Steel Hunters early access release date and everything you need to know

Steel Hunters, the new game from the creators of World of Tanks and World of Warships, is about to release in early access for everyone. Here’s what you need to know before jumping in.

Wargames new release, Steel Hunters, is a free-to-play, player-versus-player-versus-environment (PvPvE) shooter, that drops you into intense mech battles, with elements of both battle royales, like Apex or PUBG, and extraction shooters, like Tarkov.

You take control of mechanical giants known as Hunters. Each Hunter boasts a unique playstyle, so you can think of these as heroes with unique abilities and progression systems.

Steel Hunters release date

Steel Hunters will release on April 2, 2025, in early access, as confirmed in the developers’ latest update on Steam.

As for why the game will launch in early access, they said, “We want to build STEEL HUNTERS with you. By starting in Early Access, we can refine and expand the game together, ensuring every shot fired and every Hunter unleashed is finely tuned.

“And don’t worry – this won’t be a drawn-out process. Our goal is to move quickly to a full release once your feedback has helped us polish the core experience.”

Additionally, for players who took part in the Alpha and Beta test, all the skins you earned from those events will be carried over to the early access release.

If you haven’t played during those events though, and are wondering what Steel Hunters has to offer, here’s a quick rundown of what to expect.

Gameplay

The primary game mode in Steel Hunters features six teams of two players each, competing to either eliminate all opponents or secure extraction from the “Hunting Grounds”.

Hunters

At the start of Early Access, players will be able to choose from seven Hunters:

• Razorside: A highly adaptable Hunter constructed exclusively for combat, his loadout is tailored to do some real damage over medium ranges and inflict intense burst damage.
• Heartbreaker: Heartbreaker specializes in marksmanship. All of her equipment is designed to give her an edge in long-range combat.
• Fenris: Fenris is a nimble and merciless Hunter, best suited to mid-range combat. His equipment enables him to ambush his enemies and escape in the blink of an eye.
• Ursus: Ursus is a strong, resilient ursine Hunter. Her kit makes her a real mobile fortress with the power to end any arguments quickly.
• Trenchwalker: A Hunter with a combat medic loadout, he excels at close-to-medium range combat. His Leech Gun and Hybrid Grenade can heal both himself and his squadmate.
• Prophet: An engineering genius, who excels at mid-range combat. In addition to being able to summon a Sentinel Drone for fire support, he can conduct a targeted area-of-effect missile strike.
• Weaver: A defensive Hunter ideally suited for mid-range combat. While behind the cover of his Energy Barrier, Weaver can deal immense damage with his Minigun.

Maps

Matches will take place on various battlefields, including:

• Crimson Ridge: A mountainous terrain offering vertical combat opportunities.
• Maryland Heights: Urban landscapes with dense building clusters.
• Stonecutter Keep: A fortress-like environment with narrow corridors.

Check out a 23 minute gameplay demo below from WildGamerSK:

Unfortunately for console players, this is a PC release only, at least for the early access. You can grab it on Steam, but it requires the Wargaming game center to launch. You can link your Wargaming account to Steam.