Since Warhammer 40,000: Darktide’s launch in November, players have issued complaints about its incomplete gameplay mechanics and unstable framerate, with just 35% of its 8,510 recent Steam reviews currently being positive. Now, Fatshark, the team behind the co-op shooter, is shifting its focus to address these complaints.
Today, Fatshark CEO Martin Wahlund addressed the game’s launch and outlined the team’s plan moving forward with an open letter published on the @Darktide40K Twitter account.
When creating Warhammer 40K: Darktide, according to the open letter, the team wanted to “create a highly engaging and stable game with a level of depth that keeps you playing for weeks, not hours.”
“We fell short of meeting those expectations,” Wahlund acknowledged.
He then moved to announce a new focus on addressing feedback, which will include “a complete crafting system, a more rewarding progression loop,” and improved “game stability and performance optimization.”
— Warhammer 40K: Darktide (@Darktide40K) January 24, 2023
The team’s new focus will indefinitely delay the launch of the game on Xbox Series X|S, which was slated to release shortly after the game’s November PC launch but hadn’t yet received a release date at the time of the delay. Fatshark is also delaying seasonal content rollout and upcoming premium cosmetics.
Initially revealed in 2020, Warhammer 40K: Darktide faced a two month delay before its eventual release in November 2022. We gave the game an 8 in our review, praising its satisfying gameplay but docking points for its tedious progression grind and “persistent framerate dips.”
Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN who loves all things indie and Nintendo. Outside of IGN, they’ve contributed to sites like Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun. Find them on Twitter: @ameliazollner.
Discussion about this post