Though we still know quite little about EA Cliffhanger Games’ upcoming Black Panther title, which was first confirmed last year, a recent job listing may have revealed that it’s set to be an open-world title. The job ad on EA’s website calls for a “Principle Sandbox Designer,” which in title alone speaks to an open-world goal.
It becomes more clear in the position description itself as well, where it’s noted that the potential candidate will also need “5+ Years experience in technical and sandbox design for open-world games, with a proven track record of creating engaging and dynamic environments” and can expect to “Partner with the design team to integrate sandbox dynamics into the mission design, facilitating seamless transitions between structured missions and open-world exploration.”
Of course, it’s far from the first hint that this Black Panther project (no, not the recently re-revealed Marvel 1943 game from Skydance) will be an open-world experience of some kind, with Cliffhanger head, Kevin Stephens having already dubbed it a “super hero sandbox” in a press release when the game was first announced, but the language in this new job ad all-but solidifies the meaning behind that.
An all-new #BlackPanther story begins here at Cliffhanger Games.
We’re a newly established @EA studio developing an original, single-player Black Panther action-adventure game exploring the world of Wakanda with @MarvelGames.
Learn more: https://t.co/XIPT74DpuJ pic.twitter.com/0W2IwjwjSh
— Cliffhanger Games (@CliffhangerDevs) July 10, 2023
“We’re dedicated to delivering fans a definitive and authentic Black Panther experience, giving them more agency and control over their narrative than they have ever experienced in a story-driven video game. Wakanda is a rich super hero sandbox, and our mission is to develop an epic world for players who love Black Panther and want to explore the world of Wakanda as much as we do,” Stephens said at the time.
“We want our game to enable players to feel what it’s like to be worthy of the Black Panther mantle in unique, story-driven ways, and we want Cliffhanger Games to empower everyone on our team as we collaborate to bring this amazing world to life.”
