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Source: A recent report on gaming news site Shacknews.

What we heard: Last month, independent games stalwart GarageGames announced it had been acquired by IAC, better known as the parent company of such big-name brands as Ticketmaster, LendingTree, Match.com, and Ask.com. In addition to the acquisition, GarageGames announced InstantAction, an online portal designed to offer a variety of Web browser-based games from a number of studios. Wideload Shorts, a division of former Bungie boss Alex Seropian's Wideload Games, recently announced that its space shooter Cyclomite, which has a heavy emphasis on multiplayer action, would be a launch game for the service.

Wideload's support will certainly go a long way toward launching the gaming portal, but GarageGames may have a new angle to draw the attention of online first-person shooter enthusiasts. Shacknews is reporting that a source close to GarageGames has confirmed that the developer is readying a "Tribes-like shooter" for InstantAction. Shacknews' source also revealed that development was only two months in, "but the cycle should be relatively short compared to most projects."

Named one of GameSpot's Greatest Games of All Time, Starsiege Tribes from Dynamix revolutionized the online FPS scene when it debuted in 1998 by incorporating for the first time many features that have since become standard practice. Though Dynamix was officially shuttered in 2001 after the release of Tribes 2, that didn't stop Sierra from releasing two more Tribes games--2002's Tribes Aerial Assault (PS2) and 2004's Tribes: Vengeance (PC). It should be noted that many key Dynamix members set up shop at GarageGames in 2000.

The official story: "No comment."--A GarageGames rep.

Bogus or not bogus?: Leaning not bogus. GarageGames is certainly the studio to do the job, given its heritage, and a shooter in the vein of Tribes seems like an ideal fit to help establish the fledgling InstantAction. Although, considering the complexity of Tribes, a Web-browser-based game that could do justice to the original seems more than a bit suspect.

45 Comments

  • KHAMSES

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 2:36 am PT

    GARAGE U JUS GOTTA DO THIS.....Tribes vengeance was a terrible let down after T2.....All u gotta do is rewrite the graphics engine tweak the gameplay a bit add some humongous maps an take a few tips from all the gr8 mods... Dammit GREATEST ONLINE GAME EVER nothing can beat its immediacy and excitement..Being caught on the vpad with like 20 guys and some bastard comes over in a bomber and wipes out attack force in one sweep will always make me laugh... OH and yeah YOUR FRIENDS AIR CORPS (YAC) still rules the skies YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE;-)

    I want my mortar back and unnerf the chain gun while u at it;:-)

    Dammit my memory banks are full of sublime moments from that damn game!

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  • Chirico_Cuvie

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 11:26 am PT

    tribes was the first to really do the online large-scale battle genre. It influenced pretty much every game that came after it in that genre. there would be no Battlefield type games without Tribes.

    A new one sounds good, but I'm afraid it may not be able to live up to the ground-breaking success it created. Kind of like how Alone in the Dark can't seem to be successful, even though it pioneered the whole Resident Evil style of games.

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  • rudyHG

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 10:55 pm PT

    This is probably something that will only disappoint me if I believe it too much.

    But GD I want my ELF back.

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  • Pizzaman103

    Posted Oct 28, 2007 7:15 pm PT

    I missed a lot of school for Tribes... those were the days. Look how far we've come! Oh wait, we haven't come that far.

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  • PhoenixPrime

    Posted Oct 27, 2007 1:59 am PT

    Omg that takes me way back i miss tribes 2 if i only knew were i put it

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  • MasterChief725

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 5:33 pm PT

    Tirbes was sooo awesome! i hope they make a sequel!

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  • Ebowe2002

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 1:40 pm PT

    Ah yes, tribes. I've probably never had more fun gaming online then with Tribes and Starsiege, definately 2 of my all time favorite games. Tribes was great. Oh and remember all the backstory in Starsiege? THAT was how to tell a game story. I would love to see new tribes or Starsiege. Sigh... great times :-)

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  • tequilasunriser

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 1:28 pm PT

    Tribes was the game that got me into online shooters. So many great memories. I still install it now and then but the community is small and there is an abundance of cheaters. I'd love to see a proper successor.
    Come get some!

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  • nosOlace

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 11:54 am PT

    Shazbot! Tribes was an incredible game. I was completely addicted. I many fond memories of all night sessions. Tribes 2 although very buggy at launch was a great game as well. Bring back Tribes!!!!!!

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  • Sergsky

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 11:50 am PT

    The first Tribes is on my 'top 10 games of all time' list!

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  • Jaster_DCX

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 11:31 am PT

    i freaking love tribes. hecks yeeeee boi

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  • Evilrudy

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 10:09 am PT

    Ah, Tribes 2, one of the best ever. There was nothing like landing mid air disc shots and torching the masses with a plasma gun. Good ol days. isn't T2 still up and running? I sure hope they make another tribes but nothing like Vengeance. Multi play on Vengeance was lacking the speed and fun of T2. Please let it be more like T2 if its gonna be made.

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  • kyrieee

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 9:52 am PT

    let's hope it's true

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  • sandswipe

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 9:48 am PT

    http://www2.rasterwerks.com/game/phosphor/beta1.asp

    I think they can make a tribes-level browser game. If some no-names can make full multiplayer work, the tribes team will be able to make it shine.

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  • Pie_FOREVER

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 6:49 am PT

    Haha sweet. I've always loved Tribes, it truly did revolutionize the genre and I remember playing it for hours on end online against others. Good times. Here's hope to another!

