Iron Galaxy is returning to Killer Instinct with a ‘major’ update

Iron Galaxy is returning to create a 10^th anniversary update for Xbox’s Killer Instinct reboot later this year.

The update, which was announced on stage at this weekend’s Evo event in Las Vegas, will include balance tweaks, improved matchmaking, and 4K support for Series X|S.

The reboot of Rare’s classic fighting game franchise was first released for Xbox One in 2013, developed by Double Helix Games, and was supported with updates and new characters until 2016.

After Double Helix’s sale to Amazon, post-launch development was moved to Iron Galaxy.

“We’re doing a balance update and a major, major upgrade to all PlayFab services,” James Goddard, design director on Killer Instinct’s second and third seasons, told the audience at Evo. “Matchmaking’s a lot smoother, tournaments are easier and more KI for the next ten years.”

Xbox boss Phil Spencer discussed the possibility of Microsoft bringing back the Killer Instinct series in a 2021 interview.

“I will just say, [Xbox Game Studios head] Matt [Booty] and I have discussed many times KI and where we would like to go with it and it’s not out of our minds that—it might be out of our minds—but it’s in our hearts and in our minds that we want to continue to do something with KI.

“It’s about finding the right team and the right opportunity,” Spencer added, “but it is not due to any kind of lack of desire on our part that we’re not doing more with KI because we love the franchise and the community response.”