Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 3 announced for PS5 and PC, free-to-play with cross-play

A new Battle Operation is coming. Bandai Namco and developer Bandai Namco Forge Digitals have announced Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 3, the next free-to-play team combat game in the series, for PS5 and PC (Steam), Gematsu reports. It will have cross-play between the two platforms. There’s no release date yet.

What’s in it. You enlist as a mercenary and pilot mobile suits in large online team battles, mixing long-range firepower, close combat and each suit’s skills. You can also climb out of the cockpit to plant base bombs, call in support fire and take objectives on foot, and there’s a social Base Camp hub between missions. You can watch the announcement trailer on GameSpot.

Which Gundam shows. At launch it covers Universal Century series like the original Mobile Suit Gundam, The 08th MS Team and 0083: Stardust Memory, plus Gundam SEED from the Alternative timelines. Bandai Namco plans to add two or three more Alternative series in the first year.

Testing soon, in Japan first. A Japan-only cross-play network test runs on November 20 and 22, and a wider open network test is planned after that.

PPR take: Mechs plus on-foot objectives and cross-play from day one is a strong pitch for a free-to-play shooter. We’ll keep an eye out for the open test so the rest of us can try it.