Hero image: Way of the Hunter 2 screenshot. Image: Nine Rocks Games / THQ Nordic
Preview: Nine Rocks Games’ Hunting Sequel Reaches Full Release On 29 September
This is a preview. Gamers Classified has not played Way of the Hunter 2, and this piece carries no score. Everything below comes from the developer’s and publisher’s own store page and posts.
Way of the Hunter 2 leaves Early Access on 29 September. The developer, Nine Rocks Games, confirmed the date in a Steam post on 23 September, which ends with “The hunt begins on September 29, 2026.”
The game has been in Early Access on Steam since 26 March. Xbox Wire’s Next Week on XBOX list also includes it, under 28 September.
The sequel is set across three regions. The Steam page lists New Laurentia in North America, the Kilimaya Reserve in Africa and a Rocky Mountain hub built around the Hearth & Hunt Headquarters lodge.
In Africa, the page promises “massive hippos, thunderous buffalo, prowling lions, and stealthy Nile crocodiles”. North America covers moose, elk, bears and bison.
The lodge is the new centrepiece. It can be expanded with extra rooms and trophy displays, and holds trophies from every region.
A hunting dog detects animal signs, follows blood trails and tracks wounded game, improving with exercise and training. The page also lists a reworked bullet camera for shot review, and thermal night vision among the high-tech equipment.
The latest Early Access update, 0.5.0, went live on 22 September. It added ammunition changes, so rifles can carry alternate ammo types, and the Merkel Helix Speedster bolt-action rifle.
Players who pre-order or join Early Access before launch receive the Heirloom Pack at no extra cost. It includes an engraved .243 Win rifle, a matching scope, a .270 Win rifle and a bronze elk statue for the lodge.
On the Australian Steam store, Way of the Hunter 2 is A$50.99 in Early Access. No price for the full release has been listed separately.
The store page describes the game’s goal as “to become the most authentic and advanced virtual hunting experience”. Whether it gets there is a question for a review, once the full game has been played.
Source: Steam – Way of the Hunter 2, Steam – Way of the Hunter 2 launches next week, Steam – Update 0.5.0