The Power Rangers ‘Project Nomad’ video game is a typical case of one that got away. Previous franchise head Jason Bischoff has shared some intriguing details.
The Power Rangers hold a special place in many of our hearts; the combination of good conquering evil, cool dinosaur machines, martial arts, and the enduring message of friendship and teamwork made it a winner from the start. Although the quality of the franchise’s output has unfortunately hit more than a few snags during the course of its existence.
This will make news of Power Rangers ‘Project Nomad’, and its eventual cancellation, all the more bittersweet for fans of the iconic action series.
Project Nomad was the codename given to an open world Power Rangers video game that was being being developed as a AAA title in 2016. The tone of the game was going to be darker than one would expect, possibly in an attempt to appeal to fans of the 1990s show who have since matured.
Unfortunately, as the franchise’s past head Jason Bischoff explained in a series of Tweets, the project was eventually cancelled due to a lack of budget and limited interest. The details that Bischoff shared will, however, undoubtedly cause the sweet pang of nostalgia to enter the hearts of many fans.
Project Nomad details and concept art
While the video game never entered into formal development, a pitch for Project Nomad appears to have received considerable resources and focus. Bischoff mentioned that the team planned on creating a Power Rangers game in a similar vein to Batman: Arkham Knight.
As a video game ex-pat (then at Saban), I had hoped to BusDev an ambitious, open world co-op that captured the energy, teamwork, and history of the franchise through a fresh lens.
Basically, 'Arkham' Rangers… or Gotham Knights 5yrs before GK's announcement. ⚡️ #powerdown 2/6 pic.twitter.com/NbUOqOttSN
— Jason Bischoff (@shadowpiper) August 6, 2021
The concept art on display is a marked departure from the Power Rangers many of us grew up with, and that extends to the proposed location and narrative. Bischoff claimed that the game’s story involved “Eltar, under occupation, being freed by a myriad of Rangers from across the cosmos.”
A nice setup to allow many different sorts of Rangers to join the war against evil.
For now, let's simply relish in this amazing art, and its kick-ass set up:
Eltar, under occupation, being freed by a myriad of Rangers from across the cosmos.
Lots more to share another time. Happy Weekending, all! May the Power Protect You! ⚡️ #powerdown 6/6 pic.twitter.com/PUJN8u2GTz
— Jason Bischoff (@shadowpiper) August 6, 2021
The depiction of the Zords are pretty different to anything I’ve seen too – that Tyrannosaurus looks mean, and also a bit light in terms of passenger seating. Although as Bischoff notes, “these looks were never intended to be final, I think it’s safe to say we were onto something compelling!”
It seems unlikely that we’ll ever see a Power Rangers video game like Project Nomad, but it’s still nice to wonder at what could have been. Although if these images have unleashed an uncontrollable desire to take control of your favourite character, then perhaps take a look at Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid.
