LA Noire dev Team Bondi targeting next-gen for Whore of the Orient
First artwork shown off.
Controversial L.A. Noire developer Team Bondi is targeting the PC and the next-generation of consoles up for its upcoming project, Whore of the Orient.
The Shanghai-set title will be set in 1936, new information on the developer's website has confirmed.
Players will be able to explore "the most corrupt and decadent city on the planet" during a turbulent period in Shanghai's history.
"Plaything of Western powers who greedily exploit the Chinese masses. Boiling pot of Chinese nationalism, with the Kuomintang ruthlessly trying to suppress Communism and the labour movement. Home to the International Police Force, a group of Western cops hopelessly trying to keep the lid on and keep the peace."
Team Bondi is now recruiting for the project, namely roles in programming, art and animation. Positions require experience on other AAA titles.
Studio boss Brendan McNamara first named Whore of the Orient late last year, as Team Bondi recovered from financial collapse and a subsequent buyout.
The LA Noire and Getaway developer was eventually snapped up by Australian-based production company KMM, makers of CGI penguin movie Happy Feet and its video-game tie-ins.
McNamara told Eurogamer at the time that his next project would be "one of the great untold stories of the twentieth century".
"I learnt a tonne of things from doing L.A. Noire which will hopefully play into what we do next," he explained.
"We think the evolution from The Getaway to L.A. Noire and learning the lessons we did on the way, and some of the stuff about emerging storytelling, is definitely an avenue to pursue."
McNamara also owns shares in MotionScan, the company whose technology enabled L.A. Noire's realistic character faces.
"I own some of the shares, and some other people own some of the shares. It's a limited company, and there are some other investors in that, too.
"Hopefully towards the end of that we'll have the full body stuff up and running. That could be pretty interesting, too."
L.A. Noire was a financial and critical success, but Team Bondi was forced to close amid a firestorm of controversy surrounding working conditions at the developer. The studio's relationship with publisher Rockstar had also reportedly soured.