This is the second part of the update patch notes for Hunt: Showdown 1896. Part 1 can be located here.

• Necromancer now is a Burn Trait that can be bought in the Traits menu for Upgrade Points to allow for easy replenishment after using it in the last mission.
  
• It is only possible to carry a single instance of Necromancer on a Hunter at any given time, and it will be consumed upon successful use as expected for any Burn Trait.
  
• Necromancer no longer drains health when attempting to revive a downed teammate.
  
• Solo Hunters will receive a Restoration when self-reviving, giving them back all Health Chunks and full health as they stand back up.
  
• The time until Solos can self-revive has been reduced from 10 seconds to 5, making it much more likely they can use their one chance to escape or turn the tide effectively.

• Throughout Mammon’s Gulch caves entrances and dark corners, you will be able to find a new animal: bats.
  
• Bats spawn together in a colony and act quite similarly to our birds.
  
  • Bats get suspicious when Hunters are nearby, taking off into the sky once a player gets too close or makes a lot of noise.
    
  • The Beastface Trait reduces the chance to alert them.
• If a Hunter sneaks underneath a colony of bats carefully, they will be able to pass by without spooking them.

• Throughout Mammon’s Gulch you will be able to find another new animal: cows.
  
• Cows act similarly to our existing horses. Be careful not to alert them, or risk drawing unnecessary attention.
  
  • Cows get triggered when Hunters are near them or make a lot of noise nearby.
    
  • The Beastface Trait reduces the chance to alert them.
    
  • Cows can be put out of their misery easily with even low-powered weapons, but headshots of course work best.
• Some cows wear bells that make additional noise when the animal is startled.

• Falls should now feel more consistent and forgiving in terms of damage.
  
• The Kiteskin Trait now significantly reduces fall damage instead of halving it.
  
• Environmental fall damage reductions are now the same as our Kiteskin damage reduction.
  
  • If your Hunter does not have the Kiteskin Trait, look for some hay bales or water to soften your fall.

Developer Note:

This rework should help in traversing the treacherous terrain of Mammon’s Gulch. This new environment features steeper terrain that created some issues for our old system. The rework should address these issues and make moving across a more vertical landscape a lot easier.

The icons placed above players have been updated and improved:

• Indicators will appear on the radar.
  
• Indicators will appear above downed or dead teammates.
  
• Indicators will appear for teammates and your own Hunter while in Beetle View.
  
• Indicators will appear above Beetles being used by teammates.
  
• Beetles will appear on the map.
  
• Indicators are no longer reflected by water, which often lead to strange visual effects.

In line with our initiative to remove the “Rule of Two” from more and more interactions, we have removed it from all remaining interactable items and completed the process as of this update. This means that:

• In-game interactions are no longer restricted to just two interactions per source.
  
• Supply points, arsenals, saddlebags, Tool Boxes, and ammo boxes of all varieties found in the world will always offer you their rewards.
  
• Medical supplies will always allow a player to heal once.
  
• Corpses can always be looted, unless they’ve been burned.

Developer Note:

Since this change affects how many players can loot downed Hunters, the existing version of the Vulture Trait has been made obsolete. We have reworked the functionality of Vulture as a result, with the full details listed under “Trait Balance Changes,” which appears further below. We have also adjusted the amount of Ammo/Item boxes available in the world, to account for the overall increase of chances to resupply from every box you’re able to find.

• Decreased the number of Heavy Slash and Heavy Blunt attacks required to destroy doors.
  
  • Increased the number of Stab, Slash, and Weak Blunt attacks required to destroy doors.
    
  • Increased Incendiary Ammo damage against doors.
    
  • Reduced FMJ Ammo and Spitzer Ammo damage against doors, as they are more likely to penetrate them.
    
  • Increased Shotgun damage against doors.
  
  
  Visual Improvements
  • Doors and window shutters received a visual update. When destroyed, they will now spawn some debris instead of disappearing.
  
  
  AI Audio Stimuli
  
  We have made a pass on the distance in which different sounds trigger AI monsters as well as how they interact with each other.
  
  • Overall, the distance an AI reacts to any sound should better align with the distance players can hear through the audio.
    
  • More items in the world that make a noticeable sound will now also alert nearby AI monsters when used.
    
  • Certain sound traps can now more easily trigger each other when one gets activated by a player action, resulting in a domino effect if you are not cautious enough.
    
  • Twigs have been tuned up and are a lot riskier to step on, alerting nearby AI monsters and sound traps in the world more easily.
  
  
  Trait Changes
  
  
  Scarce and Burn Traits
  • We are introducing a new type of trait: Scarce Traits.
    
    • Scarce Traits are Traits that can exclusively be found in the world, either randomly or as a drop from a Meathead, Scrapbeak, or the Hellborn, our new Wild Target.
      
    • Scarce Traits can be identified by their dark blue glowing Trait Spur appearance.
      
