Classified: France ’44 Announced by Team17

Last week many editors and otherwise got an email about a new Team17 Digital title, dressed up as a redacted classified document. I don’t mind teasing something, it builds up a little bit of hype that isn’t too harmful. Nonetheless, it was addressed as “for immediate release;” The only detail that was efficiently ascertainable was that the developer, Absolutely Games was about to announce the game officially on the 31st of May. That game is Classified: France ’44, a new turn-based tactics title, or put simply, a WWII XCOM-like of sorts.

The unclassified press release given to us yesterday notes, “Classified: France ’44 is inspired by the untold story of the Jedburghs – a group of heroic Allied special forces dropped behind enemy lines – and disparate brave Resistance groups working across Northern France during the weeks and months ahead of the decisive Normandy landings on D-Day.” Operation Jedburgh was named after the town in the Scottish borders comprising of the elites just below the SAS and included pre-CIA forces, the first team to land behind enemy lines for Operation Overlord was codenamed Hugh. Landing near Châteauroux.

As the readily apparent knowledge of “the Jedburghs” might suggest and prior mentions of enjoying the military history of this time, I might be excited by Classified: France ’44. The press release goes on to mention further details on the gameplay, including a heavy emphasis on the clandestine nature of the gameplay. In simple terms: A focus on stealth and guerrilla warfare. The press release particularly notes the turn-based gameplay will include, “a much greater emphasis on the use of stealth to complete missions, an enhanced overwatch ability that provides further tactical options, and an engaging morale-based combat & suppression system that means every shot matters.”

Listing features, the press release notably states, “enemy engagements are designed to replicate real-world military strategy, with combat relying on suppressing opponents with morale damage, then flanking pinned targets to finish the job.” The campaign will also focus on the allied forces joined by the French Resistance factions leading up to Operation Overlord (D-Day). The campaign of Classified: France ’44 is also highlighted as non-linear and “highly replayable,” as you define the success of that time Tom Hanks went off on a rescue mission for Matt Damon. Exclusively PC players will be given the tools (supposedly) used to make the game as well as DLC for a mission editor with further sharing tools.

Absolutely Games was founded in late 2019 and CEO James Brooksby goes on to say, “Myself and the team are huge fans of tactical turn-based games and strategy games, and so for Classified: France ’44[,] we not only wanted to evolve the genre and be ambitious in the game we have created but also, we wanted to depict the largely untold story of heroism behind enemy lines in Northern France before D-Day.” With 27 experienced developers “each with over 25 years’ experience,” according to the press release, one hopes that translates to an enjoyable yet ambitious title.

Roger Carpenter of Team17 Digital states, “Being able to partner with James and his team at Absolutely Games to elevate the turn-based tactics genre and peel back the pages of history to the events of June 1944 is so exciting for us. They are very focused on delivering a campaign based on real-life events and the people who helped bring about the beginning of the end of World War II, one that will wholeheartedly deliver when Classified: France ’44 is deployed on PC and consoles.” Yes, not only is Classified: France ’44 coming to PC, but also select consoles.

No specific release date was given in the press release, though the window is for sometime later this year. Hopefully, we don’t get a heavily redacted document sent our way days before so we have to wait until an aimless date to get the news up afterward. I am excited, so I want to play it now. You’ll be able to play Classified: France ’44 later this year on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. You can wishlist Classified: France ’44 on Steam right now, with no other storefronts listing the title.