Capcom’s new dinosaur-focused shooter Exoprimal got a new trailer in the Capcom Spotlight stream, giving us new details, an open beta, release dates and a surprise Xbox Game Pass announcement.
Capcom Spotlight gave us brand new looks at Resident Evil 4 remake, Street Fighter 6 and Monster Hunter Rise. But the biggest news from last week's event was that the exosuits vs dinosaurs shooter Exoprimal will be launching on July 14, 2023. We got a deep-dive into the game showing off a brand new story trailer; players will take on the role of exofighters battling the rogue A.I. Leviathan who's sending dinosaurs through rifts in the sky.
The big announcement was that Exoprimal will be coming day one to Xbox Game Pass on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Considering it’s an online-only title, it’s a smart way to get more players into the game on day one. For those who aren’t quite sold on the game yet (like me), Capcom also announced that there will be an open beta test for Xbox consoles, PS4, PS5, and PC that kicks off this week on Friday, March 17 to Monday, March 20 so you can try out the Exoprimal's main PvPvE mode, Dino Survival. Players who participate in the open beta also get an Aibius Medal charm for use in the full game.
The story trailer reveals a little more about the world, including an unexpected focus on time travel – although, considering it’s a game about dinosaurs, we probably should've expected that! The characters talk about repeating the “same day, over and over” which definitely feels like a convenient explanation for a multiplayer focus. I don’t think it'll win any story awards, but it looks like a fun time that seems equal parts bonkers and melodramatic. It’s perfectly scored by a mid-2000’s sounding butt rock tune blaring in the background.
Finally the game revealed it’s battle pass – called a Survival Pass – which features both free and premium tiers. The premium tier is included in the game’s Deluxe Edition and nets you a further 19 exosuit skins and 10 weapon skins.
Dino Crisis
On one hand, Exoprimal being a day one release on Xbox Game Pass is good news for people like me who aren’t quite sure about the game yet. But at the same time it also brings the implication that Capcom itself isn’t too sure on the game as a full-priced release.
Previous multiplayer games to launch straight onto Xbox Game Pass like Outriders, Rainbow Six Extraction and Back 4 Blood all ended up being quite underwhelming, so hopefully the same fate doesn’t befall Exoprimal.
The open beta is the perfect opportunity for Capcom to hook in potential players that are on the fence. It may end up changing my mind, with Exoprimal going on to become a sleeper hit in a market saturated with samey battel royale titles and lacklustre multiplayer options.. It’s undeniable that it’s becoming harder and harder to break into the live-service market, but maybe Capcom has cracked it with Exoprimal. We'll get our first taste this weekend, so I'll see you there!
