Battalion 1944 has struggled to maintain its initial player count since its launch into Early Access back in February, but the game’s latest update may have helped to reverse its fortunes. The game’s second major update, which launched last week, was followed up by a significant spike in player numbers.
Major update 2’s biggest change is the implementation of a revamped version of Battalion 1944’s core competitive game mode, Wartide. The mode now includes a CS:GO-style round-by-round economy system to promote comebacks. Developer Bulkhead Interactive has also done away with the mode’s card system, as well as entirely overhauling the mode’s UI.
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The update also added a new competitive map. Savoia is a small Italian village and is built around a combination of long sightlines and opportunities for more open play. There are also a handful of changes to existing maps, as well as updated player models. You can check out the full changelog on the Battalion 1944 Steam page.
While the improvement in player count that’s come around since the update isn’t set to turn Battalion 1944 into the next global phenomenon by itself, there’s been a marked uptick in the number of people playing over the weekend, helping the game pass 500 peak players for the first time since March.
That’s obviously not as high as the overall peak – according to SteamCharts, Battalion launched with more than 16,000 players. It’ll be difficult to ever bring those kind of numbers back, but a dedicated playerbase can help a game grow over time, as fans of For Honor and Rainbow Six Siege have shown.