Steel Hunters is a new extraction shooter from the developers of World of Tanks. It creates an interesting blend of extraction shooter objectives with tactical third-person action into a unique free-to-play multiplayer game focusing on teams of two. Just announced at The Game Awards 2024, Steel Hunters will have a 10-day closed beta test that players can sign up for now to get into the action.
Steel Hunters is entirely designed around being a duos game. Each Hunter has a unique set of abilities similar to that of a hero shooter that complement each other. The team uses the term “duo symbiosis” to describe one of their guiding philosophies in game design. It’s life or death on the battlefield, and every moment counts. As teams land on the map, they’ll begin scavenging for stat points, buffs, and other key objectives and AI-controlled enemies. They’ll need to play smart and slow, working together to know when to engage an enemy team or when to take the scenic route to avoid conflict.
As someone who started playing League of Legends this year (thanks, Arcane), something that really stuck with me from watching a behind-closed-doors session of Steel Hunters is the dual synergies between Hunters. Similar to the relationship between an AD Carry and Support in the bottom lane of a League of Legends match, both roles cannot thrive if the other is out of position, making decisions without the other, or not communicating effectively. They have to move as one unit and work together to provide support to one another.
The developers emphasized that Steel Hunters is designed around the idea that, even if you’re a skilled player, you’re not meant to take on 2v1 fights or be racking up kills solo. It’s fully meant to be tactical and force players to make decisions around team composition, where to play for advantage on the map, and when to pop your abilities during a fight.
Fights in Steel Hunters are brutal. These hulking mechanical beings slug each other with ranged attacks and melee combat. There’s a weightiness to every hit; every aspect makes a clang or thud. There’s a strong mix of different Hunters to choose from. Some take on the forms of wolves and bears, while others look more humanoid in form. My hands-off preview showcased a truncated match, following the six teams of two on the battlefield fighting for positional advantage and objectives around the map. I saw one Hunter use its increased mobility options to get the jump on an enemy team while its partner used its longer-range cannon to provide cover fire and split the enemy’s attention.
In a world of content creation dominated by trying to get the next “clip” or a wild headshot or team kill, Steel Hunters looks to challenge that by being more decision-driven than reflex-intensive. It’s an interesting take on a space where getting that viral clip permeates through even the most casual matches of an online game.
A match ends when there’s only one team standing, or all of the objectives have been cleared and a team successfully extracts from the zone. As the match progresses, you’re encouraged to take on enemy teams. An early kill can lead to increased experience and fast-track your experience to hit level three, which unlocks your secondary ability to give you an edge in future fights.
A game-changing Colossus Kit is rewarded to players when they complete certain map objectives, and it transforms your Hunter into a colossal monster that deals increased damage and has a higher health pool. This temporary buff is great for getting the edge on an opponent and racking up a few extra kills in a tough spot.
Steel Hunters is shaping up to be an exciting prospect for Wargaming and an interesting game to keep an eye on for 2025. Its blend of real-time combat with tactical decision-making offers up something new in the extraction shooter space for me to get excited about.
Whether you’re a long-time fan of their other games like World of Tanks or just interested in this new universe of cool-looking mechs, you can sign up for Steel Hunters‘ 10-day playtest now.
