The unique PvPvE extraction shooter Hunt Showdown recently received a massive overhaul and adopted a new name: Hunt Showdown 1896. With a new map, a new game ending, new gear, significant UI changes, and much more, it’s a big shake-up to the experience. However, it wasn’t without issues, with the new UI in particular making Hunt the target of Steam review bombing. Despite that, the update has pushed Hunt to a new all-time concurrent player record, five years after launch.
Released on Thursday August 15, the Hunt Showdown 1896 update initially hit the ground running, stunning players with its new Colarado map – which is a big change of pace – and the various overhauls that accompanied it. This was backed up by a free weekend for the FPS game.
Not long after, however, Hunt Showdown 1896 suffered review bombing on Steam, dropping its typically stellar score down to ‘mostly negative’ and compelling developer Crytek to issue an emergency response. The game is still currently rated ‘mostly negative.’
Regardless, Hunt Showdown has managed to top its peak player record. Prior to the 1896 update, Hunt’s record sat at 45,000 concurrent players, a peak set back in June 2023. With the overhaul, rebranding, and a free weekend hitting all at once though, Hunt Showdown 1896 has raised the bar all the way to just over 60,000 concurrent players.
Given all the controversy, you wouldn’t have thought it would be doing better than ever. After all, seeing a ‘mostly negative’ review score would typically put players off downloading a game, even if it’s a free trial. Nevertheless, Crytek’s unique take on the genre has come a long way since our original Hunt Showdown review.
The UI update evidently wasn’t a hit but Hunt Showdown remains one of the best multiplayer games on the market, so it’s good to see even more players give it a shot. Though the free trial has now ended, you can still pick it up on Steam for 20% off, making it just $23.99 / £20.79. Otherwise, you can give one of the best free games a go if you’re on a budget.
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