The closed beta was a huge success, gathering 105,774 online players on Steam and reaching the highest number of views on Twitch. Later, the creators of ambitious shooter WARDOGS from BULKHEAD studio shared plans for an early release into Early Access.
Project leader Joe Bramer (Joe Bramer) and Mark Pinney (Mark Pinney) talked about why they deliberately kept expectations low (planning for a modest 30,000-10,000 players) and how unusual mechanics like “frontline taxi drivers” attract players.
The studio takes a special approach to monetization and giving back to the community. Throughout Early Access, the game will have no in-game store or microtransactions—only the base or “support” version will be available for purchase.
The developers abandoned their high-profile roadmap and said they wouldn’t give in to the whims of streamers or the complaints of dissatisfiers, giving viewers an honest warning: The studio has a clear vision, and if someone doesn’t like it, they can simply not buy the game or refund their money.