There might be a moratorium on World War 2 shooters, but developers are still allowed to make gun-'em-ups set during the First World War, which has been relatively undocumented in games. Verdun is such a game, concerning itself with "realism", tactical squad management, and "merciless trench warfare". It's been in Early Access for a while—you can read our review of the Early Access version here—but today it has been declared finished, and been released into the wilderness of Steam.

The developers plan to release free themed expansions after this main event, adding Belgian and American troops, a "gritty in-game gore system", and a new, "hardcore" game mode in addition to other stuff. There are a few more details about those expansions in the 'road map' below.

In keeping with its efforts to offer an authentic WW1 trench warfare simulator, Verdun studios M2H and Blackmill Games will host special truce Christmas events in-game this month. This is in keeping with the historical truce between French, German and British troops during Christmas 1914, where soldiers downed weapons in order to share Christmas carols and, reportedly, play some friendly matches of football. 

You'll still be able to engage in bloody military warfare, but the truce scenarios will play out between matches from December 18 until Christmas day. During the scenarios players can play football or engage in jovial snowball warfare. 

The events will be complimented with a series of competitions, detailed below. 

• 19 December; a YouTube Christmas Truce video contest for the best video about this event
• 20 December; a Steam Hub screenshot competition for the best in-game Christmas Truce screenshot
• 21 December; a Twitch TV giveaway for the Verdun streamers
• 22 December; a Twitter competition for the best WW1 Christmas carol text twittered @VerdunGame
• 23 December; a Facebook Christmas Card contest for the most entertaining Verdun best wishes card