Starship Troopers: Extermination Game Director Peter Maurice Q&A Part 2

Starship Troopers: Extermination is adding a flying threat with Update 13, which drops today, October 22. With more content set for 2027 and beyond, we were able to chat with game director Peter Maurice. This is part two of our Q&A. You can read part one here.

GW: You’re working with a huge IP. How do you decide what to bring directly from the movies and what to build from scratch? How does that collaboration with the rights holders look?

We look at how the content can be adapted for gameplay and whether it makes sense within our game. It’s as simple as that. We look at the five films and ask ourselves questions like: Will this weapon work in our game? Does it have a place alongside our other weapons? It’s a very positive and rewarding partnership.

GW: What specific adjustments had to be made to make the game’s massive Bug hordes perform well enough on consoles? How difficult was that process?

It was a massive challenge that led to a lot of new optimizations, which our PC players have also benefited from. We’re continuing to optimize the game in ways that benefit both PC and console players. Optimization never ends in a live-service title.

GW: What’s one mechanic or system that was harder to figure out and make work than you expected at first?

The navigation system for the Hopper, which is coming with Update 13, was a significant challenge. It doesn’t use the traditional ground-based navigation systems that our existing Bugs rely on. Ensuring the Hopper, as a flying Bug, could perform all the mechanics we wanted while staying true to its movie counterpart was a huge undertaking for the team. We needed to make sure it worked well with our existing systems and that its place in the game would be a positive addition. We think we’ve got it right, but of course, the community will ultimately tell us!

GW: How did the arrival of the M-11E Babar reshape the flow of battles? How difficult was it to balance properly?

The M-11 was something the team thought long and hard about for many years. We all knew we wanted it in the game, but we struggled with how to balance it so that it would be an exciting addition without becoming a piece of technology that dominated players’ choices in every match. We didn’t want it to become the game’s meta. Balancing was key. We repeatedly tested everything, from battery life and weapon loadouts to the damage it could deal. I think one of the biggest additions to the feature was making it a team-focused weapon. It requires support from the Troopers on the ground to remain effective, whether that means reloading its ammunition or repairing it when it takes damage.

The complete conversation with Maurice extends beyond these two Q&As. Stay tuned for the final part tomorrow, October 23.

Starship Troopers: Extermination is available on PC (Steam & Epic Games Store), PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.