Blizzard Entertainment has acquired the trademark rights to three game titles of a 1997 first-person shooter (FPS) formerly published by Interplay.  The game was designed by Xatrix Entertainment—later known as Gray Matter Interactive, former creators of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2; Quake II: The Reckoning; Return to Castle Wolfenstein; and Call of Duty 2: Big Red One.  Activision purchased this studio in January 2002.

The trademarks of the FPS Series were later sold to Vivendi Universal in July 2004, but they didn’t make any games based on the series. However, Blizzard Entertainment has secured the trademark rights.

Is the fifth unannounced game based on this game title? Or is it yet another game in the works? Or will they work on it at a later time? It is all cloudy at the moment. Back on 2004, Blizzard returned to their roots with the acquisition of the arcade games trademarks from Interplay: The Lost Vikings,  Rock’n Roll Racing and Blackthorne. These were games developed by the founders before Sillicone & Synapses was known as Blizzard Entertainment.

This new FPS series however is not their creation. With the Activision Blizzard merge, it would be interesting to see if Blizzard explores a new trend of developing games based on IPs from either Activision or Universal.

What are these mysterious FPS series trademark rights acquired by Blizzard Entertainment?

  • REDNECK RAMPAGE
  • REDNECK RAMPAGE RIDES AGAIN
  • REDNECK RAMPAGE SUCKIN’ GRITS ON ROUTE 66

The original Redneck Rampage game was based on the Duke Nukem 3D engine.  It contained hillbilly elements with its main characters: Leonard and Bubba, two brothers from fictional town Hickston, Arkansas.  The plot revolved around an alien invasion and the rescue of their pig Bessie.

In the original Redneck Rampage game, you could use serveral weapons such as:  .454 Revolver, Double-barreled shotgun, Kalashnikov AK-47 Assault Rifle, Ripsaw, Teater Gun, Alien Handgun, Dynamite, Crossbow, Powder Keg, Crowbar and a Bowling ball.

The game had the introduction of various themes by singers Mojo Nixon, Reverend Horton Heat, Beat Farmers, Cement Pond, and other Psychobilly artists.

Join Leonard and Bubba for a romp through Possum Bayou in this abridged version of the game.

Leonard and Bubba gotta get back Bessie, their prize-winnin’ pig who’s been abducted by aliens in Redneck Rampage, a ruckus-raisin’ riot of a first person 3D shooter set in the fictional town of Hickston, Arkansas.

Armed with up to nine impractical and occasionally illegal weapons ranging from a crowbar to an alien arm gun (to pull the trigger, yank on the tendon), blast your way with the boys through country bars and trailer parks. The aliens have been busy conducting experiments, cloning local folks like Hickston’s resident drunkard, Billy Ray.

Now these ornery alien enemies lurk behind every outhouse and jukebox, scratching themselves and waitin’ to whoop yer butt. If you thought navigating through a melted-down Los Angeles or sneaking around ogres’ castles was tough, then just try your hand a-whompin’ and a-stompin’ the good ol’ boys at Stanky’s Bar & Grill. You’ll find there’s nothin’ more terrifyin’ than the deep chuckle of an inbred alien clone stalking you in the backwoods, with nobody to hear your teeth chattering but the fifty chickens milling around underfoot.