The game that used to be called GeneShift is now called Gene Shift Auto. Nik Nak Studios, aka solo developer Ben Johnson, changed drastically during development and early access, necessitating a new name.
When Geneshift was released, “there were no cops, missions, megamaps, skills he crafted, traders, or even BR game modes!” Johnson wrote. “We are playing a completely different game. It’s actually more of a sequel. The new name helps convey to all old fans just how much has changed.
It’s also free to play starting November 28th. The previous price was $15/£11.40. “His move to F2P will bring many more players to our community,” he wrote. “The servers will get busier, the discord members will grow, and you can invite your friends for free!”
In 2017, at his hostel abroad, Youth caught up with Johnson, who had just been working on the game for two years. Inspired by his love of Grand Theft Auto 2 and Soldier, this top-down shooter had a fluid name from the start. It started out as a demo called Subvein and went to Steam Greenlight for approval under the name Mutant Factions. Along the way, it morphed from a single-player/co-op arcade criminal mayhem to a battle royale played in three quick five-minute rounds with roguelike progression.
The story campaign will remain accessible to players who own the DLC Deluxe Edition (opens in a new tab) and will continue to be accessible after the basic version is free to play. To access it, you’ll need to set a custom server lobby as your host and select Campaign before clicking Create Game. When Gene Shift Auto launches for free on November 28th, the Deluxe Edition will still be available for the same price, and existing owners will have access to everything.