    • A Trait can be a Scarce Trait and a Burn Trait at the same time.
      
    • Shadow, which is now a Scarce Trait, is rare to find, but once you find it, it will stay with your Hunter until they perish like any other Burn Trait.
  • We are changing the way Burn Traits work, bringing more clarity and options to Trait selection.
    
    • Burn Traits are no longer exclusively found in-Mission.
      
    • Burn Traits will only be removed upon use.
      
    • Necromancer, which is now a Burn Trait, is available to buy for Upgrade Points.
      
    • Burn Traits will no longer always stack; their limit is defined individually per Trait. Some, like Necromancer and Death Cheat, can only be carried once, while others allow multiple instances to be carried/stacked on the same Hunter.
  
  
  New Trait Additions
  
  Two Traits from previous Events will return in this update to become part of the standard Trait pool:
  
  • Witness
    
    • Regular Trait
      
    • While in Dark Sight, dead Hunters and monsters are visible, and health restoration is marginally increased when close. Also highlighted in Beetle View.
      
    • Cost: 5 Upgrade Points
  • Shadow Leap
    
    • Scarce Trait
      
    • Using Dark Sight, channel a monster within range to jump to its location and kill it instantly. Excludes Targets. (50m)
      
    • Note: We’ve removed the ability to use Shadow Leap on Meatheads.
  
  
  Trait Balance Changes
  
  We are also doing some changes to existing Traits:
  
  • Shadow
    
    • Shadow is now a Scarce Trait, preventing it from burning away upon getting downed.
  • Death Cheat
    
    • A Hunter can now only have 1 stack of Death Cheat.
      
    • You will have to burn your single instance before you’re able to pick up a new one.
  • Vulture
    
    • As we mentioned before, the removal of the ‘Rule of Two’ meant that the Vulture Trait lost its original purpose.
      
    • Vulture now always rewards some Hunt Dollars when looting a Hunter.
      
    • Going along with this change, the price for Vulture has been reduced to cost 2 Upgrade Points instead of 3.
  • Adrenaline
    
    • Adrenaline has undergone a rework, giving the player a Stamina boost for a short time when entering critical health.
      
    • This boost is capped at a max limit and cannot be stacked.
      
    • The Trait description now reads: “When you enter critical health, you will receive a small Stamina boost.”
  • Added Shadow, Shadow Leap, Relentless, and Rampage to the list of random Trait rewards Hunters can acquire from closing Rifts in Soul Survivor.
  
  
  Meta
  
  
  Arsenal Price Changes
  Weapon Prices
  • The Berthier 1892 has been reduced from $356 to $330
    
  • The Drilling Shorty has been reduced from $430 to $330
    
  • The Krag has been reduced from $376 to $345
    
  • The Mosin-Nagant has increased from $490 to $620
    
  • The Vetterli 71 Cyclone has been reduced from $535 to $280
  
  
  Scope Attachment Prices
  • Scope attachment prices have been streamlined and now make up a percentage of the base weapon costs.
    
  • This should result in more consistent, and in some cases, significant reductions in costs compared to before.
    
  • These changes also consider that scopes are harder to use with the introduction of ballistic bullet drop, where players must now adjust their aim based on distance.
  
  
  Trait Unlock Changes
  • Witness – Unlocked at Bloodline Rank 44.
    
  • Vigilant – Unlock requirement has been moved from Bloodline Rank 44 to Rank 36.
  
  
  Weapon Charm Changes
  • Charms can now only be equipped to a single weapon at a time.
  
  
  Hunter & Item Rarities
  • We’ve assigned rarity levels to all cosmetic items—Hunters, Weapons, Tools, Consumables, and Charms. Rarities have been applied retroactively.
    
  • Rarity definitions have been updated. Cosmetic rarities are defined by the degree of variation from the default item model, theming, and exclusivity. The following rarities are available:
    
    • Common (Default item model)
      
    • Uncommon
      
    • Rare
      
    • Epic
      
    • Legendary
      
    • Mythic
  • Mythic rarity applies to time-sensitive unlocks or purchases that will not return for unlock or sale.
    
  • Blood Bond prices for cosmetic items have been adjusted depending on rarity. Additionally, BB prices have been reduced overall.
    
  • Rarity tags and color-coding have been added to cosmetic items to indicate rarity level.
  
  Developer Note:
  
  By adding rarities to all cosmetics, we hope to better reflect the actual quality and value of our Skins. Our updated prices are tied to rarities, which should make pricing fairer and more transparent, as well as set clear standards for the quality of each rarity.
  
  
  Hunter & Recruitment Changes
  The presentation of Bounty Hunt recruits has been completely revised. Hunters can now be recruited via:
  
  • Recruit Free Hunter tab- Allows players to recruit a Free Hunter, with pre-assigned contraband loadout and one randomized Trait.
    
