Hawken (video game)

Hawken is a free-to-play multiplayer mech first-person shooter video game. The game focuses on creating an intense battle experience that captures the feel of piloting a mech, while keeping the action fast-paced and strategic. The game features three game modes: Team Deathmatch, Deathmatch, Co-op Bot Team Deathmatch. It follows the freemium model of game monetization—with in-game purchases as the main source of revenue.

Hawken had closed alpha and beta programs that took place before the official PC open beta release on 12 December 2012. The game had been constantly updated with new content and balance changes in the form of a game patch until Spring 2014. Following Reloaded Games' acquisition of the game's IP and assets in March 2015, the developers launched the game on the console platforms in early July 2016.

On 2 January 2018, the developers shutdown the PC version of the game, permanently removing the ability for players to continue playing on the PC platform. DLC content was also removed from the Steam store the same day.

Gameplay
Hawken is a mech-based first-person shooter. The game takes place in a dystopian human-colonized planet industrialized to the point of collapse, in which the hunt for resources has become a battle for survival. The player assumes the role of a pilot within a biped battle mech—armed with a variety of ballistic cannons and missile weaponry. Relatively agile, these machines are equipped with booster jets that allow them to travel faster and hover in short jumps.

Unlike many other first-person shooters, weapons have unlimited ammunition, but are prone to overheating during sustained fire. Overheating will shut down all weapons of the mech, forcing the player to find a safe place to recover. Players can choose alternate weapons, equipment and upgrades for all mech types to match a playstyle or to fill a specific role for a team. In combat, the player will be able to side dash, boost, and make 180 degree turns to compensate for the slow movement of the mech—which in turn will deplete the recharging fuel gauge.

Maps
Hawken consists of ten playable maps. Each map is uniquely designed, offering different structures, themes, and strategies. These maps deeply reflect Hawken's lore and universe, and have been designed to accommodate most game modes. The ten playable maps are Bazaar, Bunker, Facility, Front Line, Highways, Last Eco, Origin, Prosk, Uptown, and Wreckage.

Mechs
Hawken offers three different mech types (colloquially known as "Generation 1", or G1): A-class, B-class, and C-class. Following the game's lore, mechs are called an "axe".

A-class type mechs, also known as "light mechs", are very agile, but have weak armor. B-class type mechs are well rounded mechs that have balanced armor and speed. C-class type mechs, also known as "heavy mechs", have high armor, but are slower in speed. Each mech has a unique ability that can be activated for additional damage, protection, or utility. Some mechs have passive abilities that are always active, and requires no activation. Players head to the garage to fully customize their mechs.

Previous game producer Jason Hughes, from Adhesive Games, had introduced a new type of mech, called "Generation 2," or G2. These mechs were a complete redesign of their predecessors (G1). G2 mechs featured different stats, weapons, and chassis. During this time, there were only two available G2 mechs prior to Patch version 1.6.0 (known as post-console update).

After the release to consoles, Reloaded Games had reworked the approach to the G2 evolution. Instead of becoming different mechs altogether, the G2 variants have become slightly stronger and faster. Additionally, G2 mechs have a unique mech skin akin to the looks and design of carbon fiber.

Game Modes
There are a total of three different game modes available to the player: Team Deathmatch, Deathmatch, and Co-op Team Deathmatch.

Energy Units
Energy Units (EU) are only encountered in Siege mode and Co-op Mode, where players collect EU from EU base stations and from player dropped EU orbs. The game features EU tanks on the user interface that correspond to the total amount of EU a player possesses. In co-op mode, EU is used to upgrade armor, cooling, and the damage of weapons.

If a destroyed mech was carrying EU, that amount is dropped where they have died, and forms into a green EU orb; at which point it can then be collected by other players. The maximum amount of EU a mech can carry varies with its class type. A-class mechs carry less, whereas C-class mechs carry more.

Level Progression System
Hawken features a level progression system that goes up to level 30. As players gain experience (XP points) from playing the game, they begin to level up. Each level brings different rewards in customization, items, and/or XP/HC (Hawken Credits). Once a player reach level 30, the XP points they earn go into a buffer—called "overflow XP"—that allows them to spend in-game credits to level up other mechs in their garage. Additionally, each mech they own has a unique level. The level of a mech determines what they can do with its potential upgrades and customizability.

Exploration
Hawken offers a unique exploration mode, in which the player is able to freely explore any map in the game. This mode is single-player only, and there is no combat. In addition, the player has the option of switching in-game perspectives from 1st to 3rd, and can respawn as a different mech.

Development timeline
On March 9, 2011, Adhesive Games announced Hawken with a trailer of the work-in-progress, with only nine months of development behind it.

On August 27, 2012, video game publisher Meteor Entertainment announced the game would be launched on December 12, 2012. On this date, an open beta of the game was released.

Hawken was developed using the Unreal Development Kit (UDK). "We were familiar with its reputation as possibly the most licensed game engine in the industry. Being able to begin production using a cutting-edge game engine with no start-up cost offers an important opportunity to indie developers like us", said Khang Le. Despite their decision the team had almost no experience with UDK. "We’ve searched the UDN docs as well as online tutorials. Using a publicly available engine means it’s not only possible, but likely that there will be information online about whatever we’re trying to accomplish. Also, the UDK community has been very supportive. We often browse through the forum and read what’s possible or not before we make design decisions."

