Posted in: Games, Video Games | Tagged: Battalion, Battalion 1944, Bulkhead Interactive, Square Enix, Square Enix Collective

Battalion 1944 Launches Major Wartide 2.0 Update Ahead of Tournament

Square Enix Collective and Bulkhead Interactive have announced a major update for Battalion 1944 ahead of the game's four day long $50,000 USD tournament later this year. The comprehensive update is part of Bulkhead's ongoing commitment to supporting and updating the game throughout its Early Access period.

The update is set to roll out on June 12, 2018 and will include a complete overhaul of the game's Wartide 2.0 competitive mode. It'll also come with a new Savoia map set on the streets of Italy, and a 'BattleRank Season' which grants players new skins for increased XP. 'BattleRank' is Battalion's free version of a Fortnite's Battlepass system.

Additionally, the update brings some matchmaking improvements, new character models, a new sound system, a reworking and rebalancing of certain weapons, an extensive visual overhaul and performance upgrade, and some other updates and additions.

The update is designed to hit a few months before the first official Battalion 1944 Blitzkrieg Major Tournament which will take over the Esports Game Area between September 27-30th, 2018. The tournament will include open qualifiers and invited teams, with the various teams going head to head over the $50,000 USD prize pool.

"If launching Battalion 1944 has taught us anything, it's that a game where anticipation is high offers a steep and very public learning curve – both for the studio as a whole, and myself personally," says Joe Brammer – Studio Lead at Bulkhead Interactive. "Listening to the community has been our most powerful tool and a lot of what's in this update is based on suggestions – from improving the graphics to making certain weapons more powerful. We've listened, and considered everything to try and push play forward in the way players want."

"Fans of the studio know I don't tend to hold back, so I'd like to offer a genuine thanks to players who have helped to improve Battalion 1944 these last few months. We've been listening, and we've been working hard."

The June update will include:

• New competitive game mode, Wartide 2.0, including a complete overhaul of the game's main competitive mode;
• Matchmaking improvements that get players in-game and firing hot-lead faster than ever;
• A brand new 'BattleRank Season' to unlock new skins by gaining XP, similar to Battlepass systems in other games, but free;
• New character models;
• New map, Savoia, set on the streets of Italy;
• Complete design and visual overhaul of existing maps (added ladders!);
• New weapons – Grease Gun and the MP28;
• Movement rework and huge gun balance gameplay changes  – including sniper and jumping nerfs;
• New sound system (gunshot sounds react to distance away from player and if walls are blocking sounds);
• Over 60 new unlockable skins through BattleRank and the new 'Aces High' War Chest; and
• Visual overhaul & performance upgrades.

Battalion 1944 is currently available on Steam on Early Access for $14.99 USD.

You can watch the latest teaser trailer for the update below.

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