    • Free Hunters are now the only pre-equipped Bounty Hunt Recruits and are always available, regardless of a player’s Bloodline Rank or Hunt Dollar balance.
      
    • Free Hunters are always represented by the same four different character models (two male and two female) and draw from a very limited pool of equipment.
      
    • Free Hunters can no longer be reshuffled manually, but are automatically reshuffled after each Mission.
      
    • One of them always comes with the same fixed equipment. The equipment of the other three can vary slightly, but there will always be a basic rifle and shotgun option available.
  • Recruit Hunter tab - Allows players to recruit a Hunter for 100 Hunt Dollars, without a loadout but with pre-assigned randomized Traits. This is where players recruit all Hunters unlocked via progression or a store purchase, as well as those gained through DLC, Twitch Drops, and Dark Tribute Hunters.
    
    • 19 Hunters can now be unlocked via Bloodline and Prestige progression.
      
    • Hunters unlocked via the Bloodline are Prestige-persistent.
      
    • Multi-stage Hunters (Viper, Frau Perchta, Scourge, Union Suit, and Corvid) have been split into separate Hunters.
  • Most former Tier 2 and 3 recruitable Hunters will not be available in the 2.0 update, but will be added in the future. More details to come.
  
  
  Soul Survivor
  • The number of selectable Soul Survivor Hunters has been reduced from five to four, and they now always share the same four character models as the Free Hunters, regardless of a player’s Bloodline Rank.
    
  • Soul Survivors are now automatically added to the Roster. If no regular free slot is available, one is temporarily created for the Soul Survivor Hunter. The slot is removed again once the respective Soul Survivor dies; in other words, it cannot be used for other recruits.
  
  Developer Note:
  
  These changes are the first part of an initiative to revamp recruitment. Our goal is to give Hunters more defined identities, as well as adding more interest to Hunter, Bloodline, and Prestige progressions.
  
  
  Bloodline Progression Rewards
  • New Bloodline cosmetic rewards have been added. The rewards will unlock retroactively for any players who have already reached the required Rank.
    
  • The full list of Bloodline cosmetic rewards is as follows:
    
    • Rank 1: Hunters – Oliver Whitman: Rookie and Jane Eddings: Rookie
      
    • Rank 5: Hunter – Antonia Higuera: Rookie
      
    • Rank 11: Hunter – Otis Blackwell
      
    • Rank 34: Hunter – Mercy Zener: Rookie and Skin – Vanguard (Caldwell Pax)
      
    • Rank 50: Hunter – Ambrose Hazen: Rookie
      
    • Rank 67: Hunter – Caitlyn Hammond and Skin – Hedera Mortiferum (Caldwell Conversion Chain Pistol)
      
    • Rank 75: Hunter – Leon Ulitsky: Rookie
      
    • Rank 90: Hunter – Joan Damon: Rookie
      
    • Rank 100: Hunter – Vinson Hayes and Skin – Bear’s Tooth (Mosin-Nagant M1891)
  
  
  Prestige Progression Rewards
  • New Prestige rewards have been added. Rewards unlock retroactively for any players having already reached the required Rank.
    
  • The full list of Prestige rewards is as follows:
    
    • Prestige Rank 1: Hunter – Jesse Buchanan: Rookie
      
    • Prestige Rank 2: Random Blood Bond item or Hunter
      
    • Prestige Rank 3: Hunter – Laura Gottschalk: Rookie
      
    • Prestige Rank 4: Random Blood Bond item or Hunter
      
    • Prestige Rank 5: Skin – Louisiana Lustrum (Sparks LRR)
      
    • Prestige Rank 6: Random Blood Bond item or Hunter
      
    • Prestige Rank 7: Hunter – Zachary Jones
      
    • Prestige Rank 8: Random Blood Bond item or Hunter
      
    • Prestige Rank 9: Hunter – Willa Thomas
      
    • Prestige Rank 10: Skin – Golden Ticket (Bornheim No. 3)
      
    • Prestige Ranks 11-14: 100 Blood Bonds
      
    • Prestige Rank 15: Skin – Tartufai (Specter 1882 Bayonet)
      
    • Prestige Ranks 16-19: 100 Blood Bonds
      
    • Prestige Rank 20: Hunter – Sascha Romanov
      
    • Prestige Rank 25: Skin - Silver Quarter (Quad Derringer)
      
    • Prestige Rank 30: Random Blood Bond item or Hunter
      
    • Prestige Rank 35: Skin – Cordwainer (Nagant Officer Carbine)
      
    • Prestige Rank 40: Hunter – Prudence Stallworth
      
    • Prestige Rank 45: Skin – The Augur (Lebel 1886 Talon)
      
    • Prestige Rank 50: Skin – Fifty Laurels (Winfield Frontier 73)
      
    • Prestige Rank 55: Skin – The Last Resort (LetMat Mark II)
      
