This fall, the legendary battle between G.I. Joe and Cobra returns to video game consoles for the first time since 2009’s movie-based G.I. Joe Retaliation.
On Oct. 13, Hasbro and GameMill Entertainment will release G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout, a third-person shooter for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Playstation 4. Operation Blackout drops players into the battle with 12 playable characters, including Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Cobra Commander, Destro, Roadblock, Storm Shadow, the Baroness, Zartan, and more.
Players engage in combat across 17 campaign missions and can face off or team up in multiplayer game modes including Capture the Flag, Assault, and King of the Hill. A variety of customization options include 12 alternate character skins, 18 weapons, 36 weapon skins, and a variety of “devastating” ultimate abilities.
Falling in line with the rest of this year’s G.I. Joe relaunch, Operation Blackout draws inspiration from Hasbro’s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero brand that debuted in 1982. Longtime fans of the brand will recognize familiar character designs, uniforms, and iconic vehicles and locations such as the U.S.S. FLAGG, Cobra Rattler, and Cobra Island.
The G.I. Joe relaunch began in January with the release of a mobile game followed by the debut of the 6-inch scale G.I. Joe Classified Series action figure collection, a 3.75-inch Retro Collection, and licensed products from companies including Jada Toys and Jazwares. Paramount Pictures is in post-production on Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins. The film was originally slated for release in October but is now awaiting a new release date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
