Blog
News, guides & takes on extraction games
SAND: Raiders of Sophie tags every trampler hunter as a Threat in Update 10
Hologryph and tinyBuild have released Update 10 for SAND: Raiders of Sophie. The new Threat status flags any crew that wrecks too many enemy tramplers in one expedition and makes it visible to everyone in the session. It also reworks matchmaking for new players and fixes a Voyage server crash.
SAND: Raiders of Sophie
Escape from Tarkov: Patch 1.1.5.0 Rebuilds Lighthouse
Battlestate Games tore up half of Lighthouse for Patch 1.1.5.0. Rogues have moved, every mine at the water treatment plant is gone, the BTR now patrols the whole map, and the routes to Lightkeeper and the Icebreaker work completely differently.
Escape from Tarkov
ARC Raiders: Update 1.45.0 Gives Cred a Deadline of October 8
Embark releases Live Update 1.45.0 for ARC Raiders with a heads-up: the Cred currency goes away with the Frozen Trail update on October 8, and stays usable until then. Also included: the Ascending the Mountain Raider Project, the Hornet Hunter Set, Expedition 5 and an engine jump to Unreal 5.7.
ARC Raiders
SAND: Raiders of Sophie - Update 8 and 9 overhaul matchmaking and Trampler combat
SAND: Raiders of Sophie got two big updates in two weeks. Update 8 introduces gear-based matchmaking, new Trampler armor, three new shell types and a reactor rework. Update 9 follows up with mouse keybinds, per-state sensitivity, Repair Kit balance changes and new measures against teamers.
SAND: Raiders of Sophie
HUNGER - Missive XIII: How Extraction Works, Plus an Open Beta and Release Update
Missive XIII breaks down HUNGER's full extraction system: 30-second timer, descending balloons, a reworked Deadsmoke. Plus a dev update and news on the Open Beta and 2026 Early Access release.
HUNGER
Mistfall Hunter - Brandrgarde's Solo Mode Is Finally Live
Brandrgarde's Solo Mode went live on September 3, alongside the fourth class balance pass, an easier Season Task grind, and a new Oceania server. Here's the full rundown.
Mistfall Hunter
WARDOGS – BULKHEAD Confirms Working Extraction Mode Prototype for Future DLC
BULKHEAD has confirmed to Insider Gaming that a playable extraction mode prototype already exists for WARDOGS. CEO Joe Brammer explains how loot could carry into a player's account and be reused in King of the Hill, plus what that means for the studio's DLC plans.
Project News
Hunt: Showdown 1896 – Blood Testament Floods the Bayou With Blood
With Blood Testament, Crytek unleashes the biggest in-game event of the year on Hunt: Showdown 1896: starting September 8, Update 2.9 adds new Traits, a Blood Moon, the Burgess shotgun and a sweeping balance patch to the bayou.
Hunt: Showdown 1896
Active Matter – Leaves the Gaijin Store Behind for a September 15 Steam Launch
After a year exclusive to the Gaijin Store, Active Matter launches on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 on September 15, 2026. Existing saves carry over for free, and a new map plus four new weapons arrive just before launch.
Active Matter
Beautiful Light Dev Update #9: New Anomaly & Weapons
A new Beautiful Light dev update showcases the playable Vendigo anomaly, reworked weapons, a new backpack system, and early PvP clips, plus an update on the planned December 2026 Early Access launch.
Beautiful Light
Hunt: Showdown 1896 - Blood-Soaked Teasers Point to a Major Gamescom Reveal
Crytek is teasing a big Hunt: Showdown 1896 reveal with two blood-soaked Steam posts and an IGN video. The announcement lands August 26 at Gamescom Cologne, where the year's biggest content update awaits.
Hunt: Showdown 1896
SAND: Raiders of Sophie – Update 8 Kicks Off Gear-Score Matchmaking Beta
Update 8 for SAND: Raiders of Sophie kicks off Gear-Score matchmaking as a beta, adds three new armor sets, three new shell types, and a full reactor rework. There's also anti-cheat fixes, a reworked Repair Kit, and a statement from Hologryph on pre-teaming.
SAND: Raiders of Sophie
ARC Raiders - Update 1.42.0 Uncovers the Truth Behind the Phantom Targets
Update 1.42.0 brings ARC Raiders closer to solving the Phantom Targets mystery: Part 2 of the Raider Project goes live, alongside a detailed anti-cheat update, regional map condition scheduling, and a long list of bug fixes.
ARC Raiders
SPT - Battlestate Games Pulls the Plug, Tushonka Picks It Up Without Missing a Beat
SPT had to shut down its entire infrastructure after a trademark notice from Battlestate Games. Less than two weeks later, successor project Single Player Tushonka is already running: a new Forge at sp-mod.com, a migrated mod database, and active development.
Escape from Tarkov
ARC Raiders: Release Date for the Biggest Update Yet
Embark Studios has confirmed the release date for the biggest ARC Raiders update since launch: Frozen Trail arrives October 8, 2026, bringing a new map, a huge new ARC Operation, fresh ARC enemies and deeper progression built around the new Outpost.
ARC Raiders
SAND: Raiders of Sophie – Update #7 Adds the Ping System, but the Playerbase Stays Split
Update #7 for SAND: Raiders of Sophie finally adds a ping system, reworks death and respawn, and fixes over 20 bugs. Here's the full patch, plus where the Steam community currently stands.
SAND: Raiders of Sophie
Expedition: Into Darkness – Free Demo Lures Extraction Fans Into Grim Medieval Dungeons
Antediluvian Interactive has released the free Steam demo for Expedition: Into Darkness: two maps, co-op for up to four players, permadeath and pacts with dark gods. Here's what's in it and how the community is reacting so far (56% positive reviews).
Expedition: Into Darkness
Mistfall Hunter: From Next Fest Hype to One Million Players
From Next Fest sleeper hit to the million-player mark: Mistfall Hunter posted huge numbers in its first week but is still stuck with a mixed Steam rating. All the stats on players, Twitch viewers, and reviews, plus the full Season 1 roadmap.
Mistfall Hunter
Escape from Tarkov – Patch 1.1.0.0 Launches Season "Kord Breach" and Splits the Community
Patch 1.1.0.0 launches Escape from Tarkov's first season, "Kord Breach": new modifiers, a quest overhaul, a free Battle Pass, and a major economy rebalance. The community's reaction is split.
Escape from Tarkov
Extraction Compass: No More Algorithm Picking Your Next Game
Why we built Extraction Compass: a filter terminal for extraction games instead of algorithm guesswork, with a match score when nothing lines up exactly.
Project News