    • Prestige Rank 60: Hunter – Ricky Leeds
      
    • Prestige Rank 65: Random Blood Bond item or Hunter
      
    • Prestige Rank 70: Random Blood Bond item or Hunter
      
    • Prestige Rank 75: Random Blood Bond item or Hunter
      
    • Prestige Rank 80: Hunter – Thaddeus Sumner
      
    • Prestige Rank 85: Random Blood Bond item or Hunter
      
    • Prestige Rank 90: Random Blood Bond item or Hunter
      
    • Prestige Rank 95: Random Blood Bond item or Hunter
      
    • Prestige Rank 100: Hunter – John Victor and Skin – The Centenary (Mosin-Nagant M1891)
  
  
  Blood Bonds & Storefront
  
  
  Black Market (Retired)
  While the Black Market provided some interesting alternatives to acquire deeply discounted cosmetics, it has been found to be too confusing and more of a bother than a quality feature.
  In its place, we plan on putting more items on discount through the direct Store page, which can be more easily found by filtering for discounts without the gate of a sequential list.
  
  
  Loadout Presets
  The maximum number of loadout slots has been raised from 10 to 15. The purchase price for a loadout slot is always 100 Blood Bonds.
  
  New players will now find predefined loadout suggestions in their 3 free default slots, instead of the slots being empty. This will allow them to either purchase quality loadouts for different playstyles right away, or modify them further to their wishes.
  
  
  New Blood Bond Content
  • Hunter – Grotesque: Gouge (900 BBs)
    
  • Hunter – Grotesque: Shank (900 BBs)
    
  • Hunter – Tonya Wegman (400 BBs)
    
  • Hunter – Justin Pierce (300 BBs)
    
  • Hunter – Marian Lee (300 BBs)
    
  • Hunter – Leo Nunez (400 BBs)
    
  • Vetterli 71 Cyclone – Barbed Absolution (700 BBs)
    
  • Conversion Chain Pistol – Rattling Rage (600 BBs)
    
  • Dusters – Rusted Frenzy (500 BBs)
  
  
  Manual, Book of Weapons, and Book of Monsters
  • As we transition to our new and updated UI, all books have been removed from the game.
    
  • Replacement systems for progress tracking or rewards related to weapons and monsters are being worked on, but won’t be ready until a future update.
    
  • In this context, all references to the books have also been removed. These include, among others:
    
    • [Corresponding loading screens.
      
    • Corresponding Accolades.
      
    • Corresponding links from the Tutorial.
  
  
  Achievement and Trophy Modifications
  The conditions of the following Achievements and Trophies have been modified:
  
  • “Sightseeing in the South: Visit every Lawson Delta location in one Mission” has been modified to “Exploration Tour: Visit every location on any map in one Mission.”
    
    • To unlock it, all 16 locations must be visited during a Mission.
  • “Swamp Tourist: Visit every Stillwater Bayou location in one Mission” has been modified to “Supply Tour: Visit every Supply Point on any map in one Mission.”
    
    • To unlock it, all 4 Supply Points must be visited during a Mission.
  • “Weapons Bibliophage: Unlock 50 entries in the Book of Weapons” has been modified to “Weapons Expert: Unlock any 50 pieces of gear.”
    
    • To unlock it, any 50 pieces of gear must be unlocked. Gear that is already available at Bloodline Rank 1 does not count.
  • “Monstrous Bibliophile: Unlock 25 entries in the Book of Monsters” has been removed. Previously, the corresponding tasks that had to be completed to unlock the achievement were continuously communicated in the Book of Monsters. By removing the book, this information is no longer available. To avoid frustration over which tasks still need to be completed, we decided to remove this achievement entirely.

The following Achievements and Trophies now support progression tracking:

• Convalescent Home – Retire 25 Hunters
  
• Master Headhunter – Recruit 100 Hunters
  
• In the Footsteps of Flaxman Low – Investigate 250 Clues
  
• Lone Wolf – Kill 50 Boss Targets Solo
  
• Centennial Contractor – Complete 100 Bounty Hunt Contracts
  
• Sealed and Secured – Close 250 Rifts in Soul Survivor
  
• On the Nose – Kill 150 monsters with headshots
  
• Deadeye – Kill 100 enemy Hunters with headshots
  
• Regards from John L. Sullivan – Kill 150 Grunts with the Dusters
  
• Battering Ram – Break 50 doors
  
• Louisiana Fried Chicken – Burn 50 chicken coops
  
• Weapons Expert – Unlock any 50 pieces of gear

We have implemented 3D Audio Pipeline, which supports object-based audio both binaurally and with compatible home theater setups.
Developer Note:

With Update 2.0, players can now use alternative 3D Audio home theater and binaural endpoints to experience Hunt’s audio world based on their own preference and platform capabilities.
Players now have the option to deactivate CrySpatial in the Audio Settings of the game and activate alternative 3D Audio solutions in their Windows or console settings, if preferred.
CrySpatial has also been carefully refined for enhanced spatial awareness, while remaining true to the signature binaural sound of Hunt: Showdown 1986.

