Khizar Mundia 
Hunt: Showdown 2’s release date has been revealed and a surprise leak from the ESRB has likely spoiled the reveal of the game’s official name; Hunter: Showdown 1896.
Hunt: Showdown officially launched in August 2019 by Crytek and received very positive reviews on Steam. Since then, the developers have provided continuous support and updates to the game. The game has been on a bit of a downswing, however. The latest DLC was released in June to mostly negative reviews from players surrounding reports of technical issues.
Games like Helldivers 2, Lethal Company, and Content Warning have shown how much of an appetite there is for online PvE games, however. Crytek announced a next-gen update to its own flagship game in the genre in a press release. More information was shared in a developer update video, which gave fans the release date. An ESRB rating might have revealed the official name of the upcoming update.
What is the release date for Hunt: Showdown 1896?
Hunt: Showdown 1896 from Crytek will be released on August 15, 2024 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S consoles.
The next-gen update to Hunt is said to be the biggest update to the FPS shooter ever. It has also been confirmed that Crytek will end support for Hunt: Showdown on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles. The game will only be available for next-gen consoles. Fortunately, fans don’t have to worry about any $10 next-gen upgrades. The Hunt: Showdown upgrade will be free for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S users.
Hunt: Showdown being named “Hunt: Showdown 1896” was revealed via an ESRB listing for the game. Though Crytek’s announcement and the ESRB listing appeared at the same time, the name isn’t officially confirmed. Given the scope of the update, it’s looking like the new game will be a full reboot of the original.
What changes are coming in Hunt: Showdown 1896?
The Hunt: Showdown 1896 update will port the game into a new game engine, add a map, and revamp the user interface.
The ESRB listing describes the game as “a first-person monster hunting game set in a fantastical version of the Victorian era.” Hunt: Showdown was already set in the late 19th century, and the next-gen additions will retain that Victorian setting.
The biggest change in the update will be the move to CRYENGINE 5.11. The developers have stated fans that the new map will showcase the engine’s capabilities. This is a big step up from the original game’s CRYENGINE 5.6, released in 2019. The move to a new engine is Crytek’s explanation for decommissioning the PS4 and Xbox One versions.
