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| Spec Ops | |
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| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows,PlayStation,Dreamcast,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,OS X,Linux |
| First release | Spec Ops: Rangers Lead the Way April 30, 1998 |
| Latest release | Spec Ops: The Line June 26, 2012 |
Spec Ops is a series oftactical shootervideo games. The first two games were developed byZombie Studios, whileRunecraft assisted development on the next three games, and the sixth game in 2002 developed by Big Grub. The seventh and final game developed by Yager Development released in 2012.
The first two games were published byRipcord Games, with the following three published byTake-Two Interactive, and the sixth game in 2002 published byGotham Games.
The series was revived 10 years later in 2012 as a third-person cover shooter withYager Development taking over development and2K Games taking over publishing.
It was decided to makeSpec Ops into an ongoing franchise while the first game,Spec Ops: Rangers Lead the Way, was still in development. Executive producer Mike Suarez reasoned that the audience for simulation fans "is very loyal; they buy six to twelve products in every year. It's a real evergreen business if you can launch a successful franchise in the simulations category."[1]
Between 1999 and 2002, the gamesStealth Patrol,Ranger Elite,Covert Assault, andAirborne Commando came out for the first PlayStation and thePlayStation Portable. These featured combat settings and tactical gameplay resembling contemporary titles likeSOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs andRainbow Six.
Spec Ops: The Line (2012) rebooted theSpec Ops series as a third person cover shooter with arcade style gameplay. It received highly positive reviews from critics and has since gained a substantialcult following, particularly for its dark story that explores the morality and psychological consequences of war and the shooter genre itself. However,The Line was a commercial failure, leading to the announcement that there would be no sequel to the game, effectively ending the series.[2]