We’ve carefully refined Hunt’s audio mix to improve readability, consistency, and immersion.

Developer Note:

Alongside implementing the new 3D Audio pipeline, we have taken the opportunity to tweak the general mix of the game to feel more consistent. Overall, Weapons should sound tighter and more powerful, and monsters are slightly quieter near the player.

On top of that, we compared all Tools, items, and player actions, rebalancing volumes as required. Overall, the goal was not to drastically interfere with Hunt’s established audio language, but instead to resolve inconsistencies.

Noteworthy audio mixing changes:

• Tweaked gunshot volume based on ammo type (e.g. Long Ammo weapons will sound slightly louder compared to Medium Ammo and Compact Ammo weapons).
  
• Reduced audible range for the Quad Derringer (From roughly 300m to around 150m).
  
• Reduced the volume of the Hive’s swarm and increased the volume of the Hive’s attack scream.
  
• Increased volume of elevator interaction and movement loop.
  
• Increased audible range and decreased volume of interaction sound for the Remedy, Necromancer, and Serpent Traits. This ensures more consistent and expected behavior while still allowing these Traits to be used stealthily.
  
• Slightly reduced volume on all sounds close to the player (below 5m).
  
• Filtering on enemy and teammate gunfire over distance has been reworked to improve readability. Gunshots now have almost no filtering between 0-30m. Some light filtering is introduced between 30-70m. Stronger filtering comes in at distances beyond 70m. This will ensure better readability on gunshots in close range fights while maintaining a clear distinction between close and distant gunshots.
  
• Various mixing changes on Scrapbeak, reducing overall volume and slightly turning down his intensity, while still keeping his iconic audio design intact. He should still be louder than other Boss Targets, but not THAT much louder…

All far-reaching environmental sounds, gunfire, and explosions are now delayed by a defined speed of sound over distance. (c = 343m/s) to bring additional immersion and consistency to the overall audio experience.

Developer Note:

Supporting more realistic projectile behavior, we have implemented a true speed of sound delay on gunshots, explosions, and other long-distance sounds. Depending on the projectile speed, players can now hear the impact of a bullet before the actual gunshot. Together with the newly designed gunshot reflection system (explained below), players can use this information to pinpoint enemy Hunter positions.

• Gunshot and explosion audio now reflects and echoes off large environmental structures (e.g. mountains) to create a more immersive soundscape.
  
• The Speed of Sound applies to this system too, considering the distance between gunshot, reflection point, and player.
  
• Reworked the music system, featuring new versions of existing tracks for onboarding, matchmaking, and the loading screens.

• Improved the animation quality of the Specter 1882 for the pump-action and reload.
  
• Improved the animation quality of the Vetterli 71.
  
  • Reworked the animation style for a better feel.
    
  • Improved recoil and dry fire animations.
• Improved the animation quality of the Auto-5.
  
  • Improved inspect animation.
• Improved physics and weight in animations for the Mosin-Nagant.

Developer Note:
This change also improved the iron eye animation of the weapon to be more in line with other bolt-action rifles.

• Polished animations for world weapons (Sledgehammer, Axe, Pitchfork, and Shovel).
  
• Polished animations for the Springfield 1866.
  
• Polished camera movement on the reload animation of the Dolch.
  
• Improved dry fire animations for Frontier 73C, Ranger 73, and Vandal 73C.
  
• Improved the equip animation in 3rd person for syringes.
  
• Fixed a lot of small animation issues on various equipment.

An amalgam of fire and flesh, a new Wild Target prowls the pines: the Hellborn. Hunters can hear the Hellborn’s call in Dark Sight to track it. When the Hellborn is angered, its enraged howls will attract the attention of Hunters across the Gulch. Killing it triggers a Restoration for your team and causes it to drop a single Bounty Token, as well as a Burn Trait. There is no Banish phase.

• Rotjaw will not appear in Mammon’s Gulch.

The Hunt UX/UI redesign aims to enhance the experience for all players on PC and console by improving accessibility and usability. This update creates a balanced UI and showcases the game's art, with a scalable framework for future features and content. It's a fresh start for Hunt, with steady improvements, new features, and content rolling out in the coming months. Originally designed for PC, the old UI didn't fully serve console players or meet PC players' needs. Through extensive research and testing, we've streamlined features and clarified the UI for a better overall experience.

• Accessibility and Intuitiveness: Ensuring the UI is user-friendly across all platforms.
  
• Console Player Support: Addressing long-standing issues specific to console players.
  
• Scalable Framework: Creating a UI that can grow with new features and updates.

• Hunter Recruitment: Simplified process with new and reworked Hunter skins.
  
• Roster & Traits: New carousel and grid views for easier navigation and management.
  
• Favorites and Filters: Quickly find and select your favorite Hunters, Traits, Gear, and Loadouts.
  