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  • ScottEFresh

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 5:32 am PT

    COMMAND ACHKNOWLEGD! Tribes 2 may have had patching issues but was definetly one of the best multi-player games of all time! -du-D2_HamMeRdiN in the hizzouse, the siege owner.

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  • Gamecrze

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 4:19 am PT

    Ultimate tribes game - Tribes 1 Physics
    (classic mod) Tribes 2 vechiles, packs and weapons
    Tribes Vengence grappling hook (as a button like mines or gernades, not a weapon slot)
    and updated graphics.

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  • darfvader

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 2:24 am PT

    w00t

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  • beeahillbilly

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 2:00 am PT

    SHAZBOT!

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  • chikahiro94

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 1:52 am PT

    Isn't id considering doing the same thing for Quake 3?

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  • -Kegger-

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 1:05 am PT

    Tribes was incredible. Back in Middle School, (God I feel old), I was in clan Snowcrash. I never ever made it to a tourney match, but dominated in practice. The 2 base Desert map? Yah, I went back and forth with that flag, un@#$%ing touchable. I hope they pull whatever the hell it is they are working on off.

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  • Einhanderkiller

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 12:16 am PT

    I remember Starsiege Tribes. That game was amazing.

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  • ColdfireTrilogy

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 11:29 pm PT

    great stuff

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  • NeoGamer741

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 11:03 pm PT

    Hooray for tribes. Boo for Torque 3D.

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  • diablobasher

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 10:48 pm PT

    GaregeGame bought out?!!?! OMG NO!!! This is a sad sad event for the indie community, with one of the last affordable engines being snapped up.

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  • stafax

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 8:53 pm PT

    YES YES YES PLEASE BE TRUE OH MY GOD!!! MY FAVORITE FPS EVER!!! Please let it be like Tribes 2!!! not Tribes Vengeance, that game was garbage!. If they even just make Tribes 2 remake that just has new graphics and it doesn't crash, I would doo doo my pants!!!!

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  • OfficialBed

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 8:40 pm PT

    OMG......YES!!!!!!

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  • themyth01

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 8:22 pm PT

    Best news ever, I hope they make it just like Tribes 1 but with better graphics and more maps, it'd be nice if they included some remakes of T1 maps too, Raindance and such. Also, please make it easy to make mods for, if it's easy to modify, it's just that better of a game. Hope they don't lose the source code this time.

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  • headcrab

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 8:21 pm PT

    Tribes rocks. I'll never forget that feeling of freedom when I first played and was able to strap into my buddy's 5-man dropship, zoom across the map raining lead on the enemies below, and then leap out and ski down a mountain into the entrance of the enemy base.

    The Tribes team eventually moved on to PlanetSide, and while I did play that most excellent game for a year and some change, I'm definitely looking forward to whatever they produce next (hopefully without SOE's negative influence).

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  • Advocate

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 8:12 pm PT

    Make it and we will come. Tribes was and is one of the greatest FPS games ever made. I would give up my right kidney and eye ball to see Garage Games foster a new revolution in gaming.

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  • KeeperofDingo

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 8:07 pm PT

    Dude... wait... what? Another Tribes game? I'd love GarageGames forever if they made a worthy successor. I already own Tribes, Tribes 2 and Tribes: Vengeance.

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  • morpheyous

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 8:04 pm PT

    HELL YEA, T2 IS THE BEST

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  • Ryuketsu2043

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 7:49 pm PT

    Tribes was one of the my first and still one of ym favorite games online..FANTASTIC GAME!! Pleas emake a sequel!!

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  • Alaris83

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 7:45 pm PT

    Hell yes, Tribes! The original was one of the greatest online multiplayer experiences ever. The sequal games, however, were less than stellar. Lets hope that if a new game is released, it can do for the genre what the original did back in '98.

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  • duxup 

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 7:40 pm PT

    Tribes 2 was a disaster. I remember how several times it would auto patch the game ... and then the game would crash when you would try to start it after that. It was a mess.

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  • jakob_187

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 7:33 pm PT

    Very nice to hear this news. Tribes was one of those games that just made me think "there is SOOO much more than could be done with a multiplayer FPS". Then UT took some of the cake away...and then BF2 chunked away some more...and pretty soon, it's like people forgot what helped start a huge revolution in underground gaming.

    VIVA LA TRIBES!

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  • ReckHavoc

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 7:30 pm PT

    Awesome! Tribes is what got me started in online gaming.

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  • Terran499

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 7:30 pm PT

    HELL YES. DO A SEQUAL

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  • DonutTrooper

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 7:18 pm PT

    No.....****in'....way

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  • zero_snake99

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 7:09 pm PT

    OH MY GOD TRIBES 2 WAS THE BEST...i want to freakin cry from joy....best combo of gaming news ever...Street Fighter 4 AND Tribes??!? *faints*

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  • dumb_person1

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 7:04 pm PT

    sounds interesting.

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  • maxxehdood

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 6:30 pm PT

    If only tribes 2 worked on my computer stupid backwards compatibility...That was one of my favorite games of all time

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  • blazer215

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 6:22 pm PT

    Tribes Vengeance was so fun on PC and should go play it now

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  • dn3datomiced

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 5:55 pm PT

    Hooray for GarageGames! If I had any skills to offer them, I'd walk down to their office in town and put in an app. Oh well.

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