will be partially recreated in the single-player mode of Hawk Ops.
While the multiplayer aspect of Hawk Ops will be free-to-play, with two modes called Hazard Operation and Havoc Warfare, the single-player campaign will require players to pay. Yao clarified that this decision was made to make the game accessible to a global audience, as it will be available on all platforms. However, they have also implemented in-game currency, weapon customization, and even a virtual auction house. But Yao emphasized that they do not offer any gameplay advantages for purchase, only cosmetic items. This approach has proven successful with Call of Duty Mobile, and Tencent is confident in their ability to handle microtransactions with Hawk Ops.
During our hands-on time with the game, we sampled the Havoc Warfare mode, a 32v32 PvP experience. While it may not introduce any groundbreaking features to the multiplayer formula, it boasts stunning graphics, detailed maps, and responsive controls. Players can choose from four different operators, each with their own unique specialties. Before jumping into combat, there are extensive customization options for weapons, allowing players to fine-tune every aspect of their loadout.
As we delved into the game, we were met with dynamic objectives and team-based gameplay. The maps were expansive and realistic, despite the game being set in the near future of 2035. The weapon mechanics felt satisfying, and the option to use tanks and helicopters added a layer of strategy reminiscent of Battlefield. As players progress through the map, they can capture buildings that offer access to more advanced weapons and equipment. Unfortunately, in our pre-release playthrough, we were unable to communicate with our team members, but the potential for teamwork and tactical gameplay was evident.
In conclusion, Delta Force: Hawk Ops is a modern take on a classic game, developed by a major Chinese company with a bid to expand into the global market. With its impressive graphics, detailed maps, and cross-platform capabilities, it has the potential to become a major success for Tencent. And with the promise of fair microtransactions and a nostalgic nod to the original game, Hawk Ops is definitely a game to keep an eye out for.
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