• Actions Menu Fly-Out: Quick access to critical features, reducing clicks and button pushes.
  
• Health Bar Respec: Improved system for easier configuration and use.

• Enhance UI Accessibility: For both PC and console players.
  
• Implement Community Feedback: Based on surveys and player engagement.
  
• Streamline Navigation: Reducing complexity and improving intuitiveness.
  
• Ongoing Improvements: Commitment to continuous updates and new features.
  
• Scalable UI Framework: Facilitating the rollout of more high-quality features over time.

• Questlines: Paused since last spring, now removed in favor of Events and Battle Passes.
  
• Library: Monster and Weapon mastery tracking systems will be reworked.
  
• Trials Mode: Low engagement has led to its removal, with rewards reallocated to other systems.
  
• Black Market: Replaced by a more straightforward discount system in the store.

While we introduce Mammon’s Gulch, we have temporarily removed previous maps from this update to give players the opportunity to master a completely new environment. The old maps will be reintroduced in a reworked state in upcoming updates.


New Features:

• DX12 Support
  
• DLSS and FSR Support
  
• HDR Support
  
• Native 3D Audio Support
  
• Graphics Preset Auto-detection

• Removed Trials and Free Exploration modes.
  
• Trials cosmetic rewards have been reassigned to Prestige progression at Ranks 15, 35, 45 and 55.

Developer Note:

With this update, we are retiring the Trials Mode from Hunt: Showdown 1986. When it was released initially, the high difficulty caused frustration with some of our players. There were always more important topics on our agenda, which did the mode a disservice, and we'd like to apologize for that. By retiring Trials, we are repurposing the rewards in other places so you can still unlock them. Those who have earned the rewards already in Trials will keep them unlocked as well.

• Decreased the amount of in-world items across the map.
  
• The number of Supply Points has been reduced from 5 to 4.

• Updated the Shooting Range with 1.16 and the Scorched Earth Event content to try out.
  
• Added more weapons and variants to the different areas of the Shooting Range.

For controller and console updates as well as the list of bug fixes, head over here.

This is the third part of the update patch notes for Hunt: Showdown 1896. Part 1 can be located here, Part 2–here, and the Scorched Earth event description–here.




Many improvements and additions have been made to the controller experience, with a large focus on enhancing camera control.

Diagonal inputs, which are less than the axial deadzone value, will now be returned to flat. This allows for minor vertical inputs to not interfere with each other, which is especially useful when trying to make a horizontal turn without changing your vertical aim.

When vertical inputs reach a certain angle, Aim Boost strength will gradually reduce to 0.

With the new engine and performance changes, the Exponential and Steady curves have been tweaked to get the best results.

With the new engine, we identified some issues resulting in deadzone values being incorrect. This has been corrected, and the minimum deadzones for stick inputs have been reduced to allow for much more precise input values at the very low end.
Developer note:

Be careful when adjusting these settings, as very low values can be affected by stick drift due to hardware quality or degradation.

The default input settings have been revised and now represent a much higher quality gameplay experience than before.
Developer note:

Due to these changes, some settings will have been reset upon logging into the game. We recommend resetting all input settings to default before playing to ensure the best experience.

• Simplified and minimalist UX/UI to accommodate console constraints.
  
• Proven and tested UX/UI patterns that work across platforms.
  
• Streamlined navigation and information architecture.
  
• Contextual Actions Menu Tray for console players to access shortcuts and actions easily.
  
• Enhanced visual impact to showcase Hunters, weapons, gear, and stats.
  
• Intuitive mapping of the UX/UI to the d-pad and controller ergonomics.
  
• Improved visual updated the Weapon Wheel.

• Fixed an issue where picking up Throwing Spears was not always possible while moving.
  
• Selected Charms will now also be properly displayed in Soul Survivor.
  
• Fixed an issue where Spitzer Ammo would only penetrate a single body.
  
• Fixed an issue where players were unable to loot decoys from ammo boxes if they had full ammo already.
  
• Bullets will no longer be stuck in their animations for the Scottfield Swift when performing a vault while a reload animation was already playing.
  
• Fixed an issue where sometimes, the swapping of ammo would mismatch with the displayed amount compared to what the player actually got.
  
• Players can no longer shoot the Dolch pistol while sprinting.
  
• Fixed small rendering jitters on weapons, especially while looking through scopes.
  
• Fixed an issue where the ammo count on the HUD would not immediately update when chaining a single fire action with a rapid-fire action, such as while Fanning.
  
• Fixed an issue where sticky items such as Throwing Knives were sometimes duplicated when they hit their target, enabling the player to retrieve two such items instead of one.

• Fixed an issue where it was not always possible to interact with metal door wheels.
  
• Fixed an animation issue where windows would show as closed for a single frame while playing the open animation.

• Fixed an issue where the Adrenaline Trait would not always instantly recover Stamina when on low health.

