The closed beta for the 100-player milsim FPS Wardogs saw significant engagement over the weekend, with game director Howard Philpott reporting that over 500,000 unique players participated. The beta, available to those who pre-ordered the early access release, peaked at over 100,000 simultaneous players on Steam on Sunday.
"The reaction from the FPS community has been insane," Philpott stated in a debrief video, noting the strong turnout in the same week as the betas for Call of Duty and a major update for Battlefield 6. He highlighted that nearly half a million unique players joined the Wardogs closed beta.
The impressive player numbers for a complex military simulation game suggest a potential shift in player tastes, influenced by the popularity of genres like battle royales and extraction shooters such as PUBG and Escape From Tarkov. While Wardogs is neither of these, its core mechanics—including realistic ballistics, large maps, and restrictive inventory management—are finding a more receptive audience than might have been expected in the past.
Wardogs also features an economy system where players earn in-game currency for useful actions like eliminating enemies, reviving teammates, capturing objectives, or providing transport. This persistent wallet can be used to purchase weapons, unlock gear, and tip other players. The developer sees this as a way to encourage teamplay through individual incentives.
Wardogs is scheduled to enter early access on September 10.