As promised (story), a press event was held today to announce Tribes: Vengeance, the Unreal-engine follow-up to Starsiege TRIBES and TRIBES II. This time around, the game will be developed by Irrational Games, the international developer behind Freedom Force and System Shock 2. The press release on this is up on TribalWar (along with a screenshot and some concept art), and here is a bit from it on the game, due in late 2004 for PCs (only):

In Tribes: Vengeance’s single-player campaign, gamers become immersed in a roiling galactic thriller. Throughout the game, the player catches glimpses of other, interrelated stories that are unfolding behind-the-scenes. In addition, gamers are given the opportunity to experience the full scope of the single-player story through multiple viewpoints and characters. Powered by an enhanced version of the Unreal Engine, the world is brought to life with characters that have facial expressions and fully-realized personalities, vehicles that kick up dust as they pass by, and weapons that display spectacular effects.

“Our plan is to not only enhance the multiplayer component of Tribes, but to also blow people away with a single-player story unlike anyone has ever seen in a videogame,” said Ken Levine, general manager of Irrational Games.

Tribes: Vengeance will also build upon the series’ legendary online multiplayer action. Irrational Games has hired one of the Tribes community’s leading developers, Michael “KineticPoet” Johnston, to head up the design and creation of the game’s multiplayer component. Johnston previously created Team Rabbit 2, a major Sierra-commissioned game modification for Tribes 2 that was included in the game’s commercial re-release in late 2002. “Being involved in the design and execution of Tribes: Vengeance is a dream come true,” said Johnston. “In the coming months we will be actively working with the Tribes online community to make sure they get the multiplayer game they’ve always wanted.”