• Fixed an issue where placed items were sometimes de-synced between client and server, making it impossible to interact with them.
  
• Fixed an issue where weapon sway was incorrect when aiming down sights right after landing from a fall.
  
• Fixed some graphical issues where outlines were not always visible enough.
  
• Fixed an issue in Soul Survivor where the player could pick up multiple Bear Traps without restrictions.
  
• Fixed various issues where players were able to vault onto/into locations where they should not have been able to.
  
• Any player movement will immediately stop when becoming disconnected, to prevent desyncs.
  
• Fixed an issue where the first spectated player was not always the one who initially killed you.
  
• Fixed an issue where unlocking a Blueprint would sometimes show multiple notification messages.
  
• Players are no longer revived with very low HP after bleeding out from a Bear Trap.

• Made some minor improvements to avoid AI blocking each other.
  
• Fixed various navigation issues with AI that could get them stuck.

• Made some improvements to reduce the chance of Lantern Grunts dropping their Lanterns in unreachable places.

• Fixed some minor animation glitches that would sometimes happen when killed while being staggered.
  
• Fixed an issue where players jumping on Meatheads would sometimes launch the player high up in the air.

• Hives will not spawn Hive Swarms if they are inside a choke cloud.

• Fixed an issue where the Spider’s bite attacks would not land while it was on walls or ceilings.
  
• Spider will no longer stop its frenzy when all players leave the arena, bringing it in-line with the behavior of all the other Boss Targets.
  
• Small adjustments to Spider’s behavior have been made to make it more consistent in its attacks and be less exploitable.
  
• The Spider now has the chance to do a bite attack when not in a frenzy.
  
• Fixed an audio issue where players could hear a 'land' sound effect when the Spider was not actually landing yet.

• Fixed an issue where the Assassin would sometimes be invulnerable to the effects of a Poison Bomb.
  
• Fixed an issue where the Assassin would sometimes create clones on walls which could get stuck.

• Various fixes implemented for small animation issues.

• Fixed an issue where using the Shadow Leap Trait against a Doctor Grunt would cause the dropped First Aid Kit to be damaged by the explosion.
  
• Fixed render distance inconsistencies for lanterns above chicken coops and dog cages.
  
• Fixed an issue where a Hunter could activate traps and sound traps (such as cans and glass) from below through thin floors.
  
• Fixed an issue where a Hunter’s corpse could start sliding if killed while getting up after being revived.

This is it, Hunters.

We are mere days from the launch of Hunt: Showdown 1896, and as noted in July, Hunt: Showdown servers are going dark for 48 hours starting Tuesday, August 13th from 7pm CEST.

This means the game will be unavailable on any platform as we ready Mammon's Gulch for your much anticipated arrival.

Thank you for your understanding, patience and support as we enter into a whole new era of Hunt together on 15th August.

Twitch Drops are back to celebrate Hunt: Showdown 1896—our biggest launch ever! First, we want to thank our amazing community for supporting Hunt throughout the years. We couldn't have done this without you, and we hope you enjoy the new experience.

To get Hunt: Showdown 1896 off to a great start, why not watch your favorite streamers and get some new gear to help you in Mammon's Gulch? This Twitch Drops campaign will run between the August 16th (15:00 UTC) – August 23rd, 2024 (15:00 UTC), and we're bringing some fan favorites back again. If you missed out on any previous Drops, then now is the time to get watching.

Already own some of the gear? No problem—we've got another pool of rewards available for you!

Check out the rewards and schedule below.

August 16th (15:00 UTC) – August 17th, 2024 (15.00 UTC)
Watch any participating Hunt: Showdown 1896 streamer for 240 mins to unlock Roe Stalker (Knife).

If you already own Roe Stalker (Knife), then one of the following rewards are up for grabs and will be given at random:

• Sideshow Judge (Throwing Knives)
  
• First Forge (Throwing Knives)
  
• The Claw (Throwing Knives)
  
• Reaper's Arm (Knife)
  
• Knotted Spine (Knuckle Knife)

If you already have the above items unlocked, then you will be rewarded with 5,000 Hunt Dollars!

August 17th (15:00 UTC) – August 18th, 2024 (15:00 UTC)

Watch any participating Hunt: Showdown 1896 streamer for 240 mins to unlock Hera's Gift (Charm).

If you already own Hera's Gift (Charm), then one of the below rewards will be granted to you, at random:

• Ferryman's Coin (Charm)
  
• Nemean Claw (Charm)
  
• Ruby's Favor (Charm)
  
• Blood Bullet (Charm)

If you already have the above items unlocked, then you will be rewarded with 5,000 Hunt Dollars!

August 18th (15:00 UTC) – August 19th, 2024 (15:00 UTC)
Watch any participating Hunt: Showdown 1896 streamer for 240 mins to unlock Alley Cat (Bornheim No. 3).

