Wardogs, the forthcoming hardcore first-person shooter from Bulkhead, is being designed with player time as a core consideration. CEO Joe Brammer stated that while the game features a deep, cash-focused metagame with skill levels, seasonal resets, and gold bars that will heavily reward dedicated players, it also aims to be accessible for those with more casual playstyles.
Brammer explained that unlike games with frequent wipes where all player progress is reset, Wardogs will ensure continuous account progression. Progression and experience points are earned through in-game actions, similar to how RuneScape grants XP. This system allows players to slowly become more proficient in specific roles, such as medic, sniper, or pilot. For instance, a player who has spent significant time as a sniper will gradually develop enhanced abilities like holding their breath longer and achieving greater accuracy while doing so. These incremental improvements are intended to create a clear distinction between new players and veterans, a journey Brammer described as the "war dog to war lord" progression.
Despite these enhancements for experienced players, Brammer stressed that the advantages would not be so significant as to prevent new players from competing effectively against seasoned ones. The changes are minor, focusing on small percentage gains that contribute to the overall veteran experience without creating insurmountable barriers for newcomers.
The design philosophy stems from the development team's prior experience with Battalion 1944, an arena shooter that gained unexpected popularity. The team found themselves overwhelmed by the demand, which led to a realization about the importance of respecting players' investment of both time and money. "Wardogs is all about respecting people's time and rewarding persistence," Brammer said. "When you come back, it's not like you forget the fact you've put loads of time into this."
At the end of each season in Wardogs, accumulated in-game cash is converted into gold bars. These gold bars can then be used to purchase cosmetic skins, which are not available for direct purchase with real money. This approach ensures that only skins earned through in-game effort and accumulation are visible, thereby rewarding both skill and time investment. Wardogs is currently in a pre-alpha testing phase and is slated for early access release later this year.