A new large-scale multiplayer shooter set in the trenches of the First World War is preparing to enter the crowded PC games market, as developer Flying Squirrel Entertainment and publisher GG Publishing confirm a March 6 release for Over The Top: WWI on Steam.
The title positions itself firmly in the “excessive destruction and excessive fun” category, offering 100-versus-100 real-time combat in third-person, with an emphasis on scale, chaos and historical authenticity. Following a series of community-driven beta tests, the Zurich-based developers say the game is ready for full release, targeting players seeking expansive multiplayer battles rather than tightly scripted competitive play.
At launch, Over The Top: WWI will be available on PC via Steam with a time-limited 15 per cent discount, bringing the price down to 16.27$/€/£. After the introductory offer ends, the standard price will rise to 19.14$/€/£. The pricing strategy reflects a growing trend among mid-sized European studios to prioritise early adoption and community building during launch windows.
Set on the Western Front, the game allows players to fight as German, British or French soldiers across muddy, war-torn landscapes inspired by real historical locations. The central selling point is scale: up to 200 players or bots can occupy the battlefield at the same time, supported by artillery, tanks, aircraft and entrenched defensive positions. For players less inclined toward online competition, the same content is available in a single-player mode populated by large AI-controlled armies.
The gameplay leans heavily into dynamic, player-driven destruction. Trenches can be dug, craters carved into the terrain by sustained shelling, and landscapes reshaped as matches unfold. Combined with changing weather, wind, seasons and time-of-day systems, no two battles are intended to play out in quite the same way. This evolving battlefield approach is increasingly popular among developers looking to extend replay value without relying solely on new content drops.
At launch, the game will feature 12 historically inspired maps drawn from the Western Front, with additional locations planned post-release. Attention to detail is a recurring theme in the project. Flying Squirrel Entertainment’s team members are historical re-enactors, a background that has influenced the design of uniforms, vehicles and environments. That focus on authenticity may help the title stand out in a genre often dominated by fictionalised or modern settings.
From a systems perspective, Over The Top: WWI offers players eight distinct military roles, ranging from Officer and Sniper to support-focused classes such as Engineer. Each role is designed to encourage cooperation in large matches, reinforcing the game’s emphasis on teamwork over individual performance. The arsenal is extensive, featuring more than 50 weapons alongside tanks, armoured vehicles, aircraft, machine guns, mortars and cannons.
The developers have also placed a strong emphasis on user-generated content and server control. Alongside the 12 handcrafted maps, a built-in map editor allows players to design custom battlefields and upload them to the Steam Workshop. Server tools enable players to host and administrate their own servers, adjusting rules, settings and map rotations to suit specific communities. These features are increasingly viewed as essential for sustaining long-term engagement in multiplayer-focused titles.
Flying Squirrel Entertainment brings a degree of pedigree within the historical games niche. The studio was founded by members of the team behind the Mount & Musket mod for Mount & Blade: Warband, and later went on to develop the official Napoleonic Wars expansion for the same franchise. Based in Europe, the four-person team has also contributed to titles such as Holdfast: Nations at War and Battle Cry of Freedom.
For GG Publishing, the release represents a bet on a specialised but loyal audience drawn to historically grounded multiplayer experiences. While blockbuster shooters continue to dominate sales charts, the steady growth of mid-budget PC titles suggests there remains commercial space for ambitious, community-led projects with a clear identity.
As Over The Top: WWI approaches its March launch, its success is likely to hinge on post-release support and the strength of its player community. For now, the developers are positioning the game as a robust, content-rich entry into the World War I shooter genre—one that aims to deliver scale, spectacle and historical flavour in equal measure.
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