Dauntless Leaves Early Access With 1.0 Update

Dauntless burst on the scene last year to some great acclaim. We certainly enjoyed it, as you can read in our review here. The monster hunting title came in with a stylized look and some solid gameplay, but has technically been in early access ever since May of last year when it launched. Now, the time has come for it to leave that state with a “full” release, which brings several major changes.

The 1.0 update will bring the game out of early access, and coincides with the latest season, Aether Unbound. Instead of weekly challenges, the game will have a Bounty system to earn Hunt Pass experience. Along with the update also comes new weapons, new monsters and various quality of life upgrades such as the ability to skip cutscenes. You can see a partial list below or read the full details through here.

Dauntless is available free-to-play now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Switch and mobile versions are in development now, though no date has been set. The 1.0 update is live now across all available versions.

• New weapon. The aether strikers are a pugilist’s weapon and the latest to join the Slayer arsenal. Learn more on the Dauntless blog.
• Bounty system. Take advantage of a new, more flexible way to earn Hunt Pass experience. This feature replaces weekly challenges and the Hunt Pass break part system. Learn more on the Dauntless blog.
• New Dire Behemoth. Tempestborne Stormclaw has arrived in the Shattered Isles, wreaking havoc with its powerful storms. Look for the newest Dire on the Hunt Board.
• New Hunt Pass. A new season begins, and a new Hunt Pass follows.Prepare to unleash your inner power in Aether Unbound: Way of the Fist. Learn more on the Dauntless blog.
• Twin Suns Mastery. The Twin Suns exotic repeaters now have an official Mastery card. Open up your Mastery menu (‘N’ on PC) to see what challenges await.
• Skip scene. Not interested in watching a cutscene? Slayers will now see an on-screen option to skip past cinematic scenes.
• Aether strikers quest. New weapon. New quest. You’ll get this one around the same time you pick up your first repeaters quest for Janek Zai.
• A friendly excursion. Also new on the quest front is “Friends Indeed,” a limited-time quest that challenges Slayers to hunt with their friends and earn exclusive dyes. Be sure to complete it before time runs out!