Dev Update #2: What's Next

Hey prospectors, 

Wildgate’s launch was just the starting line. Now, two months later, we’re ready to talk about what’s changing and where we’re going next. We're grateful to everyone who has joined us in the Reach so far - seeing you play and create moments of chaotic glee has been the best part of all of rocket ship.

But let's be real. It's also been tough. We've seen the conversations online, and you've told us loud and clear what's not working:

• Finding a match can take too long.
• The game can feel barebones after a while.
• Playing solo or with a small crew isn't always easy.

 

We're listening, and we're here to talk about what we're doing and where we're headed.

THE TL;DR™

• New Game Mode: The first iteration is set to drop at the end of November with Season 1.
• New 2-Man Ship: Perfect for smaller crews, also launching in Season 1.
• Shorter Queues, Smaller Crews: Making it easier to find a match and compete, even with a small team. 
• Hallowed Beyond Event, October 23: Haunted POIs, vampiric hardpoint, and new cosmetics.
• Welcoming New Players: Steam Free Weekend and Free Trial, coming later this year.

 

TACKLING MATCHMAKING & QUEUES

When we started digging into the feedback that hit closest to home, we found three main issues that need our full attention: matchmaking quality, content volume, and the small crew/solo player experience. Our team has been focused on attacking all three.

We know that long queue times and unbalanced matches, especially in certain regions (sorry Australia 😭), have been incredibly frustrating. 

Prospectors patiently lining up for their chance to compete.

WHAT WE'VE DONE

On September 5, we deployed fixes and changes to matchmaking that, from your feedback, markedly improved the `fairness` and balance feeling for matchmaking. However, we know that current player count will still sometimes see new players mixing with more experienced Prospectors.

OUR ONGOING WORK

Our main focus is on making it easier for players to find a game, even without a large number of people playing at the same time. By not always needing a full 20-person lobby, we can reduce queue times and make it much easier for you to find a match and get to playing. We’re also continuing to work on our matchmaking logic to make sure we’re matching you with players of a similar skill level.

One of the problems contributing to these matchmaking challenges is that our current game mode requires large lobbies to feel fun and competitive. We want to be able to provide a good experience for every player, no matter the time of day or size of their crew. So, we’ve got some bigger changes that will expand the ways you can play Wildgate, and welcome new players into the Reach.

BUILDING FOR SEASON 1, LAUNCHING LATE NOVEMBER

A NEW WAY TO PLAY

Early sneak peek of new game mode selection UI. Imagine, if you will, a brand new game mode nestled in there - Coming in November!

While we’ll be sharing more about October’s updates here in a bit, we first wanted to talk about our new experimental game mode. It's the most complex project we've worked on, and it's designed specifically to tackle the issues you’ve raised. We know that it will need some work after you’ve all had a chance to fly it around a bit when it releases in November, so please pardon our space dust and keep the feedback coming!

In this mode, multiple Wildgates are open from the start, so you can decide how long you want to stay in the Reach. Do you play it safe and escape with a small haul, or do you risk it all for more loot? The choice is yours. 

Even more mysteries await you in Season 1...

The goal is to enter the Reach, salvage valuable treasure, and then escape through a Wildgate without getting blown up! You can increase your score in many different ways - looting, questing, destroying NPC ships, grabbing Artifacts and more. Artifacts are not required to exit through a Wildgate - they will give you a big score of treasure, though.

We built this mode with three key things in mind:

• Easier Onboarding: Our hope is that this mode can give new players a smoother introduction to Wildgate with a less pressurized experience. 
• Playing with friends (or without): We know it’s not always easy to have a full crew of four. This mode is built to support teams of 1 to 4 players, so you can jump in for a quick match even if you’re flying solo. 
• A different kind of adventure: We love the intense PvP of Artifact Hunt, but we know players may also be looking for other ways to play. This mode is less about frequent PvP ship battles and more about a classic space adventure. You’ll still see some exciting battles, but your goal here is focused around gathering treasure. Your ship being destroyed means you lose your haul, which makes a fight a much bigger decision. 

A NEW 2-MAN SHIP

Shotgun!

As a direct response to your feedback about playing with smaller crews, we’re releasing a new 2-man ship with Season 1. It’s designed to be a perfect fit for the new game mode, but it can be used in the Artifact Hunt mode, too. 

And that’s not all – November’s Season 1 is planned to release with a new Prospector, a new weapon, new equipment, and an adventure pass. More on those to come in future updates!

We’re sharing all of this early because we want you with us on the journey. Definitely expect some Reach dust (AKA, space jank) along the way, and keep the feedback coming as we keep shaping Wildgate for November, and beyond.

OCTOBER EVENTS: MIDSEASON PATCH & HALLOWEEN BEYOND

SEASON 0: MIDSEASON UPDATE

To prepare for Season 1’s updates, we’ll be releasing a small patch in early October that focuses on welcoming brand-new Prospectors into Wildgate. This includes:

• An improved new player experience
• A Friendly AI Bot 
• An updated game mode selector

Between the matchmaking updates in September and this new player mini-patch in early October, it might be time we have a party 🎃. Enter: Hallowed Beyond.

HALLOWED BEYOND: OCTOBER 23

Our first themed event, Hallowed Beyond, will kick off on October 23. There will be a spine-tingling in-game event with haunted locations, a new vampiric hardpoint, and some limited-time cosmetics for your Prospector.

 

A WORD FROM MOONSHOT

These updates will be a big step forward, but they’re just the beginning! We want current players to return to an exciting, improved game and to help new players stick the landing with a smoother and more supportive early experience. Our hope is that these changes will help Wildgate grow into the game we’d all like it to be. 

And if you want even more behind-the-scenes intel on these developments, check out this Dev Update video with our head Game Designer, Dustin Browder for a deep dive into the thought process.

We’re grateful to everyone who has been with us from the early days, and to the passionate players who continue to hold us accountable and share critical feedback. Thank you for being part of this community, and we’ll see you in the Reach! 🌌

- The Moonshot Team