BattleTech Gothic, a board game mixing classic mechs with grimdark Warhammer 40K vibe, just got leaked, and fans aren’t too thrilled about it

The BattleTech franchise has come a long way over the years, growing into something huge. It just celebrated its 40th anniversary last year and has had a major influence on the mech genre, inspiring games like Front Mission. With such a dedicated fanbase that’s been around for decades, you definitely don’t want to upset them. But a recent leak of an game has left many wondering if it’s just an early April Fool’s joke.

Expanding the BattleTech universe

The internet isn’t all about GTA 6 leaks. BattleTech fans got a big surprise when photos of the game popped up, and not long after, Catalyst Game Labs officially announced it on their Facebook post on March 24.

BattleTech: Gothic is coming this summer. Set during the endless war after the collapse of humanity's golden age, it introduces vicious Abominations of flesh and steel into the conflict. The game will feature customizable BattleMechs, allowing players to change heads and backpacks to represent different factions.

Reactions from the community have been pretty mixed. Some fans are worried about how much it strays from classic BattleTech lore, but at the same time, they see it as nothing more than a spin-off. Others, however, are outright calling it a crappy 80s cartoon or a Warhammer 40K crossover episode. But honestly, this might just be an attempt to bring in a new audience rather than sticking strictly to what longtime fans expect. At the end of the day, you can’t make everyone happy.

• board games
• rumours and leaks (games)
• mechs
• BattleTech (franchise)