Brace yourselves for an intense battle against nature’s fury as Exkee announces Rescue Ops: Wildfire, an immersive and dynamic firefighter simulation game set to bring the heat.
Promising realistic and unpredictable wildfire behavior, an authentic fleet of vehicles, and thrilling front-line firefighting gameplay, this new sim is slated to launch in Early Access on Steam, Epic and Xbox PC, through the Xbox Store, in late 2025.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to play this on an Xbox console, but if you’re down with the Xbox eco-system on PC, it’ll be all hands to the pump…
Answering the Call: The Stark Reality of Wildfires
With climate change contributing to more frequent and extreme wildfires globally, Rescue Ops: Wildfire aims to give players a vivid experience of what it’s like to be on the front lines of one of the world’s most dangerous professions.
The game is being built from the ground up for both solo and cooperative play, highlighting the heroism of firefighters who walk into fire and flames to protect communities.
From Station to Inferno: Mastering the Blaze
In Rescue Ops: Wildfire, the journey begins with the initial emergency call to the fire station. From there, players will need to employ varied tactics, tools, strategies, and mechanics to combat the blaze.
This includes:
- Operating a fleet of ground and aerial vehicles (like fire engines and helicopters) to assess situations and travel to incident sites.
- Locating and rescuing trapped or injured civilians.
- Calling in crucial tactical support, such as deploying water bombers, requesting water supply deliveries, or asking for ground support to establish attack or defense lines.
- Wielding forest clearing equipment.
- Engaging in intricate and immersive water hose systems and gameplay to directly fight mega-fires.
Campaign & Sandbox: Two Ways to Tackle the Flames
Rescue Ops: Wildfire will launch on PC with two primary game modes:
- Campaign Mode: Playable solo or in a squad of 2-4 players, this mission-based campaign places you in the boots of a firefighter facing an unprecedented fire season. Expect exhilarating wildfire scenarios across diverse global locations.
- Sandbox Mode: This mode encourages players to apply their learned strategies to tackle bigger, more volatile wildfires and unscripted events that demand quick thinking and even faster action from you and your team.
The game features a dynamic, intelligent fire system that reacts to factors like wind strength and direction, allowing fires to spread across vast hectares of terrain. This ensures that no two fires, or the approaches to fighting them, will ever be the same.
The Future of Rescue Ops: Beyond the Wildfire
Exkee has ambitious plans for the Rescue Ops brand, envisioning Wildfire as just the beginning. The developer intends to grow the franchise by bringing their immersive, dynamic gameplay systems not only to urban fire operations but also to different types of emergency rescue and service professions.
We’re also going to hope that they go down the console route for this one too. We’ll keep you looped should we hear anything.
If you are only a console player, then there are plenty of other games of this ilk to consider – the upcoming Firefighting Simulator: Ignite perhaps, or maybe even Firefighting Simulator – The Squad.
Watch the Reveal & Prepare for Duty
Get a first look at the intense action in the Rescue Ops: Wildfire reveal trailer:
You can also learn more and wishlist the game on its Steam page.
Key Features to Anticipate
Rescue Ops: Wildfire is gearing up to offer a comprehensive firefighting simulation. Players will fight to control massive dynamic wildfires, determining the best strategies in both Campaign and Sandbox modes, either alone or with players worldwide.
You’ll operate a diverse fleet of ground and aerial firefighting vehicles, including fire engines and helicopters, and call in tactical support like water bombers and ground crews to gain the upper hand.
Expect to use cutting-edge equipment, developed with the support and expertise of professional firefighters, as you charge into maps inspired by the world’s wildest regions, each presenting unique terrain and challenges.
Stay tuned for more information on Rescue Ops: Wildfire as it approaches its Early Access launch in late 2025. Just remember, initially it’s going to be an Xbox PC play only, but we’ll cross fingers for an Xbox console drop further down the line.
