First MechWarrior Online Gameplay Footage Released

Piranha Games unveiled MechWarrior Online back in October of last year, but we haven’t seen anything in the way of gameplay for the CryEngine 3-powered, free-to-play mech sim. Now, finally, we have our chance.

Earlier today, Piranha released the very first MechWarrior Online footage and, while we’re only given a brief taste, it’s sure to get MechWarrior fans new and old excited for the launch of MechWarrior Online.

Judging from the video, it would appear that MechWarrior Online is being developed to play similarly to the MechWarrior series from 2 onwards, which should be of some comfort for MechWarrior fans who were worried that the free-to-play title would venture too far from some of the best games in the series.

To get you up to speed on what you’ll be getting yourself into with MechWarrior Online, here’s a rundown of the game from Piranha Games:

Set in the year 3049 during the early stages of a massive interstellar war, MechWarrior Online puts you in command of the most powerful war machine to ever walk the field of battle, the mighty BattleMech. Command your Mech and customize it to suit your battlefield role; upgrade systems, replace weapons, and tweak armor with endless options.

MechWarrior Online lets players command at will: go head-to-head online alone or with friends in high-octane Conquest and VS modes. Band together and form your own Mercenary Corp, invite friends and battle other player-made Merc Corps for prestige and power. Pledge your allegiance to one of the five great houses and fight for control of precious Inner Sphere planets.

MechWarrior Online is currently said to be releasing at some point this summer. You can check out the first MechWarrior Online gameplay footage directly below.