Hunt: Showdown is evolving yet again. Crytek’s acclaimed horror extraction shooter has been growing from strength to strength for years at this point, and it’s now launched natively for current-gen consoles. Alongside its PS5 and Xbox Series X/S release, however, it also welcomes a significant update that sees it transforming into Hunt: Showdown 1896, boasting a number of enhancements and a chunk of new content.
For starters, there’s a new map in the form of Mammoth’s Gulch, which encompasses 16 unique compounds and various different environments, from mines to burnt and abandoned towns. There’s also a new target, called the Hellborn, which, in Crytek’s words, “moves frantically to slag trespassing Hunters, scorching everything in its considerable reach”, and is best dispatched with speed, given the fact that its “raging howls” can attract other Hunters to your location. Meanwhile, all of Hunt: Showdown’s previous maps will also arrive in remastered and overhauled form with a free post-launch update that’s yet to be dated.
Then there’s the new in-game Scorched Earth event, which will run from now until October 7, bringing new story details about Mammoth’s Gulch, as well as rewards in the form of new equipment, ammo, and weapons. On top of that, Crytek is also introducing a battle pass, as well as a new weekly challenges system.
Crucially, Hunt: Showdown 1896 also sees the first-person shooter upgrading its engine. Now running on CryEngine 5.11, the game now boasts enhanced visual fidelity, and improvements across lighting, animations, audio design, and more. On PS5 and Xbox Series X, it runs at 4K and 60 FPS, while on Xbox Series S, it targets 1440p at 60 FPS. Other, gameplay-related improvements encompass improved controls, new wildlife, gunplay enhancements, and more.
Meanwhile, as previously confirmed, this update also means that Crytek is no longer supporting Hunt: Showdown on PS4 and Xbox One. A free upgrade path is available, but going forward, the game will be unplayable on last-gen consoles.
Hunt: Showdown 1896 is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Check out the full patch notes for its big update through here, and watch its launch trailer below.
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