Hi-Rez Studios, the team behind PC MMO Global Agenda, has bought the rights to the Tribes franchise. And, not screwing around with it, has promptly revealed that a new Tribes game is in development.
Built on a modified version of the Unreal engine, this Tribes game is being built with massive online battles in mind, Hi-Rez promising 100+ players, ground and air vehicles, a "full persistent world", "huge outdoor maps" and, of course, jetpacks.
The game will enter alpha testing in early 2011, with preference given in the pecking order for high-ranking Global Agenda players.
Tribes, an online combat series made famous for its wide open spaces and jetpacks, made its debut on the PC in 1998. The last Tribes game, Tribes: Vengeance, was released in 2004, and was developed by 2K Australia, who would then go on to help make BioShock.
Update Oct 2010 [Global Agenda]