With newcomers such as Arena Breakout Infinite, Level Zero Extraction, and Delta Forc all shaping up as challengers to the mighty Escape From Tarkov, the tactical FPS space feels rather busy. Yet with a million copies sold and a greater focus on a persistent, PvE-led experience, Gray Zone Warfare is here to stay. Fresh off its early success, the team is preparing to deliver a game-changing overhaul with the introduction of a day/night cycle. At Gamescom, I sat down with Madfinger PR director Rick Lagnese and community manager Corey ‘TheDevilDogGamer’ Smith for an extended look at the new update.
Having racked up a million sales since its early access launch in April, Madfinger is confident about what lies ahead for Gray Zone Warfare despite some early stumbles. “We have a very healthy future,” Lagnese tells me, “we’re here for years, we’re not going anywhere.” To kickstart that is the much-touted introduction of a day/night cycle, which is obviously a dramatic shift in how you approach any tactical FPS game. That change, and the surrounding features that come with it, are very much the meat and potatoes of the update, but there are quite a few additional community-requested vegetables on the side as well.
The introduction of nighttime means you’ll have to adapt how you play. Of course, you can expect plenty of gear such as flashlights, NVGs, and lasers to help you survive in the dark – more on those in a moment – but each of them comes with considerations and drawbacks. The update also ramps up the density of the map, with more buildings to enter, dynamic points of interest, and additional ways to discover high-value loot out in the world. You’ll be able to get your hands on the iconic MP5, an adaptable weapon ideal for close and mid-range combat, which will of course boast a range of attachments so you can tweak it to your play style.
As night falls, the number one question becomes vision. Ambient light in more open areas might make it easy enough to see, but head into the deeper jungle and your surroundings will get a lot darker. Fortunately, you can use some trusty night vision goggles, which Madfinger has carefully designed in collaboration with NVG manufacturers to act as realistically as possible. They aren’t a one-stop fix; they work by amplifying light, meaning that in darker areas you’ll still need a light source, and their long-range focus means you won’t be able to read your map while wearing them.
What I see in action is the AN/PVS-14, a very popular monocular night vision solution, although two-eyed options will also be available. Most excitingly, unlike many implementations you see in games, you’ll wear this over your right eye while still being able to see the surrounding area with your left. This is both more realistic and also gives you a better sense of your periphery. Enemies can make use of night vision, too, although you’ll typically only see it in the hands of more well-equipped factions such as the military.
For a more straightforward solution, you can employ a flashlight. These are obviously ideal, and can also be useful to blind and disorient enemy combatants. Of course, they’re not subtle – walk around with your flashlight swinging about and you’ll attract attention in no time. They’ve also been modeled accurately, meaning that the light from them will spread based on the position they’re mounted on your weapon, throwing shadows from the barrel and scope.
Lasers are another option at your disposal, helping you land your shots in lower-light conditions. They’re ideal for coordinating with your teammates – you can even wave them up into the sky to quickly pinpoint your location to distant companions – but can similarly give away your position to those you’d rather not have it. To solve this, there’s the option to employ infrared lasers that can only be seen while wearing night vision goggles – but again, remember that you might not be the only ones wearing them, and military troops will certainly take it upon themselves to investigate an errant, flailing laser.
Bullet tracers are another addition that can give you immediate feedback on your shot trajectories, helping you to adjust your aim during longer-range gunfights and quickly let your allies know where you’re shooting. They also look great. With all that combined, Lagnese says the update emphasizes the game’s core slogan that “every move matters.” The team at Madfinger has also been working to improve some of the Gray Zone Warfare community’s most common complaints and introduce highly requested features.
The notorious ‘aimbot’ AI has been improved to feel fairer, yet remain punishing if you’re being careless. You’ll also see different enemy density at night, with more troops sleeping. Helicopter wait times have been tweaked, and they’ll now come from off-map to reduce the time you’re standing around until they arrive. When they do, an active headset toggle allows you to almost entirely cut out the noise. You can look forward to player stash cases and an emote system, and there’s even a new control option for toggling ADS or lean rather than holding it, as well as the ability to lean while prone.
On top of that, you can expect rebalancing to the economy and player progression – which means a fresh start is coming. The Gray Zone Warfare wipe will give the economy a full reset, along with a revamp to questing and vendor stock updates. Of course, you can expect a range of night-specific quests, with some valuable loot up for grabs. Smith says the team doesn’t want to force players into night gameplay if it’s not to their tastes, but encourages everyone to give the experience a shot.
Beyond the launch of the new overhaul, there’s even more in the works for nighttime operations. In a later update, you’ll also be able to shoot out every light on the map. Fuse boxes will be placed on every building, allowing you to quietly disable the lights if you can get up close or simply shoot them from a distance if subtlety isn’t key. Fast reloads and the ability to cancel reloads midway through are also being developed, although they won’t arrive until a future update.
The Gray Zone Warfare day/night cycle update is due in 2024. Lagnese says the team is hard at work but remarks, “No matter how confident you are, there can still be delays. So we’re just saying later this year, but it will happen this year.” As the game progresses, the plan is for regular major updates to land every six months.
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