Robocop: Rogue City is part man, part machine, and all videogame. It’s also delayed, as it turns out, from a planned release in September to November 2, 2023.
The November date was revealed in the description for the latest trailer for the game, which blends a cinematic look at the ever-crumbling Old Detroit with gameplay footage showcasing “detective work and gory shootouts.” Publisher Nacon didn’t provide any explanation for the delay, and in fact the Steam page still indicates that Robocop: Rogue City will launch in September, but this isn’t the first time it’s been pushed back: It was originally supposed to be out sometime in June, but got bumped into September earlier this year.
We had high hopes (or at least cautious optimism) for Robocop: Rogue City back in 2022, fueled largely by nostalgia for Paul Verhoeven’s brilliant 1987 film about the future of law enforcement, but a closer look at the game in June left me cold. Movement is slow and plodding, and while that’s in keeping with the Robocop character, I don’t think it’s going to hold up especially well over the course of an entire videogame. Enemy AI also doesn’t look great (why do bad guys just stand there blasting?), other details like Peter Weller’s noticeably aged voice feel off, and of course you have to wonder how the satire will hold up, or if it will be present at all. Verhoeven’s film is a smart, sharp takedown of corporate America (bolstered by one of the greatest casts of on-screen villains ever assembled) and while it may translate reasonably well as the basis for a shooter (the film looked for all the world like a straight-up guns-and-guts action flick when it first appeared), I’m not convinced that fans will be satisfied if that satirical edge isn’t there.
We will find out soon enough, just a little later than expected. Robocop: Rogue City is available for wishlisting now on Steam and the Epic Games Store.