If you already own Alley Cat (Bornheim No. 3), then one of the below rewards will be granted to you, at random:

• The Pearl (Conversion)
  
• Silent Sting (Bornheim No. 3 Silencer)
  
• Widower (Conversion Chain Pistol)
  
• Intrinsic Sin (Uppercut)
  
• Bad Blood (Dolch 96)

If you already have the above items unlocked, then you will be rewarded with 5,000 Hunt Dollars!

August 19th (15:00 UTC) – August 20th, 2024 (15:00 UTC)
Watch any participating Hunt: Showdown 1896 streamer for 240 mins to unlock Moondial (Charm).

If you already own Moondial (Charm), then one of the below rewards will be granted to you, at random:

• Ferryman's Coin (Charm)
  
• Nemean Claw (Charm)
  
• Ruby's Favor (Charm)
  
• Blood Bullet (Charm)

If you already have the above items unlocked, then you will be rewarded with 5,000 Hunt Dollars!

August 20th (15:00 UTC) – August 21st, 2024 (15:00 UTC)
Watch any participating Hunt: Showdown 1896 streamer for 240 mins to unlock Storied Past (Quad Derringer).

If you already own Storied Past (Quad Derringer), then one of the below rewards will be granted to you, at random:

• Honor Shredder (Concertina Trip Mines)
  
• Revelation (Quad Derringer)
  
• Ash Bound (Choke Bombs)
  
• Death's Beacon (Flare Pistol)
  
• Rising Sun (Flare Pistol)

If you already have the above items unlocked, then you will be rewarded with 5,000 Hunt Dollars!

August 21st (15:00 UTC) – August 22nd, 2024 (15:00 UTC)
Watch any participating Hunt: Showdown 1896 streamer for 240 mins to unlock Swallow's Tail (Centennial).

If you already own Swallow's Tail (Centennial), then one of the below rewards will be granted to you, at random:

• Pioneer's Blood (Vetterli 71)
  
• Calamity Jane (Centennial)
  
• The Redmartin (Ranger 73)
  
• Augusta (Frontier 73C)
  
• Altar Boy (Lebel 1886)

If you already have the above items unlocked, then you will be rewarded with 5,000 Hunt Dollars!

August 22nd (15:00 UTC) – August 23rd, 2024 (15:00 UTC)
Watch any participating Hunt: Showdown 1896 streamer for 240 mins to permanently unlock a Random Hunter. The following previous Twitch Drops Hunters will have priority:

• Lulu
  
• Kill Buyer
  
• Billy Story
  
• Steel Eyed
  
• The Infected
  
• Umpire's Bane

If you already own all previous Twitch Drops Hunters, then you will unlock a Random Hunter from the list of Blood Bond Hunters. There is also a very small chance you will unlock Bad Hand.

If you already own all the Blood Bond Hunters, then you will be rewarded with 10,000 Hunt Dollars!

Supply Crates

Supply Crates are bundles of rewards that players can earn every day during Twitch Drops. They contain in-game item instances such as Weapons, Tools, Consumables, and a random amount of Hunt Dollars.

Watch any participating Hunt: Showdown 1896 streamer for 60 mins to unlock one Supply Crate. A maximum of 3 crates can be earned per day. Like the other rewards, the reward day will change over at 15:00 UTC.

For details about how to set up your account as well as other frequently asked questions, check out our FAQ page here.

Thanks again for being a part of this incredible journey, we hope you enjoy the brand-new Hunt: Showdown 1896 experience!

Mammon's Gulch was torn asunder as men did what men do in order to fill their pockets. Due to rampant greed, we cut and took from a wound left to fester.

From the infection, something began to rise, a fever so rampant it set the ground itself alight with hatred. Bestial screams filled the horizon as the Hellborn burst forth in anger. Nature's revenge? Or something far darker...

To celebrate, not only the launch of 1896, but to also thank our amazing community for all the patience and support during this transition period, we're giving away another round of goods, starting August 16th over on Twitch.

Join us, and your favorite Hunt content creators, while we journey into the mountains and see if you can't strike gold!

Fire, the world's greatest cleanser...but the flames went too far. The land here is scarred, not pure. Where nature once provided so bountifully, now only ember and ash remain.

We're proud to announce the first Event of Hunt: Showdown 1896. Scorched Earth begins August 15th.

There's no better way to start off an entire new era of Hunt: Showdown than to do it with a bang!

We've got another dose of Twitch Drops for you all, as a reward to our amazing community.

More details to come!

Reports of burned crops and scorched cattle were starting to cause unrest in the northern mountains. Coupled with the sickness that had started to spread, people's homes became fortresses. Lucky, really, considering the heated battle that was about to unfold...

Our latest event, Scorched Earth, arrives August 15th. Take a look at our brand-new reveal trailer.

Be careful not to get caught in the nest of barbwire!

From the 26th to the 28th of July, all contracts will feature Scrapbeak.

Best of luck, Hunters.