Clockwork Revolution: inXile’s ambitious steampunk RPG gears up to redefine the genre
For six years, inXile’s team has been crafting a colossal steampunk project that could redefine first-person RPG standards. Brian Fargo, the legendary game developer and studio head, doesn’t mince words: Clockwork Revolution is a monumental leap forward, an amplified ambition set to transform immersive role-playing as we know it.
Microsoft and Xbox Game Studios have been rolling out major RPGs in recent years, from Bethesda’s Starfield to Obsidian Entertainment’s creations like Avowed, Grounded 2, and The Outer Worlds 2. But the next giant on the horizon might just outshine them all. Clockwork Revolution, a steampunk RPG developed by inXile Entertainment for Xbox and PC, is shaping up to be the studio’s boldest title yet. That’s saying something for the team behind the excellent Wasteland 3 released in August 2020.
Image credit: inXile entertainment
Avalon, a steampunk city shaped by time travel
In Clockwork Revolution, you play as Morgan Vanette, a fully customizable character who discovers the power to manipulate time. The story unfolds in Avalon, a sprawling city where Lady Ironwood uses time travel to keep the upper class firmly atop the social hierarchy. Your choices in the past will alter the city, its inhabitants, and the unfolding stories, creating ripple effects on every level.
It’s hard not to think of Dishonored or Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time when watching the first footage. The influence of former talent from these iconic franchises is clear. A key artist from Dishonored has joined the team, bringing a distinct and instantly recognizable aesthetic.
Still, inXile is clear about its goal: not just to patch together inspirations, but to lay the foundation for a fully realized steampunk RPG. To achieve this, the studio has enlisted seasoned creators who have left their mark on the genre, including veterans from Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura. Game director Chad Moore and lead designer Jason Anderson bring invaluable expertise to a universe determined to give steampunk the role-playing spotlight it has long deserved.
An unprecedented technical and narrative challenge
In an exclusive interview with GamesRadar+, Brian Fargo dropped a staggering claim: Clockwork Revolution is the studio’s most ambitious project yet—ten times bigger than anything they’ve done before. The goal? To translate the deep interactivity typical of isometric RPGs into a first-person action RPG. This colossal technical gamble requires a complete overhaul of the game’s narrative and gameplay architecture.
“Clockwork Revolution is our most ambitious title, probably ten times more than the others.”
— Brian Fargo, founder and CEO of inXile Entertainment
According to Fargo, steampunk has never been properly explored in the RPG realm, and inXile intends to fill that gap. If players catch echoes of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time or Dishonored, all the better—but the ambition is to set a new benchmark for time travel and narrative reactivity.
Complete freedom to forge your own legend
inXile’s philosophy rests on a core principle: true role-playing means genuinely impacting the world around you. Brian Fargo is adamant: if all roads lead to the same ending, immersion collapses and players feel trapped on invisible rails. That’s exactly what the studio wants to avoid at all costs. To ensure authenticity, inXile is developing roughly 30% more content than any single playthrough will reveal. This approach allows players to embody different character archetypes—whether virtuous, villainous, or somewhere in between.
Even more impressive: the game will feature truly Machiavellian dialogue options and conversations involving multiple characters simultaneously—a rarity in the genre. Fargo’s take on moral free will is worth noting: if the game doesn’t allow players to take dark paths and witness their consequences, then the freedom to choose goodness simply doesn’t exist. In other words, choosing to be good only matters if corruption is a real, fleshed-out option. This philosophy is paired with a dark sense of humor that promises memorable moments.
A long wait that promises wonders
Unveiled at the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase, Clockwork Revolution still lacks an official release date. Rumors suggest a possible launch in 2026, but a 2027 release seems more realistic given the project’s scale. It will be inXile’s first AAA first-person RPG and their first major production since being acquired by Xbox Game Studios in 2018.
Six years in development for a game Brian Fargo also calls the most complex he’s ever worked on speaks volumes about the project’s gargantuan ambition. Between time manipulation, extreme narrative reactivity, deeply layered character progression, and a steampunk world finally treated with the respect it deserves, Clockwork Revolution is shaping up to be one of the most expressive and malleable RPGs in recent years on Xbox and PC platforms.
PC, Steampunk games, Xbox Series X|S
