It’s been 25 years since the very first of the Worms games, Worms WMD, made its appearance on MS/DOS. Since that time, the core turn-based artillery mechanics of the game changed very little, eventually becoming synonymous with the very franchise itself.

That was until yesterday when Sony announced its first lineup of Playstation Indies — games from smaller developers being highlighted by the entertainment giant in order to promote creative freedom and spur novelty in an industry that is increasingly starting to look like Hollywood — dominated by safe bets and a reluctance to gamble tens of millions of dollars and years of development on new ideas.

Indeed, Team 17, the developers of the Worms franchise, have announced a brand new game, Worms Rumble — and it is poised to shake up the very foundations of their flagship IP. It appears that Worms Rumble will be discarding the core turn-based mechanics that made the original Worms games in favor of real-time PvP combat.

Comment from discussion napalmjam’s comment from discussion "Team17: Introducing Worms Rumble, a new era for Worms!​ Real-time combat​, 32 player online matches​, BR & DM modes, cross-play. PS4, PS5, PC late 2020".

That’s right, the new Worms Rumble will have deathmatches and even a 32 player Battle Royale mode taking place in real-time — a true paradigm shift from the formula that made the games in the first place.

Comment from discussion PK_Thundah’s comment from discussion "Team17: Introducing Worms Rumble, a new era for Worms!​ Real-time combat​, 32 player online matches​, BR & DM modes, cross-play. PS4, PS5, PC late 2020".

The surprise announcement was delivered to the shock of many players, but as the minutes and hours tick by, Worms Rumble continues to garner interest as many millennial gamers find half-forgotten memories of 2D worms, circular terrain destruction, and turn-based artillery creeping back out of the basement of their memory.

Many want to see what the new Worms experience is all about and whether it will manage to successfully capture the tone that defined the game while catapulting itself into the newly evolved tastes of the 2020 gaming community.

But what platforms will Worms Rumble be released on?

Worms Rumble for PC, PS4, and PS5

As it stands, it appears Worms Rumble will be releasing on only three platforms: PS4, PS5, and PC. And this should largely come as no surprise, with the game being announced as part of the Playstation Indies initiative. While neither Sony nor Team 17 has given a hard date for the game’s release, the game is slated for “late 2020” across PS4, PS5, and PC.

Worms Rumble Release for Xbox

Sadly, there has been no comment on a potential release date for Xbox. Whether this is part of a decision based on declining Xbox sales or due to backend development reasons is unclear. Thus, it seems, that Xbox players may have to content themselves with PC play come the game’s official release later this year.

Worms Rumble on iOS, Android, and Switch

https://twitter.com/XboxNintendoPS/status/1278393402690764800

Thus far, Team 17 has their lips sealed about any platforms beyond PC and Playstation consoles. And it seems unlikely that Worms Rumble will make the jump anytime around its PC/Console release, with Worms 4 Mobile their second most recent release.

Therefore Nintendo Switch and Mobile players will most likely, alongside their Xbox brethren, have to sit out for the Worms Rumble party or join in on PC, when it comes out late 2020.

While late 2020, in gaming terms, might feel like forever — gamers are not famous for their steadfast patience — there is a ray of hope: Team 17 has opened registration for the Worms Rumble Beta on their website, which you can sign up for here. The first hands-on on Steam is set for July 15th and July 20th, so get in now!