With a huge array of shows, movies, and comic book issues under its belt, Power Rangers is a global pop-culture phenomenon. The last few years have also seen a surge in Power Rangers video games, with unique concepts and ideas. Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid saw the return of many actors from the TV Show reprising their characters for the game. The number of Power Rangers games are too many to count. But there was one game that never got off the drawing board. And we are so sad because the idea looks awesome on paper!!!
The name Jason Bischoff is spoken in the highest circles of the gaming industry. he has been a part of major AAA games as well as major shows and movies. An avid fan of pop culture, he is into not just Marvel and DC Comics but also the Power Rangers. It was Bischoff that came up with the idea of a new Power Rangers game. He pitched it way back in 2016 but it never got off the ground.
Enter Project NOMAD
The working title for Jason Bischoff’s project was called Project NOMAD. This ambitious project was headed by him and he laid out plans and a project schedule if the developer studio ever gave him the get-go. Jason Bischoff even had the story and the concept artwork ready just in case. He describes the game as:
“open-world co-op that captured the energy, teamwork, and history of the franchise.”
The game, according to Bischoff, draws inspiration from classic DC games like Batman Arkham games and even Gotham Knights. he even went as far as to call the new game as “Arkham Rangers” for the heck of it.
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 intricate artwork reveals more than we had bargained for. There are sleeker designs for the original Power Rangers team. The Alien rangers could also be seen. Jason Bischoff led a small team that were drafting the final pitch before it was abruptly disbanded and its resources put into use in other projects. The primary reason the game ended up being scrapped was the age old problem of time and budget.
Back in those years, there were talks of a Power Rangers reboot. The reboot movie ended up taking most of Saban’s attention and as a result, this new revolutionary idea of an open world Power Rangers game was sidelined. It was all about the timing. 2017 was not a good time to start work on a Power Rangers game. Bischoff had failed to take the external environment into account when drafting the pitch.
Sadly, with so much circulating through the studio at the time, there was no bandwidth or budget to support. What I did have, however, was an invaluable 'blessing' to independently explore… and explore I did! ⚡️ #powerdown 3/6
— Jason Bischoff (@shadowpiper) August 6, 2021
While early talks with Devs/Publishers was favorable, ultimately time + big shifts in our business saw conversations around Project Nomad peter out.
These things totally happen! The industry is built on 'what could have beens.' ⚡️ #powerdown 5/6 pic.twitter.com/0oKexuTUXC
— Jason Bischoff (@shadowpiper) August 6, 2021
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
Can Project NOMAD Be Restarted?
Bischoff claimed that the talks with the developer studio and the publishing teams were favorable when he initially pitched his plan. Eventually Project NOMAD was canned because of all the wrong reasons. Silent cancellations and axing of ideas like this are quite common in the gaming arena. many promising games were scrapped because of the higher-ups’ thick-headedness. Fans are still eager to see Jason Bischoff’s idea be turned into a game or at the very least – a movie or a TV show. There are rumors confirming that it may be happening sooner than later.