The main focus for Khang Le was to deliver the graphically intense vision he had for the game on a tight schedule with "triple-A" quality. Within one month of production they were already able to test out a prototype. The actual name of the game came from the last name of one of their former 3D artists James Hawkins whom Khang Le was trying to make fun of resulting in the name "Hawken" in the process. "We couldn’t come up with a better-sounding name. We had "Bolthead", we had "Steel Vultures", a ton of other names like that, but Hawken was just the name that had a cool sound everyone liked. And gameplay, you have a lot of aerial kind of movement where you kind of swoop into the enemy, so it sort of makes sense for us, too".

A steady stream of updates and patches were received on the PC platform until the end of Spring 2014. This is in alignment with Hawken's previous publisher, Meteor Entertainment, closing its doors in March 2014; effectively resulting in the game being abandoned and sending it into development hell.

On March 14, 2015, the game was acquired by Reloaded Games, Inc. —the owner of APB: Reloaded. It was met with mixed responses from the community.

Since Reloaded's acquisition, they were working behind the scenes to largely improve the game's core infrastructure (network, servers, front and back-end databases, other optimizations, etc.). They were also collecting an enormous amount of data and statistics, explaining it is needed to make informed decisions and to get a feel for the game's present state. These projects and their outcomes were usually shared with the community via the forums. In addition, the development team would occasionally inform the community of what is being done through the forums.

On, June 13, 2016 Reloaded announced ports for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles. Hawken's community was concerned with the PC platform not seeing any foreseeable updates, but Reloaded stressed all platforms will receive parity updates going forward.

On June 27, 2016, Reloaded Games announced the official console launch dates via the community forums.

Reloaded Games released Hawken on consoles in early July 2016.

The last major patch for PC—incrementing from patch version 1.5.3 to 1.6.0—occurred on May 24, 2017. This patch brought HAWKEN to a full release—removing open beta status.

On October 2, 2017, the developers announced via the game's Facebook page that on January 2, 2018, the PC servers will be permanently shut down, along with it the PC platform and any DLC/purchasable content. The developers cited a need to "refocus our development efforts".

On January 2, 2018, HAWKEN was removed from Steam, and all DLC associated with it. The game continues to exist on consoles, being developed by Hawken Entertainment and published by 505 Games.

Free-to-play
Hawken primarily generated revenue from player purchased currency (Mech credits, or MC), which is how the game operated on a free-to-play business model. These mech credits could only be purchased in packages, which range from $5 to $100 USD. Once purchased, the player could spend these credits to unlock any content the game has to offer. This includes every weapon, item, internal, player avatar, mech cosmetic, XP/HC (Experience/Hawken credit) booster, holotaunt, and mech.

However, the game avoided a pay-to-win scenario by opting for a different "pay-to-not-grind" system instead; players could pay money to obtain in-game weapons, items, internals, holotaunts, boosters, etc., without the need to grind for HCs. The only aspect of the game that cannot be unlocked without paying money (that also don't have a HC price tag) are most cosmetics—i.e. player avatars, mech paint and mech camos/skins.

Finally, it was not necessary to unlock every item and weapon to excel in the game; player skill and personal experience in FPS games were largely responsible for individual success. Positioning, strategy, accuracy, and utilizing a forward-thinking approach when engaging were crucial for surviving and defeating the enemy.

Reception
In 2012, Hawken was nominated for 20 awards at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), won 12 and had three Honorable Mentions. Awards included:
 * Destructoid’s Best of PC
 * GameTrailers’ Best Free to Play
 * GameTrailers’ Best Online Only
 * Polygon’s E3 Editor’s Choice Award
 * Awesome Robo’s E3 2012 Best Overall Title
 * GamingIrresponsibly’s Best of Indie
 * Examiner.com’s Best PvP (Multiplayer)
 * Video Game Writers’ Best of PC
 * Sidequesting’s Best of E3 Editor’s Choice Awards
 * GamerLive.TV’s Top 5 PC Games

Hawken also received awards and nominations at Gamescom 2012 in Germany.
 * MMOBomb.com's Best Graphics
 * GameSpot's Best Game of the Show
 * Destructoid nominated Hawken for Best PC Game, Best Shooter, and Best Game of the Show

At PAX Prime 2012, Hawken was awarded:
 * STFUandPlay's Best of PC
 * STFUandPlay's Best Graphics
 * Destructoid's Must Play
 * ShogunGamer's Best of Show
 * MMOhut's Best Graphics: Runner Up

Film adaptation
On 24 August 2011 an article on entertainment news website The Wrap was released confirming that DJ2 Entertainment, an independent production company, was able to obtain the rights for a film adaptation. Adhesive Games was hesitant to release the rights at first, opting to focus on the game release instead. "I assumed someone already got it because it was so huge. Big names were chasing this", said DJ2 producer Dmitri M. Johnson, "A-list directors and big hit agencies."

The story will follow two young pilots from separate clans pitted against one another after a devastating virus has covered most of the heavily industrialized planet surface in toxic crystal. There have been no official announcements regarding writers, producers or lead actors for the film at this point, but a panel at Comic-Con 2012 announced Act of Valor director Scott Waugh would be taking the reins on the adaptation.