Bethesda owns Id Software, and during their E3 2019 press conference, announced the surprising return of one of Id’s more forgotten franchises, Commander Keen. It’s being developed by Zenimax Online Studios as their first mobile game.

“We are very excited to finally unveil ZOS’s first mobile game,” says Matt Firor, Studio Director, ZeniMax Online Studios. “We love the Keen series’ unique character and attitude, and we think it pairs perfectly with this colorful, cartoony style, making for a great combination of fun and tactical depth.”

This new Commander Keen stars the titular hero’s twin kids Billy and Billie as they race to save their old man. The campaign features a 2D platforming story mode with plenty of gadgets, as well as a 1v1 battle mode to fight other players.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14ZD9_tLwgA

“With the new Commander Keen, we wanted to stay true to the platforming history of the original series, while making gameplay feel mobile-first,” explains Kira Schlitt, Creative Director. “There’s a lot of slap-happy nonsense in our brand-new gadget-based action, particularly in Battle Mode.”

Bethesda did not reveal a release date. But Commander Keen will be in beta testing this summer. If you register for email updates at the official website, you’ll receive an exclusive space costume skin.


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Eric has been writing for over eight years with bylines in Dicebreaker, Pixelkin, Polygon, PC Gamer and Tabletop Gaming magazine, covering movies, TV shows, video games, tabletop games and tech. He reviews and live streams D&D adventures every week on YouTube. He also makes a mean tuna quesadilla.